by Melanie Remy | Mar 6, 2023 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Hormones are chemical messengers that work throughout your body, with the body producing over 50 different hormones for many different things. Sex hormones – estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone – are three types of hormones that are really important for your overall health and how you feel on a day-to-day basis. They are also commonly thrown off balance, especially in the lead up to menopause. If your hormones are out of whack because of menopause or other issues, you may need hormone imbalance treatment to correct them, which can relieve your symptoms and reduce risks for some health issues. Of course, this means knowing the signs of a hormone imbalance and making an appointment with our providers to talk about treatment options. In this blog, you’ll learn some common signs you may have a hormonal imbalance and what treatment options are available.
Hormone imbalance treatment can help you feel your best and protect your health.
If you’re struggling with menopause symptoms, get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment. We can help you treat your symptoms and get back to normal as soon as possible.
What is Hormone Imbalance Treatment?
Hormone imbalance treatment is basically how we treat people whose hormones are out of balance. Hormone imbalances can be caused by even very small changes in how many hormones your body produces. Keep in mind that sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all are supposed to keep each other in check. If you have too much or too little of one or more, then you have a hormonal imbalance that may require treatment to help with symptoms and health effects.
In a woman’s life, there are several times when hormones naturally get thrown off balance: puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Menopause is a really common time when you may need hormone imbalance treatment because your hormones become less consistent and start to decline. During your pre-menopausal years, your hormones stay pretty consistent. They go through a basic cycle, which is what controls when your period starts and stops and when you ovulate. However, in menopause your hormone levels may look more like a rollercoaster that is gradually trending downward. This can cause many symptoms that hormone imbalance treatment can alleviate.
Who Needs Hormone Imbalance Treatment?
How do you know if you need hormone imbalance treatment? Practically anyone who is suffering from the effects of unbalanced hormones could benefit from hormone imbalance treatment. Changes in your hormones frequently cause a variety of symptoms that can prove disruptive to everyday life. If you notice these signs, make an appointment with our providers to talk about your symptoms and get a diagnosis. From there, we can discuss treatment options that work best for your individual circumstances.
You Might Need Hormone Imbalance Treatment if You Have These Symptoms
There are many different signs and symptoms of a hormone imbalance to pay attention to. Some symptoms of hormone imbalances in women include:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Menstrual changes
- Irregular periods
- Heavy periods
- Frequent periods
- Infrequent/missed periods
- Vaginal atrophy (thinning of the vaginal tissues)
- Vaginal burning/itching
- Painful sex
- Urinary frequency
- Frequent UTIs
- Vaginal dryness
- Low libido
- Weight changes
- Acne
- Infertility
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Hair growth on the face
Keep in mind that many of these symptoms can also be attributed to other health conditions. That’s why it’s so necessary to see a doctor to identify the root cause. If it is caused by your hormones, you may need hormone imbalance treatment.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Hormone Imbalances?
The first step to getting the right care for a hormone imbalance is to talk to a doctor. Our providers can help find underlying causes of your symptoms and offer personalized treatment solutions for you. If you think you have a hormone imbalance, our team will discuss your symptoms and medical history. Diagnosing a hormone imbalance generally starts there to rule out other causes of your symptoms. In some cases, we may also recommend a blood test to check the hormone levels in your blood for imbalances.
Health Risks of Unbalanced Hormones
Hormones play a lot of important roles in the body. Sex hormones in particular control processes like:
- Reproduction
- Sex drive
- Bone growth
- Muscle growth
- Body fat distribution
As such, there are many potential health issues that can come with imbalances in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. For instance, when hormones start to fluctuate and decline around the time of menopause, these changes can increase your risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and stroke.
Hormone Imbalance Treatment Options
There may be many ways to treat your hormone imbalance, like following healthy lifestyle changes. However, by far the most common treatment option is hormone replacement therapy. This involves taking hormone medications to bring your levels back into normal, balanced ranges.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
There are many different options for hormone replacement therapy if you’re suffering from a hormone imbalance. Our providers typically prescribe FDA-approved bioidentical hormone therapy rather than synthetic hormones, as they’re identical to the type of hormones your body produces.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of a hormone imbalance due to menopause, then we may recommend estrogen replacement therapy (with or without progesterone) or testosterone replacement therapy. Both can work effectively to reduce symptoms of menopause.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Estrogen replacement therapy is by far the most popular treatment for hormone imbalances during menopause. This is because most menopause symptoms are caused by declining estrogen levels in your body as your ovaries start to produce less. If you’ve had a hysterectomy and no longer have a uterus, then we may prescribe estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy. This can treat your symptoms with few side effects and health risks.
