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Hormone replacement therapy can help with symptoms like hot flashes, and there are many different delivery methods for the hormones, including pills, creams, and patches. However, doctors have been cautious since a 2002 study linked the use of estrogen and progestin to an increased risk of heart disease.
Side Effects
The hormones in hormone replacement therapy Denver help replace estrogen, which declines during menopause. HRT can treat common menopausal symptoms, prevent bone loss, and improve mental health in postmenopausal women.
However, it’s important to understand the side effects of this medication before starting it. It can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and lung or leg blood clots. It can also cause fluid retention and increase blood sugar levels or cholesterol.
Some types of hormone therapy have less risk, such as local hormones used in a cream, ring, or suppository. These don’t get into the bloodstream and can be used to treat specific symptoms, such as vaginal dryness. But they don’t alleviate systemic menopausal symptoms like heat flashes. On the other hand, hormone pellets deliver a steady dose of hormones that can ease symptoms more consistently.
Long-Term Effects
Hormone replacement therapy can help relieve symptoms caused by perimenopause, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and mood changes. Two hormone replacement therapies are estrogen-only and combination estrogen and progesterone therapy. The latter is typically prescribed to women with uteruses since progesterone reduces the risk of endometrial cancer.
Some forms of hormone replacement therapy increase the risk of blood clots, including oral estrogen, but patches, vaginal creams, and rings are less likely to raise the risk of a clot. Women with a history of blood clots should not take estrogen, as it increases their risk of developing more.
Large studies have found that postmenopausal women who take hormones experience less heart disease, the number one cause of death in American women. However, many doctors have stopped prescribing hormones because of results from a single study called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). Hodis believes that the timing of when women start HRT is critical.
Costs
Many patients who undergo bioidentical hormone replacement therapy report that the long-term benefits outweigh any costs. Many of our hormone therapy clients have lost weight, stopped taking other medications like cholesterol and hypertension, saved on costly doctors’ visits for unknown symptoms, and a lot more!
The cost of hormone replacement therapy depends on your specific health insurance provider. Generally, insurance will cover the cost of bioidentical hormones when prescribed by your doctor to treat menopausal symptoms. However, you should know that some insurance providers only cover bioidentical hormones through their Part D prescription drug Plan and not through original Medicare plans.
The cost of BHRT typically includes the prescription for bioidentical hormones, which can be taken in pill, gel, ring, or patch form and is compounded from natural products such as yam and soy. However, a blood test measuring hormone levels is an additional cost ranging from $80 – $500.
Precautions
Many women assume that symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and vaginal dryness are just a normal part of aging—a rite of passage to menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy uses medication to replace some of the estrogen that declines during perimenopause and menopause, easing discomfort and helping prevent bone loss and fractures. However, after large clinical trials showed health risks, doctors began shying away from the treatment, and some women stopped using it altogether.
In addition, hormone therapy can raise the risk of endometrial cancer and gallbladder disease. For these reasons, telling your doctor about your family history and current medical conditions is important. Also, this medication can interfere with some laboratory tests. Be sure to notify lab personnel before having any blood or urine tests while taking this medication.
