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Hormonal Imbalance Series 3

So, we have evaluated natural ways to balance your hormones so now let’s do an assessment on medical alternatives to help balance your hormones.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help balance estrogen and progesterone levels during or near menopause. There are also many other reasons why a doctor might prescribe supplementary sex hormones.

Also known as menopausal hormone therapy, HRT can help relieve sweating, hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause. It can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Some types of HRT contain both progesterone and estrogen while others contain only estrogen, and sometimes they contain testosterone.

Below, learn the types of HRT  

Hormone treatment can help address a range of issues.

The right combination and dosage of the hormones will depend on the reason for the treatment.

Menopause

Menopause is not an illness. It is a natural transition from the years in which a female can reproduce to the next phase of life.

Many people go through menopause without requiring any treatment. However, if the transition causes troubling or distracting symptoms, a variety of treatment approaches are available.

Hormones and menopause

Levels of progesterone and estrogen fluctuate throughout each month, in females, contributing to the menstrual cycle.

These levels also change throughout a person’s lifetime.

Perimenopause

Levels of estrogen and progesterone start to fall when most females are in their 40s, but menstruation will continue for some time.

Periods may become less regular, and hot flashes and other menopause symptoms may start to appear during this time.

While menstruation continues, it is possible to become pregnant, although the chances reduce with time.

Perimenopause, leads to menopause, usually lasts for around 7 years or longer it can occur for up to 14 years, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Menopause

Menopause begins 12 months after a person’s last period. On average, this occurs at the age of 52 in the United States. After menopause, it is no longer possible to become pregnant without medical assistance.

Everyone experiences menopause differently, but hot flashes, mood changes, and other symptoms are common.

During this time, HRT can help manage the symptoms.

Early menopause

Menopause begins earlier for some people, and HRT can be helpful if this happens.

People who experience the transition early may:

have had surgery to remove the uterus, ovaries, or both

have some types of cancer

have certain genetic or chromosomal factors

have certain autoimmune diseases

smoke

Sometimes, the transition starts early for no clear reason.

Types of HRT

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)

Combination tablets

Estrogen tablets

Progesterone tablets 

Skin creams and gels   

Skin spray

Skin patches

Vaginal creams

Vaginal rings

Vaginal tablets 

Bioidentical hormones

Conclusion

When all potential possibilities are considered, every woman should keep in mind what is in their best interest both physically and emotionally as they go through menopause.  While some women believe that alleviating the risks permanently by taking hormone replacement drugs, other will believe that those benefits will not adequately outweigh the risks of taking that drug.  Thus, each woman has a mission for the health of her own body. Therefore, menopause and its symptoms will continue to be a challenge to treat for women for some time to come.  

Thank you, Connie

Stay tuned for next week’s pro tips. Series 4 hormonal imbalance

Hormonal Imbalance Series 1

If you suffer a hormonal imbalance, you likely have too much or too little of a given hormone. Even the smallest fluctuations can have serious effects on your well-being.

My personal journey began in my 40s, it started with mood swings and then stomach issues, sleep disruption, brain fog etc… What I learned through this journey was hormones act as chemical messengers in your body. You’ll often hear that hormones are bad. However, the truth is hormones occur naturally in your body and operate as your body’s communication system. Without them your body could not function. They’re powerful chemicals that are produced in your endocrine glands and travel around the bloodstream telling your organs what to do. In fact, hormones control the body’s major processes, including reproduction and metabolism.   

While it’s normal for some hormones to fluctuate throughout your life, other changes occur when something isn’t right with your endocrine glands, and an imbalance can affect your overall health and wellness.

In this series you’ll learn the basics of hormones and the signs of an imbalance.

Let’s talk about the symptoms of hormone imbalance first to get a better understanding.  Hormonal imbalances may be to blame for a range of unwanted symptoms from fatigue or weight gain to itchy skin or mood swings.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalances

Mood swings-The female sex hormone estrogen influences neurotransmitters in the brain including serotonin (a chemical that boosts mood). Fluctuations in estrogen can cause premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or depressed mood during perimenopause (the phase before periods stop completely) and menopause.

Heavy or painful periods: If accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, a frequent need to urinate, lower back pain, constipation, and painful intercourse then you may have fibroids. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb. The exact cause is unknown although they are thought to be stimulated by estrogen and having a family history may also increase your risk.

Low libido: Low libido is particularly common in women going through perimenopause or menopause due to falling levels of estrogen and testosterone (although known as a male hormone, women also have testosterone). Other menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, fatigue, low mood, and anxiety can also have an impact on your sex life.

Insomnia and poor-quality sleep: During perimenopause and menopause, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and progesterone, which promotes sleep. Falling estrogen levels may also contribute to night sweats which disrupt your sleep, contributing to fatigue and lack of energy.

Skin problems: Chronic adult acne can be a sign of low levels of estrogen and progesterone and high levels of androgen hormones and may also indicate polycystic ovary syndrome. Similarly, hormonal imbalances during pregnancy or menopause can cause itchy skin, dry skin is a symptom of menopause or thyroid problems

Unexplained weight gain: Several hormone-related conditions can cause weight gain including an underactive thyroid (when your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones which regulate metabolism) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (a hormone-

Fertility problems: Hormonal imbalance is one of the leading causes of female infertility, with changing hormone levels a woman’s fertility naturally drops after the age of 35. High levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) can reduce a woman’s chances of getting pregnant while low levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates the ovaries to release an egg and start producing progesterone, can also cause fertility problems. Early menopause and other hormone-related conditions such as PCOS will affect your fertility.

Vaginal dryness: Vaginal dryness is most often caused by a fall in estrogen levels, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Taking a contraceptive pill or antidepressants can also change hormone levels, resulting in the problem.

Levels of hormones naturally fluctuate at various life stages, most noticeably during puberty and in women during their menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. They can also be affected by lifestyle and certain medical conditions.

What is important is to notice any symptoms and get them checked out by a qualified health professional so that you receive appropriate treatment, whether that involves using medication or complementary therapies or making lifestyle changes to restore the balance and your good health.

Thank you, Connie

Stay tuned for next week’s pro tips. Series 2 hormonal imbalance