Hormone Therapy
If you’re going through the transition into menopause, you could be experiencing a range of unpleasant symptoms as a result of decreasing hormone levels. The highly qualified team of experts at West Kendall OBGYN, serving the Doral, Kendall and West Kendall areas of Miami, can help by prescribing hormone therapy (HRT), replacing the lost hormones to relieve your symptoms. Call West Kendall OBGYN today to find out if you’re a good candidate for hormone therapy, or book an appointment online.
Hormone Therapy Q&A
What is Hormone Therapy?
Hormone therapy, or hormone replacement therapy, is best known as HRT, a treatment that helps women who are experiencing unpleasant symptoms during the transition into menopause.
When women reach their mid to late forties, the gradual decline in the female hormones estrogen and progesterone that naturally begins in your thirties reaches a point where it starts to cause changes in your body that are known as perimenopause.
Symptoms of perimenopause include:
Irregular periods
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Problems sleeping
Loss of interest in sex
Emotional problems
Weight gain
Vaginal dryness and itching
Dry hair and skin
Tender breasts
Some women find they experience a few or only mild effects of hormone loss, but for others, perimenopause can be a miserable experience that affects their whole life. As the process of going through perimenopause and into menopause can last for a good few years, that represents a great deal of suffering and distress for millions of women.
How Does Hormone Therapy Help with Perimenopause?
Hormone therapy can reduce, and, in some cases, resolve the effects of depleted levels of estrogen and progesterone by replacing them. There are several different types of hormone replacement, which your provider at West Kendall OBGYN can discuss with you so you can make an informed choice about which type of HRT is best for you.
The main types of hormone therapy are:
Systemic Estrogen: Systemic estrogen is effective for reducing night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal itching and dryness, and painful intercourse. You can take systemic estrogen as a pill or use a patch, gel, cream, or spray that you put on your skin. Systemic estrogen can protect you against developing osteoporosis, and may also reduce the risk of heart disease, but also slightly increases the risk of uterine cancer, so is most often used for women who’ve had a hysterectomy.
Combined Estrogen and Progesterone: Combining estrogen with progesterone reduces the risk of uterine cancer, so is most often prescribed for women who still have their uterus. Combined HRT helps with hot flashes and night sweats, and reduces vaginal itching and discomfort.
Low Dose Vaginal Estrogen: If your main problem is with vaginal symptoms such as dryness, irritation, urinary problems, or uncomfortable intercourse, you can use a vaginal cream, ring, or pill with a low dose of estrogen that you apply directly to your vagina.
Your gynecologist can help you decide whether hormone therapy is the best choice by reviewing your medical history and discussing the symptoms you’re experiencing. If you need help with menopausal symptoms, call West Kendall OBGYN today, or book an appointment online.