hormone replacement therapy

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During menopause, your estrogen levels fall. Some women get uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. HRT (also known as hormone therapy, menopausal hormone therapy, and estrogen replacement therapy) is the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms.

overview

These are the HRT options for women:

• HRT hormones – most women take a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestogen, although women who do not have a womb can take estrogen on its own. This may be taken as tablets, skin patches, gels and vaginal creams, pessaries or rings
• Treatment plans – HRT medicine may be taken without stopping, or used in cycles where you take oestrogen without stopping but only take progestogen every few weeks

These are the HRT option for men:

• Intramuscular testosterone injections – these are given every 2-3 weeks by your doctor
• Testosterone patches – you will apply these patches as prescribed by your doctor to your back, arms, or abdomen
• Topical testosterone gel – you apply this prescribed medication each day to your shoulders, arms, or abdomen.

At YSMD, we’ll walk you through this process and help you decide if HRT is right for you.

benefits

Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy for women include:

• Relieve hot flashes and night sweats
• Improve sleep
• Ease vaginal dryness and itching
• Make sex less painful
• Help prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis (thinning bones)
• Make some women less likely to have heart disease
• Lower chances of dementia

Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy for men include:

• Increased energy levels
• Renewed sex drive
• Rebuilt muscle mass
• Improved weight management
• More focus and better concentration
  

what to expect

Before we begin HRT, we will discuss your age, symptoms and medical conditions before looking at the risks and benefits of HRT which are specific to you. These can change and will usually be discussed at yearly reviews. A baseline pelvic ultrasound scan may be offered at the initial consultation to assess lining of the womb and rule out pathologies such as uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts. Further pelvic scans are usually not necessary unless there is abnormal bleeding or pelvic pain. In such situations, you will be asked to have additional pelvic ultrasound scans to assess lining of the womb and a biopsy of the womb lining may be performed. If there is a personal or family history of VTE – a thrombophilia screen (blood test to look for tendency to develop blood clots easily) may be helpful. If there is a high risk of breast cancer, you will be asked to consider a mammography or MRI scan and referred to familial breast cancer services depending on the level of your risk. A blood test for lipid and glucose profile will be requested if you have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.