If you still have your uterus, then you will receive combination therapy. This means the hormone imbalance treatment includes both estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone is necessary to keep endometrium (the lining of the uterus) growth in check to reduce the risk of uterine cancer.
In some cases, we may prescribe vaginal estrogen. This is a type of hormone replacement therapy used in the vagina and provides a lower dose of hormones to the area. Generally, vaginal estrogen only works for symptoms like vaginal dryness and atrophy and likely won’t help if you’re suffering from other symptoms like hot flashes or mood changes.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Sometimes, we may recommend testosterone replacement therapy if your testosterone levels are too low. Low testosterone in women is more common as you reach menopause and can also cause many of the symptoms listed in the above section, like low sex drive. Testosterone replacement therapy during menopause may help with your symptoms if estrogen options aren’t working or if you can’t use estrogen replacement therapy because of your medical history or other issues.
Bring Your Hormones Back into Balance with HerKare
Our team at HerKare is here to provide you with personalized healthcare solutions if you’re struggling with unbalanced hormones. We offer support through perimenopause and menopause so you can feel your best. Using hormone replacement therapy optimized to your needs, we can ease the effects of menopause so you can keep living your best life. It’s really easy to get started, just make an appointment and our team will help get to the bottom of your symptoms and provide custom treatment options.
by Melanie Remy | Feb 20, 2023 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Wellness
If you’re experiencing menopause symptoms, our providers may recommend estrogen replacement therapy to alleviate your symptoms. Many women find relief from bothersome symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disturbances commonly caused by menopause. This has led to many women wondering if estrogen replacement therapy actually stops or delays menopause. The short answer is no, but we’ll explore this more in this blog.
Estrogen replacement therapy won’t stop menopause, but it can stop your menopause symptoms.
If you’re suffering from menopause symptoms, our team provides personalized treatment plans to help you feel your best. Make an appointment today to discuss your symptoms with our healthcare providers.
Can Estrogen Replacement Therapy Prevent or Delay Menopause?
Since estrogen replacement therapy can often stop a lot of the symptoms of menopause, you might be wondering if it actually stops menopause. The answer is no. Estrogen replacement therapy doesn’t stop or delay menopause. Menopause is a natural process that women go through, not a condition that you can “cure.” So, even if you use HRT to help with menopause symptoms, you’re still technically in menopause.
Think of it like people with diabetes. They use insulin to control blood sugar levels. However, they are still diabetic even when they use insulin, as the medicine just helps control the effects and symptoms of diabetes. Menopausal women use estrogen replacement therapy to increase estrogen levels so they feel better during menopause and combat their symptoms.
Understanding Menopause and What Estrogen Replacement Therapy Is
To understand why estrogen-based hormone therapy doesn’t stop menopause, it’s important to first explain exactly what menopause is. You might know that menopause is when your periods stop for 12 consecutive months and that you can no longer get pregnant after reaching menopause. You might also know a lot of the common symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, mood changes, and vaginal dryness. However, let’s explore exactly what menopause is.
Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55. It happens when your ovaries stop producing female hormones estrogen and progesterone. This stops your menstrual cycle, so you no longer release eggs for fertilization. So, menopause is determined by your ovaries, not by the amount of estrogen and progesterone in your body. Low estrogen and progesterone levels are just a side effect of menopause.
What is Estrogen Replacement Therapy Used for in Menopause?
If estrogen replacement therapy doesn’t stop menopause, then why do so many menopausal women use it? The primary reason you might use HRT during menopause is to fight common symptoms that can interfere with your life and make it difficult to engage in your daily activities. Low estrogen levels in your body cause most of the symptoms you might associate with menopause. With estrogen replacement therapy, you can increase the amount of estrogen in your blood to relieve these symptoms. Having more estrogen in your body can also reduce several health risks associated with low estrogen levels.
Hormone Therapy Helps with Symptoms Associated with Low Estrogen
There are many symptoms you might experience during menopause, including:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Mood changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Weight gain
- Vaginal dryness
A lot of these symptoms can be attributed to declining estrogen levels in your body during menopause. Since estrogen plays important roles throughout the body, it can throw a lot of things out of whack, which explains a lot of the symptoms you might experience. However, the good news is that hormone therapy can bring your hormones back into balance to help with a lot of these symptoms so you can live your life without many of these often debilitating symptoms.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Reduce Health Risks During Menopause
Another reason you might consider starting estrogen replacement therapy during menopause is that it may reduce some of the health risks of menopause while you take it. It’s important to note that most of the time doctors will only prescribe HRT if you’re experiencing symptoms that bother you, but another potential benefit is that increasing estrogen in your body may reduce risks for common conditions during menopause like osteoporosis. Of course, like other medications it can also increase your risks for some health issues, so it’s important to weigh the benefits and risks with our healthcare professionals. However, if you’re healthy and a good candidate for HRT, then you may notice some health benefits during menopause as well.
