Hormone replacement therapy can ease some symptoms of menopause

Menopause is something every woman will eventually face, usually in her late 40s or early 50s. And while menopause is part of the natural process of life, some of its side effects can make going about your daily business uncomfortable.

That's where hormone replacement therapy comes in.

"Hormones are things secreted by different glands in the body. Ovaries secrete estrogen, which helps maintain body temperature, keep the vagina healthy," says Dr. Wendi Carns with Cape Care for Women, adding that estrogen is also essential for bone and heart health. "When you go into menopause, you lose that."

She says night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal dryness are the most common issues women have when they enter menopause. Hormone replacement therapy treats those symptoms by replacing the estrogen a woman's body is no longer producing.

"The recommendation is take the lowest dose for the shortest amount of time," Carns says.

That's to manage some of the risks associated with hormone replacement therapy.

"Anytime you put estrogen in your body, it increases the risk of blood clots," Carns says. "But in your late 40s, early 50s, the risk is very low."

Other risks associated with hormone replacement therapy are a possible increase in breast cancers. "It depends on whether you're taking progesterone," Carns says, adding that risk of breast cancer is related to the length of time a woman takes hormone replacement.

But, Carns points out, hormone replacement therapy also has benefits.

"It decreases the risk of osteoporosis, hip fractures and colon cancers."

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is an alternative to traditional treatments. Bio-identical hormones are synthesized from plants but are identical in molecular structure to the hormones women make in their bodies.

At Vitality Clinic in Cape Girardeau, which specializes in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, the staff focuses on targeted bio-identical hormone balancing. According to a news release, this personalized therapy includes a consultation with a doctor or nurse practitioner who designs a treatment plan tailored to each woman based on her age, diet, lifestyle and family and medical history.

"The benefits of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy are numerous," Myra Bax, director of business development at Vitality, said in the news release. "BHRT can help improve sleep quality, restore bone density, reduce risks of certain cancers ... support immune function and aid in the removal of unwanted facial hair."

No matter if you choose traditional hormone replacement therapy or bio-identical, it is important to discuss your treatment plan with your doctor.

"It's very individualized," Carns says of hormone replacement therapy. "You have to balance benefit versus the risks."

Women should talk about their risk profile and their goals of the therapy with their doctor. Women who still have their uterus, that is, they haven't had a hysterectomy, need to take progesterone as well as estrogen.

Another thing to discuss is how a woman wants to take hormone replacement. There are a variety of options, ranging from pills to patches and creams.

"It really depends on how you want to take it," Carns says. "They're all effective." She says an important consideration is to know what you're going to be compliant with: If you can't remember to take a pill every day, a patch that you change twice a week may be a better option.

And if you want to decrease the risks of blood clots, using a treatment that is absorbed through the skin is a better alternative to a pill, Carns says.