Deciding whether or not to use hormone replacement therapy during menopause can be a difficult decision. Menopause hormone replacement therapy, scientifically called HRT, helps a woman to replace the estrogen she has lost when her hormones stop producing it. In 1964, a New York gynecologist, Robert A. Wilson, wrote a book called “Feminine Forever” in which he suggested that hormone replacement therapy might help women stop experiencing the devastating side effects normally associated with menopause.

HRT, though, has become quite controversial in recent years. In most cases, hormone replacement therapy has been shown to control almost all of the symptoms that occur with menopause. This includes symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, depression, joint pain, vaginal dryness, and anxiety. The long term effects of HRT, though, have come into question because of a number of different studies. Some women do quite well with hormone replacement therapy for many years. Other women start a program of HRT and find that within a few short weeks, they simply cannot handle the number of side effects associated with hormone replacement therapy. It is important to note, though, that only fifteen percent of women will find that they are even able to participate in the treatment in the first place.

The benefits HRT offers some women who take it are unbeatable. Most women who showed serious symptoms of menopause before the hormone replacement therapy get a better overall quality of life. Moreover, it seems to protect women from some diseases like cardiovascular illnesses, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. HRT seems to help women to concentrate on the task at hand, which can prevent depression and anxiety. All of the physical and emotional symptoms women seem to experience with menopause are definitely easier to manage during a course of hormone replacement therapy.

The colon cancer risk reduction has been recently proven again in a study of about two thousand women. They seemed to have a significantly lower risk of the cancer than the women who had never been on HRT. Heart disease is one of the number one health risks for women. Recent studies also show that HRT helps to reduce those risks because women who are experiencing menopause have high levels of bad cholesterol, thereby further increasing their risks for heart attack. Osteoporosis is also a real threat to women, and HRT can replace that bone mass at a very quick rate. Moreover, it seems to slow the overall aging process.

There are so many good things to hormone replacement therapy that it can be hard to find the controversy involved. However, in recent studies, HRT has been shown to have side effects like headaches, nausea, depression, gallstones, and an increased risk of breast cancer. There are also some other serious risks including high blood pressure, pancreatitis, endometriosis, and epilepsy. Risks of uterine and endometrial cancer also go up as well as the risks of stroke. In order to balance your risks and benefits, it is essential that you talk with your doctor about HRT before you start a course of it. 

Tags: hormone replacement therapy, hrt, menopause