What Affects Menopause Age?
If estrogen replacement therapy doesn’t affect when menopause starts, then what does? There are many different factors that can affect the age at which you hit menopause. However, you don’t have a lot of control over it. For instance, a lot of it comes down to genetics. You’re pretty likely to reach menopause at the same age as your mother did. Lifestyle factors can also play a role. For example, women who smoke tend to hit menopause earlier than women who don’t, while women who have a high BMI might reach menopause a little later because fat can produce some estrogen.
Why You Might Not Want to Delay Menopause
With the symptoms you might experience, it’s understandable if you’re looking for a way to delay menopause. However, keep in mind that that might not be the best option. Delaying menopause past the age of 55 is also known as late onset menopause. Late onset menopause comes with many potential health consequences. For instance, it can increase your risk for breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Instead of looking for ways to delay menopause, talk to our providers about how you can reduce your symptoms during menopause instead. As we’ve mentioned, hormone replacement therapy can be a really effective tool for managing your menopause symptoms so they don’t interfere with your everyday life. Increasing your estrogen levels won’t stop menopause, but it can help reduce or relieve symptoms like hot flashes. We use FDA-approved bioidentical (not synthetic) hormones to treat menopause symptoms and help you feel your best.
Fight Menopause Symptoms with Our Team at HerKare
Our team at HerKare offers healthcare solutions for menopause. We work with you to find the root cause of your symptoms and provide treatment customized to you. Through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy solutions, you can enjoy symptom relief during menopause so you can live your best life. As a clinic operated by women for women, we’re dedicated to finding options that are convenient and easy for you. We listen to your concerns and then work with you to find solutions that fit your needs. Get started today – book an appointment to talk to our providers about your symptoms.
by Melanie Remy | Feb 6, 2023 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Menopause comes with a lot of changes, some good (like an end to pesky PMS symptoms) and some pretty frustrating (like hot flashes). One change that many women notice around the time of menopause is a decrease in their sex drive and sexual satisfaction. This can create a huge issue with maintaining a healthy sex life and intimacy with your partner. As a result, many women really suffer from this change. Yet, very few talk about the issue with their doctor. Unfortunately, this means that many people go without treatments that have been shown to improve sex drive during menopause, like hormone replacement therapy.
Improve your sex life during menopause with hormone replacement therapy.
Hormone replacement therapy is a popular treatment prescribed for all kinds of menopause symptoms, including things like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. Hormone therapy can also be really effective at boosting sex drive and improving sexual satisfaction for a more fulfilling sex life during menopause. Keep reading to see all the ways that hormones can affect sex during menopause.
If you’re experiencing low libido or other menopause symptoms, help is available from our team – make an appointment now at one of our convenient locations.
Low Sex Drive? Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help
One menopause symptom that a lot of people don’t talk about is low sex drive. However, it’s really common and often treatable. According to one study, only about half of women ages 57 to 73 were sexually active, with those that were on average having sex less than twice a month. Also, an estimated 30% to 70% of menopausal women suffer from low sex drive. Low libido during and after menopause is a huge problem that affects a lot of women, so you’re not alone if you notice it’s hard to get in the mood, have a difficult time getting aroused, or even find that you avoid sex altogether. However, if you do notice these issues, know that hormone replacement therapy may improve your libido so you can enjoy more frequent and more satisfying sex.
Many studies have found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve sexual dysfunction in women during menopause. For instance, one study from 2007 looked at some of the health and quality of life effects for women using estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy. In the study, the women using HRT reported a 44% increase in sexual interest compared to the placebo group. Therefore, you may notice a significantly higher sex drive after beginning hormone replacement therapy during menopause.
What Causes Low Sex Drive During Menopause?
There are many reasons you may notice you’re less interested in sex around the time of menopause. Contributing factors include hormone fluctuations and other menopause symptoms that can interfere with a healthy sex life. HRT may improve issues from both of these groups so you can enjoy the sex life you want.
Low Hormone Levels
A lot of hormones play a role in sex, including the big three that decline during menopause – estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. During perimenopause, these hormones will start to fluctuate, sometimes being higher or lower. Slowly as you reach menopause, overall levels of these hormones will decline. These changes are responsible for a lot of the symptoms you might experience during menopause, including low sex drive and even pain and discomfort during sex. This is also why hormone replacement therapy is often a treatment for low libido during menopause.
