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Many perimenopausal women defend themselves against hormone therapy. The reason is simple - they are concerned about the harmful effects of hormones on the body. It turns out that side effects depend on the form of administration of the drug.

Hormone Therapy ,BenefitsandRisksfor a Woman's He alth, have grown up with many myths. This is due to the fact that for many years,sex hormoneswere administered to women before and after menopause without any he alth analysis. This type of therapy was considered an excellent remedy for good cardiovascular function, good skin appearance, well-being and overall well-being. However, it was not taken into account that hormone supplementation is not only a benefit, but also a risk. The enthusiastic approach of doctors and patients slightly weakened when it turned out that the risk of stroke and breast cancer increased in the case of long-term use of sex hormones. This also applies to women who are not at increased risk of developing these diseases. It is now known that the use of sex hormones in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal period brings the most benefits to women who have troublesome symptoms resulting from a deficiency of sex hormones, including hot flushes, drenching sweats, sleep disturbances, lack of concentration, irritability, tearfulness, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse.

How To Make Hormone Therapy Safe

Due to the possibility of adverse side effects, every woman who decides to undergo hormone therapy should undergo preventive examinations, e.g. for blood clotting and mammography. Only on the basis of the assessment of the he alth condition and the intensity of the symptoms accompanying menopause, you can choose the type of supplementation together with your doctor. It is important not only to choose the right dose of sex hormones, but also the route they will be administered. The oral method is still the most popular, but more and more supporters - both among doctors and patients themselves - are winning patches. You can also take hormones in the form of gels and globules. Each of these preparations has advantages and disadvantages.

Hormone therapy should not be used if:

  • menopause does not cause much discomfort,
  • the woman has or belongs to the group of high risk of breast cancer,
  • the woman has a hypercoagulable blood or has a history of thromboembolism.

Giving hormones in these cases increases the risk of stroke.

The pills contain the most hormones

They can be taken by women who are not burdened with chronic diseases. The hormones contained in the tablets are absorbed in the digestive tract, from where they go to the portal circulation and then to the liver. Here they stimulate the liver to produce proteins, some of which are proteins of the coagulation system. Therefore, long-term use of oral hormone therapy may increase the risk of blood clots. The risk of breast cancer and stroke, especially ischemic stroke, is also increasing. Digestive tract disorders (diarrhea, abdominal pain) may appear. Oral hormones should not be taken by women suffering from gallstone disease, atherosclerosis and smoking. It is also worth adding that the tablets contain a higher dose of hormones than, for example, patches, because some of them are inactivated in the digestive tract. The advantage of this form of therapy is the relatively low price compared to other forms of hormone administration.

Plaster - more expensive, but less harmful

The hormones contained in the patches, which are attached to the skin, are perfectly absorbed and work much faster than those from tablets. 2-3 days after the patch has been applied, a woman who has had severe breakthrough symptoms feels a marked improvement in her well-being. The omission of the entire digestive system allows you to reduce the dose of hormones up to 40 times. The advantage of the patches is also the convenience of use, because the patch is changed once or twice a week. The hormones are released gradually and remain in a constant concentration for several days. And when the patient forgets to change the patch, the hormones are delivered to the body for another 2 days from the old patch. This form of therapy can be used by women suffering from digestive system diseases (e.g. gastric or duodenal ulcers, intestinal diseases), gall bladder stones, with liver damage after viral inflammation. The patches can be safely used in diseases of the thyroid gland, with malabsorption or diabetes. It is also a solution for women who smoke cigarettes.

Hormone lubrication or topical therapy

Gels work in the same way as patches (hormones enter the body through the skin) and have similar benefits. In addition, they are more discreet, because they do not leave any traces of application. The preparation should be rubbed into the skin of the forearms. This is done once a week. This form is very popularespecially among French women. In Poland, the group of supporters of the use of hormones in this form is growing slowly but steadily. Women who suffer from menopausal symptoms mainly within the urinary system and genitals are given hormones administered locally - vaginally in the form of suppositories or gels. Intravaginal administration of the hormone does not affect the condition of the veins and does not increase the risk of stroke and breast cancer. However, it brings relief in the case of vaginal dryness, painful intercourse or frequent urinary tract infections. Although the effects of vaginally administered hormones on the entire body are minimal, some women experience an improvement in overall well-being. The disadvantage of this form of therapy is the high price of the preparations and the frequency of their administration - they should be applied 2-3 times a week.

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