Although the average age of menopause onset is between 50-53, and the most severe symptoms often last for two to three years, there are no exact age when a woman reaches menopause or the duration of her symptoms. Contributors to the onset and duration of menopause would be family history, health history and a history of smoking. Medical professionals have altered their opinions about the role of hormones as more research has been conducted for menopause treatment. Recent studies such as the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) have provided clarity for the majority of women, but may not necessarily address all of the symptoms and issues an individual woman faces as her hormones decline. Only the woman alone, with the direction of her clinician, can do that. It is important that when seeking out treatment for relief of menopausal symptoms that you find a clinic that specializes in hormone replacement therapy, like Hormone Wellness Center of Texas. Specialists will continue to stay focused on the latest offerings in HRT, rather than offering it as a side treatment in general practice.
Several factors may be part of a woman’s personal decision to start hormone replacement therapy—her age, her preferences, different treatment options, and the investment. After a thorough evaluation with a clinician that specializes in hormone replacement therapy, different options for the treatment of the symptoms can be determined.
Hormone replacement therapy has evolved over the years. In the 80’s and 90’s the number one prescription medication in the America was Premarin, a synthetic estrogen-based drug addressing the symptoms of menopause. For decades, women turned to this drug as an effective treatment of menopausal symptoms and found improved quality of life with this hormone replacement therapy. Then in 2002, synthetic estrogen was found to be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in women taking it over long periods of time. Sadly, result of these findings caused the negative stigma for the use of all hormone replacement therapy. This resulted in the common belief that all hormone replacement therapy was dangerous. At the time of the study, there were some inconsistencies of the results. Absolutely no distinction was made between the synthetic and natural forms of hormone replacement therapy. Sadly, for many women suffering with the symptoms of menopause, this meant the options for treatment were scarce.
During this same time of 2002 study, another hormone was being researched for use in menopausal women, called testosterone. Many people assume that testosterone is a hormone that only occurs in men. Testosterone is actually the dominant hormone in women. Women have about 20 times more testosterone than estrogen. All estrogen in women ultimately comes from testosterone or a testosterone-like hormone. Without testosterone, there is no estrogen, which is the key to treating the main symptoms of menopause. Preliminary research showed that using testosterone alone, without any other hormone placement therapy, not only improved all symptoms of menopause in women, but also resulted in a decrease in expected breast cancer rates.
In 2004, researchers in Australia studied the benefits of including testosterone to conventional hormone replacement therapy. More specifically, they studied pellet therapy. A hormone pellet is compounded and then tightly compressed into a small cylinder that is inserted underneath the skin in the fatty part of the hip. This will slowly dissolve over time allowing the body to absorb small amounts at a time.
After starting hormone replacement therapy, patients at Hormone Wellness Center of Texas reported significant improvement in their quality of life and all symptoms related to menopause. Some of the menopausal symptom relief included hot flashes, sleep disturbances, depression, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, and even joint pain. With the careful evaluation of the experts at Hormone Wellness Center of Texas patients found relief of these symptoms and without any major adverse drug effects
It’s an unfortunate truth that hormone replacement therapy used for the treatment of menopausal symptoms continues to be misunderstood. The facts remain, there are ways for doctors and health-care providers to use hormone replacement therapy to safely manage the symptoms of menopause. At Hormone Wellness Center of Texas, the results are clear, with their expert direction their patients regain their quality of life.