Estrogen affects sex in a few ways. For one, low estrogen levels can lead to symptoms that might interfere with your libido, like sleep and mood disturbances. Estrogen also plays an important role in blood flow to the vagina. With low estrogen levels during menopause, many women experience vaginal dryness, shrinking of the vaginal tissues, and even clitoral atrophy, which is where the clitoris can become smaller and doesn’t respond as well to stimulation.
Testosterone also plays a role in a healthy sex life for women. Many women suffer from low testosterone around the time of menopause, which affects sexual desire and arousal. There is a ton of research out there showing that low libido is a symptom of low testosterone in both men and women. Researchers aren’t exactly clear why, but the evidence is pretty overwhelming. As such, as your testosterone levels decline during menopause, you might find it really difficult to become interested or aroused for sex.
Finally, progesterone is another hormone that declines during menopause. Researchers are still looking into how progesterone affects sexuality. However, many experts do believe it likely plays some role in sex drive and sexual satisfaction, which can explain why lower progesterone levels during menopause are also associated with sexual dysfunction in women.
Menopause Symptoms
Menopause can also indirectly affect your sex life through other common symptoms. It can be hard to feel sexy or get in the mood when you’re suffering from a lot of uncomfortable symptoms, and menopause may come with a lot. For instance, some menopause symptoms that many women say interfere with their sex life include:
- Insomnia
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Depression
- Anxiety
During this time in your life, you might also notice weight gain and changes to your health, which can impact your sex life, too. With body changes, many women struggle to feel attractive, which can make it difficult to be interested in sex. Also, health changes like struggling with heart problems, high blood pressure, and urinary incontinence often interfere with your libido. Therefore, there are a lot of factors that may be working together to interfere with your sex life.
Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy That Can Boost Sex Drive
There are several types of hormone replacement therapy that can improve your sex life during menopause, including estrogen replacement therapy and testosterone replacement therapy.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Estrogen replacement therapy increases estrogen levels in your body during menopause. If you still have your uterus, then it will be combined with progesterone replacement therapy to prevent an overgrowth of the endometrial tissue in your uterus. If you’ve had a hysterectomy, then we may recommend estrogen only options for hormone replacement therapy.
Estrogen replacement therapy can improve many symptoms of menopause that might affect your sex life. For instance, estrogen can increase blood flow to the vagina and clitoris, improve sleep and mood changes, as well as banish hot flashes and night sweats, all of which can affect your sex drive and sexual satisfaction.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
In some cases, we may recommend testosterone replacement therapy as well. If estrogen-based HRT doesn’t improve your sexual symptoms, then testosterone may. Several studies have found that testosterone has a beneficial effect on libido and arousal in women. Even small increases in testosterone levels in your body can increase sex drive, so our team may prescribe testosterone alone or in addition to estrogen based HRT if you’re suffering from low libido during menopause.
When to Talk to Our Providers About Hormone Replacement Therapy for Low Libido
Keep in mind that sex is different for everyone, with sex drives varying quite a lot from person to person. Just because one of your friends is having sex every single day and you’re not doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with you. However, if you do notice that your libido is lower than it used to be and that bothers you, then it’s time to talk to our providers about treatment solutions we can offer.
Also, remember that sex shouldn’t hurt, so that’s usually a pretty good indicator that you might benefit from treatment. Vaginal dryness and atrophy can create a lot of friction and discomfort during sex. These issues are really common during menopause, but know that there are options to help you feel comfortable and enjoy sex again. Hormone replacement therapy is a great option for improving your natural lubrication and the elasticity in your vaginal tissues to restore the pleasure during sex. The first step to enjoying a better sex life during menopause is to contact our team to discuss treatment options that work well for you.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Solutions for Women from HerKare
Improve your health today with HerKare. We offer personalized treatment solutions for menopause and other women’s health issues. Our providers work with you to find options that fit your needs. Get HRT for your menopause symptoms to improve your health and well-being. We offer FDA-approved bioidentical HRT to bring your hormones back into balance. Get in touch now to schedule your first appointment.
by Melanie Remy | Jan 24, 2023 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Wellness
Hormones play a critical role in the body. While you might know about estrogen and progesterone, it’s important to also know about how testosterone affects us as women. Even though it’s known as the male hormone, our ovaries actually produce both estrogen and testosterone. In fact, testosterone does many important things in our bodies. Unfortunately, women can suffer from low testosterone just like with any other hormone and it can cause a lot of problems. In these cases, testosterone replacement therapy may prove really beneficial for your health and symptoms. Keep reading to learn how testosterone therapy may help you feel your best.
If you’re suffering from menopause symptoms, make an appointment with our team today to discuss hormone care solutions.
