Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Some women can experience side effects of hormone replacement therapy. However, the known side effects do not apply to all. They occur only in some patients taking the prescribed medication, usually to relieve them from the bothersome effects of menopause like pain during sexual intercourse, excessive night sweats, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood disorder, and anxiety.

But just because hormone replacement therapy or HRT can be associated with side effects, that doesn’t mean that this form of treatment must not be given at all. There are still certain things that you and your doctor can do to effectively manage the known side effects of hormone replacement therapy without causing serious health issues at your end.

First, side effects from bioidentical hormones almost exclusively occur as a result of improper dosing.  So making a dosage adjustment many times is all that needs to be done if you experience side effects.

Side effects from non-bioidentical hormones can be related to the body having a difficult time metabolizing the hormone. If that’s the case switching to a bio-identical version may solve the problem.

Getting Rid of the Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Take note that HRT is available in various forms like pills, tablets, nasal sprays, vaginal creams, vaginal rings, skin gel, and skin patches. Some side effects of hormone replacement therapy are only associated with certain forms of treatment. For instance, headaches and nausea typically occur if the HRT is given in tablet form. Changing the form to skin gel eliminates the said side effects.

Therefore, one way of getting rid of the undesirable side effects of hormone replacement therapy is to change the form of treatment. An example of this is the risk of blood clots. Oral estrogens are associated with an increased risk of blood clots, but not transdermal estrogens. Oral estrogen is also hard on the liver and can increase blood pressure, raise triglyceride levels, increase carbohydrate cravings, and decrease growth hormone levels.

Again some side effects are related to the dose, thus side effects of HRT can be minimized by changing the dose. Sometimes certain adverse events occur only at higher doses, but they are not present at lower doses.

Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy – Hormonal Imbalance

Side effects can occur if hormonal balance is not achieved between estrogen and progesterone.  Too much estrogen relative to progesterone (estrogen dominance) increases the risk of endometrial and breast cancer.  It also leads to anxiety, agitation, bloating, weight gain, tender/ swollen breasts, headaches, and poor sleep.  Balance can be restored either by decreasing the amount of estrogen and/or increasing the progesterone dose to achieve the natural balance of these two hormones.

Managing the Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy with Experts

It is imperative to keep in mind that you must never manage the side effects of hormone replacement therapy on your own. This must be done under the supervision of a medical expert not only for your safety but to make sure that the treatment is effective, as well.

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