Menopause is a natural biological process that is experienced by every woman at a certain time in their life. Your body undergoes multiple changes as it reacts to fluctuating hormone levels during this time.
As you pass your childbearing years, the hormones that were once abundant begin to diminish, and they will continue to do so for the rest of your life. Hot flashes, mood swings, and even despair can be caused by these changes.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help to alleviate these symptoms by naturally replenishing the hormones that have been lost.
But the decision-making process does not end once you’ve opted to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) like estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). Estrogen therapy comes in a variety of forms, including tablets, patches, creams, sprays, and more. The optimum hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for you is determined by your health, symptoms, personal preferences, and the results you want from treatment. If your uterus is still intact, estrogen will be given in combination with the hormone progestin.
Types Of Estrogen Replacement Therapy
- Pills
The most common type of ERT is an oral medicine – Premarin, Estratab, and Estrace are examples. Medications should be taken according to your doctor’s instructions. The majority of estrogen pills are prescribed to be taken without food once a day. Some dosage schedules are more complicated than others.
Estrogen tablets, like other forms of estrogen therapy, can help relieve or eliminate menopausal symptoms. They also help to prevent osteoporosis.
- Topical Creams, Gels, and Sprays
Estrogen gels, creams, and sprays are further options for delivering estrogen into your body. Similar to patches, they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the skin. The specifics of how to use these creams differ, but they’re often used once a day. Estrogen gels and sprays are applied from the wrist to the shoulder on one arm. The legs are treated with creams.
For patients with liver and cholesterol problems, estrogen creams are safer than oral estrogen since they are absorbed through the skin and straight into the bloodstream.
- Skin Patches
Skin patches are also a form of ERT- Alora, Estraderm, Vivelle-Do, and Climarat are some examples. There are additional patches that combine estrogen and progestin, such as Combipatch, and Climara Pro. Menostar has a lesser estrogen level than other patches and is only intended to minimize the risk of osteoporosis. It does not affect other menopause symptoms.
The patch is usually worn on the lower stomach, just below the waistband. The patch needs to be changed 1-2 times a week, as directed on the package.
This sort of estrogen treatment offers various advantages over oral therapy in addition to the benefits it provides. The patch is useful for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the patch is practical. You may put it on and forget about taking a tablet every day.
Who Can Benefit From Hormone Therapy?
Experience hot flashes that are mild to severe– For menopausal night sweats and hot flashes, effective systemic estrogen treatment is available.
Have early menopause or deficient estrogen level– If your ovaries are surgically removed before 45 years of age, have experienced early menopause, or if you lost normal ovarian function before 40 years of age(primary ovarian insufficiency), your body has experienced lesser estrogen level than women who go through traditional menopause. Osteoporosis, stroke, dementia, heart disease, and mood swings can all be reduced with estrogen therapy.
Experience symptoms of menopause– Estrogen helps alleviate menopausal vaginal symptoms such as dryness, itching, burning, and pain during intercourse.