Menopausal Women Can Benefit from Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone replacement therapy can help with many of your symptoms during menopause.
As we enter menopause, our natural hormone production starts to decline for sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. This can cause many disruptive symptoms that can really affect your life and health. That’s why so many women begin hormone replacement therapy around the time of menopause so they can feel their best and reduce their risks for certain health conditions. Testosterone replacement therapy is one option for women suffering from low testosterone levels during menopause. Testosterone has been shown to improve many symptoms commonly associated with menopause, like low sex drive and increased belly fat. Our providers will work with you to find the right dose to help you feel great again.
How Much Testosterone is Normal for Women?
Many women don’t even know that they have testosterone because it’s so closely associated with men. However, there are normal ranges for testosterone in women. Our bodies produce about one-tenth to one-twentieth of the amount of testosterone that the male body does. This means that the normal testosterone range for women is between 15 ng/dL and 70 ng/dL. If you have less than this in your body around perimenopause and post menopause, then we may recommend testosterone replacement therapy to boost levels into that healthy range.
Symptoms Testosterone Replacement Therapy May Improve
Low testosterone in women can cause many symptoms and changes in the body. Testosterone is responsible for many things. Testosterone receptors can be found throughout our bodies, so low testosterone can really wreak havoc on our health. Some symptoms that testosterone replacement therapy may help in women include:
- Low sex drive
- Vaginal dryness
- Low bone density
- Low muscle mass
- Increased fat mass
- Fatigue
- Mood changes like depression and anxiety
Testosterone May Increase Sex Drive
Testosterone plays a really important role in sex drive for both men and women. In fact, testosterone replacement therapy is commonly used to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which is a type of sexual dysfunction many women suffer from. HSDD is a condition where you have low or no libido, so you may not experience any sexual thoughts or fantasies, feel disinterested in sex, lose interest during sex, have a hard time reaching orgasm, and may even try to avoid sex altogether. Testosterone has been found to increase libido in women. Therefore, if you’re experiencing low sex drive during menopause, then testosterone replacement therapy may be an option to improve your sex life.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy Can Improve Vaginal Health
Another common symptom you might notice during menopause is vaginal dryness. This is where you have less natural lubrication. The tissues of the vagina may also begin to thin. This creates the perfect recipe for tearing and discomfort from sex or even just from everyday activities like walking. Studies have found that testosterone can help improve vaginal lubrication so it’s less dry and prone to tearing.
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Improve Bone Health, Muscle Health, and Fat Distribution
Another reason you might consider testosterone for menopause treatment is that it can improve your bones, muscles, and fat distribution. Testosterone affects how strong and dense your bones are, how big and strong your muscles are, and can even affect where you store fat. Low testosterone in women is associated with weaker bones, loss of muscle mass, muscle weakness, and more visceral (belly) fat, which is associated with a lot of metabolic issues. Increasing your testosterone to normal ranges with testosterone replacement therapy can reduce these risks. You may feel stronger, look leaner, and enjoy lower risk for issues like osteoporosis and metabolic issues tied to belly fat.
Testosterone Can Improve Mood and Energy
Many women with low testosterone levels experience debilitating fatigue and mood changes like depression and anxiety. In fact, low testosterone is often mistaken as depression or high stress because of these symptoms. However, the good news is that increasing testosterone levels to normal ranges can help you feel more energetic and may boost your mood so you can enjoy your everyday activities.
Misconceptions About Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Women
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about testosterone therapy for women. All the misinformation out there has made a lot of people afraid of starting testosterone replacement therapy, even if their blood tests show they have deficient testosterone levels. Here are some of the myths and facts you should know about testosterone for women:
Myth: There’s No Research on Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Women
Many people believe that no one has really studied testosterone replacement therapy for women. While it’s true that there’s less research into testosterone for women than for men, there is still a lot of really good scientific studies out there, with more being conducted as we speak. That’s how we know which symptoms TRT can relieve in women. Therefore, there is good quality research into testosterone for women, and we’ll only keep learning more as more researchers focus on this treatment option.
Myth: Testosterone Only Helps with Low Libido in Women
Another common misconception is that testosterone replacement therapy is only helpful for women suffering from low sex drive. While it’s true that testosterone has been shown to have a positive effect on low libido in women, the benefits don’t stop there. Many studies have found other improvements in symptoms like those we detailed above. Remember, there are testosterone receptors throughout the body and this hormone affects practically every tissue. There is a reason that our bodies produce it, and it’s not just for a healthy sex life. It can help with many parts of our health and overall well-being.
