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Basic Principles On Hormone Replacement Therapy St Petersburg FL Residents May Wish To Know

By Michelle Sanders


Menopausal symptoms are the main indication for use of hormone replacement therapy(HRT). A woman in her fifth or sixth decade of life will definitely know they are menopausal when they continuously miss their periods and they are not pregnant. At this stage, it is not unusual for an individual to notice that they are sweating too much, they have frequent hot flashes or begin to experience pain and discomfort during sex. If they intend to have hormone replacement therapy St Petersburg FL residents need to know a number of things.

Menopause is said to have occurred when the ovaries no longer produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which play a vital role in the human female body. Oestrogen is responsible for growth and development of the breasts, one of the secondary sexual characteristics in women. Working together with progesterone, it is responsible for preparing the body for pregnancy. Menstruation takes place monthly if pregnancy fails to occur.

HRT formulations normally contain synthetic hormones to replace those that are deficient in the body. They come either as oestrogen only, progesterone only or a combination of both. HRT can be administered in form of pills, skin patches or vaginal creams.

Patients are advised against getting these pills over the counter without a prescription from the doctor. This is because they been known to increase the susceptibility of getting breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. They have also been linked to deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, these diseases have to be ruled out through a thorough evaluation before they are considered safe for an individual.

HRT too does have unwanted effects, just like any other form of treatment. The good thing is that most of these effects are temporary. The patient needs to be told clearly that is a possibility so that they do not stop taking the medication. Some of the common side effects include abdominal bloating, breakthrough bleeding, nausea and gaining weight unintentionally.

Patients who experience headaches when taking oral pills can be advised to change to skin patches. The main downside of the patches is that they have a tendency to cause irritation and discomfort to some patients. The idea is to be able to find out which mode of administration best suits your needs and stick to it.

It takes about three months for the patient to see positive effects of HRT. They will start to notice that their vagina seems to be well moisturized, their hair and skin becomes much more attractive and they no longer sustain bone fractures easily. To achieve the maximum possible effect, the HRT should be most concentrated where the problem is in the body. For example, vaginal creams are more appropriate than oral pills when the main complaint is dryness in the genital area.

All in all, one needs to weigh the benefits against the risks before choosing to use hormone replacement therapy. When you have chosen to use HRT, it is advisable to use the lowest possible dose and the shortest duration of time necessary to provide relief of symptoms.




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