You don’t have to suffer through your hot flashes. Treatment for the menopause has come a long way over the years, giving women more options when it comes to treating menopausal symptoms.

The menopause is a natural process that all women reach when they reach the end of their childbearing years, usually between the ages of 45-55. The symptoms associated with menopause are caused by the gradual loss of a female sex hormone called oestrogen. For some women, this process can happen quickly or can take several years.

The side effects of the menopause can sometimes be so intense that it’s difficult to go about your daily life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the most effective ways to manage the symptoms and make this natural transition less uncomfortable.

Menopause Symptoms

Symptoms can range from severe to mild and can vary from woman to woman. One of the first noticeable signs of the menopause is experiencing irregular or fewer periods. Eventually, periods will stop altogether.

Other common symptoms include:

• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Mood swings 
• Vaginal dryness 
• Recurrent UTI’s 
• Lowered libido
• Confusion or memory troubles
• Irregular heartbeat 
• Muscle stiffness and pain
• Dry skin
• Hair loss

These symptoms can start months or years before your periods fully stop and can continue for months or years after your last period. If you’re experiencing severe symptoms or symptoms over the course of several years, you’ll want effective treatment that will get you back to living your life.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

HRT is a type of medication used to replace some of the hormones that are lost during the menopause. By taking HRT and replenishing the lost hormones with synthetic ones, menopausal symptoms should be reduced. In some cases, they may become hardly noticeable at all.

Hormone replacement therapy can include oestrogen, progesterone, and (sometimes) testosterone. Which version or combination you take will depend on your circumstances and your symptoms. If you still have a womb, you’ll need to take both oestrogen and progesterone. Otherwise, taking an oestrogen only form of HRT can thicken your uterine lining and make you more likely to develop uterine cancer.

There are different ways to take HRT. You may take systemic HRT, a drug that travels through your whole body in your bloodstream, or you might use local HRT that’s applied in just one area of the body. Systemic HRT can help with the wide range of symptoms caused by the menopause like hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings. It may be taken as a pill, patch, or gel.

Local HRT, usually administered as a cream, vaginal ring, or pessary, are used to treat vaginal dryness.

Benefits of HRT

The main benefit of taking HRT is that is helps regulate the hormonal imbalance caused by the menopause. As a result, any menopausal symptoms will be less severe than they would be without HRT. Because there are so many different types and methods of taking it, there’s most likely an HRT treatment that will work for you and your lifestyle.

In addition to helping with the side effects of the menopause, HRT can slow down bone loss. After the menopause, a condition caused osteoporosis becomes more likely. Osteoporosis gradually reduces the strength and density of your bones, making you more susceptible to breaks and fractures.

HRT Risks

There was some worry a few years ago that prolonged use of HRT increased a woman’s risk of blood clots and of developing certain cancers like breast cancer. Because bad news tends to make a bigger splash than good news, you may not have heard that these reports were flawed. Studies have since shown that the risks of taking HRT are small and in most cases, the benefits outweigh the risks.

The risks associated with HRT will depend on which type you take and how long you take it for. For example, compared to a patch or gel, the risk of stroke and blood clots are slightly higher when you take a pill form of HRT but these risks are still low. There is also a minor increase in the chances of developing breast cancer when you take a combined form of HRT, but regular breast screenings can offset this.

HRT Side Effects

Some women may experience side effects when taking HRT. These are usually fairly mild and will subside once you’ve been taking HRT for a few weeks.

Side effects of oestrogen:

• Bloating
• Nausea 
• Headaches
• Heartburn
• Breast tenderness
• Vaginal bleeding
• Leg cramps 

Side effects of progesterone: 

• Breast tenderness
• Headaches
• Migraines
• Spots or acne
• Mood swings
• Stomach upset
• Vaginal bleeding
• Lower back pain

These side effects should pass within 3 months so you should continue taking your HRT unless they become severe. Speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if any side effects don’t pass after 3 months. 

You can ease any side effects by taking your HRT with food and a glass of water. Eating a low-fat diet can also assist as can regular exercise. Remember, if the first form of HRT you try doesn’t work for you, you have other options. 

Oestrogel Pump Pack

Oestrogel (Oestradiol 0.06%) Gel is a topical form of HRT that contains the female hormone Oestrogen-Oestradiol. It can be used by postmenopausal women who have not have a period for at least 6 months. Because it only contains oestrogen, it’s recommended that it should only be used by women who do not have a womb (uterus).

Women who use Oestrogel should see a marked reduction in any menopausal symptoms since the medication replaces some of the oestrogen that has been lost. Your prescriber will advise how much gel you should use. You should apply this amount once per day, at the same time every day, on your shoulders, outer arm, or inner thighs.

You can get effective hormone replacement therapy online in the UK from our website. If you want relief from menopause symptoms, contact us or fill out an assessment request for HRT treatments like Oestrogel Pump Packs.