Myth: Testosterone in Any Dose will Cause Masculinization
Many women are afraid of starting hormone replacement therapy with testosterone because they’re scared of masculinization with things like facial hair, deepening voices, and other side effects. While it’s true that this can happen if you’re given really high doses of testosterone, low doses for women with low testosterone generally don’t cause these side effects. Keep in mind that our bodies actually convert a lot of testosterone to estrogen and that we need a certain amount of testosterone in the body. Our providers will work with you to find the right dose for you so you don’t need to worry about masculinizing side effects.
Get Comprehensive Menopause Treatment at HerKare
Our providers at HerKare are here to help you feel your best and live your best life through personalized healthcare. We make sure that our healthcare solutions are convenient and accessible so you can take care of yourself and your needs. If you’re experiencing menopause symptoms, know that help is available and we’re here to provide it. Our team works to identify underlying causes of your symptoms and provide customized treatments for symptom relief. Get in touch now to schedule an appointment!
by Melanie Remy | Jan 11, 2023 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Wellness
It’s officially 2023 and many of us are pursuing the goals we made for the new year. You might have several goals for this year, including becoming healthier, getting active, or losing weight. What you might not know is that hormone replacement therapy can help you achieve many of these goals. In this blog, you’ll learn exactly how HRT can help you with your New Year’s resolutions.
For quality care for menopause and other health concerns, contact us now to make an appointment.
How Hormone Replacement Therapy Helps You Achieve Your New Year’s Goals
Hormone replacement therapy can reduce the symptoms and risks of menopause so you can pursue your healthy New Year’s goals.
Now is the perfect time to start pursuing healthy lifestyle changes and making health goals. However, what you might not know is that menopause can hinder many of your New Year’s resolutions. Low estrogen levels during menopause can make achieving your goals difficult in many ways, especially if you’re suffering from hot flashes, mood changes, and other symptoms.
The good news is that hormone replacement therapy can alleviate many of these effects and make it easier for you to follow your New Year’s resolutions. If you want to change your lifestyle to become healthier overall, feel like a better version of yourself, improve your physical fitness, or lose weight, HRT can make all these things easier during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is one of the approved treatments for menopause symptoms and can have many other beneficial effects for your health and life, including helping you attain your 2023 goals.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Improve Your Overall Health
Like any other medication, hormone replacement therapy comes with risks and benefits. For menopausal women who are good candidates for HRT, there are several ways that hormone therapy can improve your health. If you’re looking to live a healthier life in 2023, it may be time to talk to our providers about HRT.
Hormone replacement therapy supplements your natural hormone levels, which start to decline during menopause. Low estrogen and progesterone levels are linked to a number of serious health concerns. For instance, menopausal hormone changes can increase the risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, obesity, and even urinary tract infections. However, since hormone replacement therapy boosts your hormone levels, it can also help reduce many of these health risks during menopause. In this regard, it can help you lead a healthier life, which is a great goal to have for this year.
HRT Can Help You Feel Your Best
Maybe your New Year’s resolution is to become an overall better version of yourself and live a more vibrant life. This is another one of those goals that is an amazing pursuit and may also be assisted by hormone replacement therapy.
In menopause, you can experience a lot of different symptoms that can really affect your life. Some people even describe feeling like a shell of their former selves because of menopause changes to their body and mood. Common symptoms of menopause include:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Mood changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Vaginal dryness
- Low sex drive
As you can see, many of these symptoms can be life-altering and make it difficult to enjoy life. However, hormone replacement therapy can alleviate or even stop many of these symptoms. Part of living your best life is feeling your best, so HRT can be incredibly impactful in everyday life. With HRT, you can get a huge mood and energy boost and start living with a better quality of life.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Might Help with Exercise and Fitness
What about if you want to exercise more and get into better shape? This can be really difficult during menopause, but, once again, HRT can come to the rescue for this Near Year’s goal. A lot of your symptoms can make it difficult to want to go to the gym, which hormone replacement therapy can help with. However, it goes deeper than that.
Low estrogen during menopause can cause physical changes to our bodies that may make it more difficult to work out and stay injury-free. However, research shows that estrogen can improve performance and injury risk during physical activity. A study from 2019 looked at the effects of estrogen on exercise, specifically musculoskeletal performance and injury risk. The reason for this is that estrogen affects many different tissues in the body, including bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The researchers found that estrogen can increase muscle mass and strength. It also can increase collagen in connective tissues to reduce stiffness, which is also linked to fewer injuries. Therefore, hormone replacement therapy can make it easier to see gains and may just prevent some injuries when working out.
Hormone Replacement Therapy May Aid Weight Loss
Another really common goal you might have for the new year is losing some weight. This is important, as more and more Americans are overweight and obese, which can cause a lot of health problems, self-esteem issues, and even death. Losing some extra pounds is a good goal to have, but it’s hard when weight gain is a common menopause symptom. Hormone changes during menopause are connected to weight gain and fat distribution. Many women may notice they gain more weight and have more belly fat than before menopause.
