Before deciding to undergo hormone therapy for women, think about your goals. You may want to start treatment at a lower dose and increase the dosage slowly. Or you may want to remain on a low dose indefinitely. Identifying your goals will make it easier to communicate them with your healthcare provider.
Menopause
While the symptoms of menopause are often difficult to identify, hormone therapy can help alleviate some symptoms, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Many women also experience sleep changes and mood swings. Your doctor can help you deal with these symptoms by explaining how your body is changing and offering options for treatment.
There are risks associated with hormone therapy. The type of treatment and the dose can influence your risk. The type and dosage will depend on your age and health history.
Menopausal symptoms
Menopause is a natural process that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This is when the ovaries cease to produce the hormone known as oestrogen. This causes a number of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbance. Fortunately, menopause symptoms can be managed through lifestyle changes and hormone replacement therapy.
Hormone therapy is not without risk. However, a woman should weigh the risks against her discomfort to make the right decision. It is important to note that while estrogen is beneficial for most women, it is also associated with certain side effects. For example, women younger than 45 should limit the use of estrogen-based treatments. In addition, women who experience severe menopausal symptoms should seek regular screenings and follow-up care.
Feminizing hormone therapy
Feminizing hormone therapy for women is a medical procedure that alters women’s hormone levels to match their gender identity. The treatment is beneficial for transwomen and nonbinary individuals who experience distress or discomfort due to the mismatch between their physical appearance and their own authentic sense of gender. While this treatment is not always safe, it has been proven to have very minimal side effects.
Feminizing hormone therapy involves boosting estrogen levels in women and decreasing testosterone levels in men. The treatment involves taking three kinds of medicines to achieve this. The first is estrogen, which is the hormone responsible for most feminine characteristics. This hormone is given to women as an oral pill, a transdermal patch, or an injection. The second medication is antiandrogens, which suppress testosterone levels.
Breast cancer risk
Although there are some benefits of hormone therapy by hormone therapy for women Portsmouth NH, you should be aware of the risks associated with breast cancer. For example, hormone therapy for women that only includes estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer, while HRT that includes both hormones may reduce the risk. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of both treatment options with your doctor before beginning treatment.
Several systematic studies have assessed the risk of breast cancer among women after menopause. Among them, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trials were the largest and included trials that aimed to reduce the risk of breast cancer after menopause. The studies also included prospective studies of menopause.