However, hormone replacement therapy may help you control your weight. HRT can help counteract the effects of low estrogen on your body composition. Research from 2018 looked at the effects of hormone replacement therapy on menopausal body comp and found some interesting results. First, those using HRT had less visceral (belly) fat, which is linked to issues like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and heart problems. The hormone replacement therapy group also had slightly lower BMI and total fat mass. The study mentioned that these improvements may be direct, or they may be indirect through increases in metabolism or even improved mood. Whatever the case, the evidence indicates that HRT may help you achieve your weight loss goals this year.
Why Low Estrogen Can Hinder Your New Year’s Resolutions
What exactly about menopause makes it so difficult to achieve New Year’s goals like the ones above without hormone replacement therapy? Low estrogen can cause symptoms and physical changes that make it really hard to pursue your health goals. HRT can help prevent some of these symptoms and changes so that you can accomplish the results you want.
Menopause symptoms can affect your whole life. You might feel tired, depressed, anxious, and like your life has completely turned upside down. Obviously, this can be a serious obstacle to even daily habits you had before menopause, like taking a walk after work. Pair this with physical changes like weight gain, fat distribution, and health problems and it makes it even more difficult. Therefore, it’s not hard to see why you might be looking for help with your New Year’s goals during menopause.
Who is a Good Candidate for Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is a great option for many women to improve their health and lives during menopause. It’s one of the only approved options for treating menopause symptoms. Of course, like with any medication, it’s not right for everyone. To know if you’re a good candidate for HRT, schedule an appointment with our women’s hormone care providers to talk about your individual circumstances like health status, risks, and symptoms.
Generally speaking, you might be a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy if:
- You suffer from menopause symptoms
- You’re in good overall health
- You’re under age 60 or within 10 years of menopause
- You don’t have a history of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, endometrial cancer, or unexplained vaginal bleeding
Quality Women’s Hormone Care from HerKare
Get quality healthcare for women from HerKare. We are a team of professionals run by women for women to help you feel your best at all times. Our providers are here to help you improve your health and well-being, whether you’re suffering from menopause symptoms, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure. Schedule your appointment today to learn how we can help you be a healthier, happier version of yourself.
by Melanie Remy | Nov 18, 2022 | Menopause, Wellness
As you reach 40s and 50s and enter perimenopause, you might be wondering if it’s time to stop your birth control. The best place to find the answer to that question is our women’s health care providers, who can talk to you about your individual circumstances like current symptoms and medical history. However, there are some general things you should know about taking birth control as you reach the average age for menopause. In this article, we’ll explore birth control during perimenopause and menopause so you know what to expect.
Talk to Our Women’s Health Care Providers About Whether You Still Need Birth Control
Talk to our women’s health care providers about birth control options in perimenopause.
Any time you’re thinking about starting, stopping, or switching birth controls, you should talk to an experienced women’s health care provider like those at our clinics. We can provide you with the birth control counseling you need to make the right choice. This includes discussing risks, benefits, and different options that are available. Even if you think you’re in perimenopause or have reached menopause, talk to our providers about how to stay healthy and protect yourself against unplanned pregnancy.
What Age to Stop Birth Control
There is no exact age when women should stop birth control. Instead, most experts recommend using birth control until you reach menopause, which is when you have had 12 consecutive months without a period. The average age of menopause is 51 years old, with over 50% of women reaching menopause by this age. By the time you reach 55, 90% to 95% of women are menopausal. Therefore, our providers may recommend stopping birth control between ages 51 and 55 because you’re most likely to have reached menopause and no longer need birth control to prevent pregnancy.
Yet, before this time, we may recommend changing birth control methods to manage your personal health risks and side effects, so you should be talking to our providers about birth control regularly to see what’s right for you. For instance, hormonal birth controls may not be a good idea for you personally anymore, so you might need to switch to a barrier method like condoms.
Birth Control After 40: Pros and Cons
Once you reach your 40s, you’re most likely in perimenopause, which is the lead up to menopause. During this time, you can still technically get pregnant, but it’s much less likely because your fertility naturally starts to decline. However, this is also a time of a lot of fluctuation in your hormone levels and menstrual cycle, making it hard to predict when you’re ovulating and when you’re not. These hormone changes can also cause a lot of the symptoms we typically associate with menopause like mood changes, hot flashes, and night sweats.
There are many pros and cons to using birth control after 40 as you lead up to menopause. Birth control helps prevent pregnancy during this time, which comes with many health risks. Hormonal birth controls can also even relieve some of the symptoms you might experience during perimenopause. However, keep in mind that hormonal birth control methods also come with health risks that you need to discuss with our women’s health care providers.
Birth Control Can Prevent Pregnancy During Perimenopause
One reason to continue birth control during perimenopause is to prevent pregnancy. While you lose fertility pretty quickly after 40, it is still possible for you to become pregnant until you have reached menopause. Pregnancy at this age also comes with a lot of health risks, including:
- Hemorrhage
- Blood clots
- Death
- Fetal complications
Therefore, using birth control during perimenopause can help you avoid unplanned pregnancies that can result in these serious complications.
Birth Control Can Alleviate Some of the Symptoms of Perimenopause
Not all birth control helps with your perimenopause symptoms. For instance, using condoms is a form of birth control that likely won’t relieve your symptoms. However, hormonal birth controls like the pill often do lessen perimenopause symptoms because they prevent wide hormone fluctuations and provide you with a steady amount of estrogen and progesterone. For some women, hormonal birth control can even mask the symptoms of menopause completely, making it hard to know whether you’ve reached menopause or not.
Talk to Our Women’s Health Care Providers About Birth Control Risks
Keep in mind that a lot of birth control options do come with risks, especially as we get older. Hormonal birth controls in particular can increase your risks for many health issues, including:
- Stroke
- Blood clots
- Heart attacks
- Breast cancer
If you’re over 35, you shouldn’t take estrogen-based birth control like the pill if you smoke or have a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, blood clots, or diabetes, as the health risks are usually too great. Instead, our women’s health care providers may recommend a different form of birth control, like an IUD, a progesterone-based birth control, or a barrier method.
Types of Birth Control Our Women’s Health Care Professionals May Recommend
If you still need to take birth control, then visit our women’s health clinic to discuss your options. There are many different types of birth control you may be able to take safely before menopause. Some of the options include:
- Oral contraceptives like the pill and the mini-pill
- Patches
- Shots
- Implants
- Vaginal rings
- IUDs
- Sterilization (getting your tubes tied)
- Male or female condoms
- Diaphragms
- Sponges
- Cervical caps
The withdrawal method is not recommended as a stable form of birth control at any age because your partner can release sperm before ejaculation and you can become pregnant.
Also, during perimenopause, the rhythm method, where you track your cycles and don’t have sex during your fertile window, isn’t recommended because your cycles can become irregular and unpredictable. Our women’s health care providers can help you decide which birth control method is right for you.
How to Tell If You Have Reached Menopause While On Hormonal Birth Control?
Once you reach menopause, you can stop using birth control to prevent pregnancy. However, it’s often hard to tell if you’ve reached menopause if you’re using a hormonal contraceptive like the pill. These birth control methods often mask symptoms and can cause withdrawal bleeding that mimic periods even if you’ve reached menopause. There are a few ways to tell if you have reached menopause while taking hormonal birth control, including pausing birth control and getting a blood test. Our women’s health care providers can recommend a course of action based on your personal situation.
Our Women’s Health Care Providers May Recommend Stopping Birth Control to See if Your Periods Return
If you and our women’s health care provider suspect that you might have reached menopause while taking hormonal birth control, they may recommend pausing birth control to see what your body does. This means going off the pill or any other hormonal method you’re currently using to see if your periods return within 12 months. If they don’t, you’ve reached menopause. However, keep in mind that you should still use another birth control method until you’ve confirmed that you are in fact menopausal. We may recommend using barrier methods during this time so you can prevent unplanned pregnancy in case you have not reached menopause.
There are Some Tests That May Point to Menopause
There is no definitive test for menopause except waiting until you’ve gone 12 months without a period. However, there are some blood tests that may point to you being menopausal. For instance, testing the amount of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in your body. FSH is a hormone that helps your body release eggs and produce estrogen. When your ovaries can’t produce the same level of estrogen due to menopause, the amount of FSH in your blood rises because there aren’t enough follicles to use the hormone. An FSH test can be an indicator of menopause, though it’s not absolutely certain.
Our women’s health care providers may use this test in addition to other things like talking about your symptoms and looking at your menstrual history. Even still, you may want to stay on the safe side and use barrier method birth control even after a FSH test until you’ve gone 12 months without a period.
HerKare: A Women’s Health Clinic That Cares
Get quality care at every stage of life from HerKare. We are a clinic operated by women for women to help you feel your best and find compassionate health care solutions. Our team listens to you and helps you find solutions for improving your health. Whether you need to talk about birth control during perimenopause or you’re suffering from a health condition like diabetes, we are here for you. Make an appointment today to take the first step toward feeling better.
