How Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Work

Hrt Does Not Cause Weight Gain

Weight gain at the menopause is related to age and lifestyle factors. An increase in body fat, especially around the abdomen, can occur during menopause because of hormonal changes, although exactly why this happens is not clear. Normal age-related decrease in muscle tissue, and a decrease in exercise levels, can also contribute to weight gain.

Most studies do not show a link between weight gain and HRT use. If a woman is prone to weight gain during her middle years, she will put on weight whether or not she uses HRT.

Some women may experience symptoms at the start of treatment, including bloating, fluid retention and breast fullness, which may be misinterpreted as weight gain. These symptoms usually disappear once the therapy doses are changed to suit the individual.

If I Do Take Hrt How Can I Reduce My Risks

If you do decide to use HRT, there are ways to limit your risks. One approach is to keep your hormone use as low as possible. For example:

• Use the lowest dose of estrogen that will provide you with relief.

• If you only have vaginal symptoms, consider using a vaginal estrogen . Vaginal estrogen usually circulates throughout your body at a lower level.

• Use HRT mindfully. Consider checking in with your healthcare provider every 3 to 6 months or at least annually to talk about your medication, and to re-evaluate your overall health. In some cases, your provider may recommend you taper off of HRT after 2 to 5 years to limit your risks, especially if you have been stable for years. They may also recommend lower doses of hormones as you get older.

If you are concerned about blood clots, you can also consider using a skin-based medication, like a:

• Patch

• Cream

• Spray

These types of medication do not seem to have the same risks for serious blood clots that oral medications do. Skin-based and vaginal estrogen treatments may also have a lower risk for stroke than pills and tablets do.

Finally, lifestyle choices can help you stay healthy while on HRT. Consider:

• Getting regular exercise

Does It Cause Weight Gain

Some people worry that hormone treatment might lead to weight gain, but there is no evidence to support this.

Eating a healthful diet and getting plenty of exercise can help manage the weight gain that commonly affects both females and males in midlife.

There are various ways of delivering hormone therapy, and the different types provide different combinations and amounts of hormones.Common types include:

Estrogen-only HRT: A doctor may recommend this if a person has had their uterus and ovaries removed, in which case progesterone is not necessary.

Cyclical, or sequential, HRT: This may be a good option if symptoms occur before menopause the dosage can align with the menstrual cycle.

Continuous HRT: After menopause, a doctor may prescribe a continuous combination of estrogen and progesterone.

Local estrogen: Vaginal tablets, creams, or rings can help with urogenital symptoms, including vaginal dryness and irritation.

The doctor will prescribe the lowest possible dosage that addresses the persons symptoms, and arriving at this dosage may take some trial and error.

Ways of delivering HRT include:

• tablets
• vaginal rings
• skin patches

When a person no longer needs the treatment, the doctor will describe how to stop it gradually.

Various lifestyle adjustments can help manage the symptoms of menopause.

They include:

Also, it is a good idea to ask the doctor about nonhormonal treatment options.

Always speak to a doctor before using any supplements.

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Thyroid Hormone Suppression Therapy For Benign Nodules And Goiter

In the past, thyroid hormone suppression therapy was used to prevent benign thyroid nodules and enlarged thyroid glands from growing. More recent evidence has shown that this practice is not effective in regions of the world that have adequate iodine intake . Moreover, excess thyroid hormone can increase the risk of heart rhythm problems and bone loss making the use of thyroxine for suppressing benign thyroid tissue more risky than beneficial in iodine sufficient populations.

Bioidentical Hormones For Women

Hormonal imbalance impacts thousands of females in the United States. Conditions like menopause, thyroid dysfunction, and hypoactive sexual desire problems are associated with abnormal balance hormones. The symptoms of hormonal imbalance can be life alarming. From mood swings and sleeping disorders to weight gain and hair loss, females suffering from symptoms of hormone imbalance may get relief from Bioidentical hormone therapy.

Females may feel better health and a higher quality of life when hormone balance is safely and efficiently restored with this therapy and an adequate treatment plan from a qualified doctor specializing in hormone health and hormone therapy.

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Is There Any Relation Between Stopping Hormone Replacement Therapy And Weight Gain

One of the biggest disadvantages of HRT is the relation between stopping hormone replacement therapy and weight gain. Do you gain weight when you stop hormone replacement therapy? Clinical studies manifested the negative reaction of a human organism to a sudden stop of hormone therapy weight loss. The organism rapidly restores the lost pounds even if a patient keeps to a diet and is physically active. The NHS disapproves of this statement saying that men and women lose and gain weight during the menopausal transition regardless of hormone therapy for menopause weight gain.

Doctors usually warn about stopping hormone replacement therapy and weight gain consequences. Experts recommend stopping hormone therapy for weight loss abruptly or gradually. Everything depends on the situation. Though, due to the experience of leading HRT professionals, the answer to does hormone therapy cause weight gain will be positive when patients refuse from therapy in a day without gradual reduction of doses.

Besides belly fat, the sudden interruption of hormone therapy for weight loss can return severe symptoms of menopausal transition like climacteric vasomotor syndrome, sleeping troubles, night cases of excessive sweating, inability to manage stress, and others.

How Will I Know If My Treatment Is Working

You will have regular appointments to check how well your treatment is working and monitor any side effects. These will involve regular prostate specific antigen blood tests to measure the amount of PSA in your blood.

PSA is a protein produced by cells in your prostate and also by prostate cancer cells, even if they have spread to other parts of your body. The PSA test is a good way to check how well your treatment is working.

How your treatment is monitored will depend on whether youre having hormone therapy as part of treatment that aims to cure your prostate cancer, or having life-long hormone therapy to keep advanced prostate cancer under control.

You can contact your nurse at the hospital, or our Specialist Nurses, between appointments if you have any side effects or symptoms that youd like to talk about.

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How Long Hrt Takes To Work: The Stages

In many ways, How long does HRT take to work?can be a difficult question to answer. There is likely no single moment oftransformation when you suddenly feel like your hormones are in balance. Thinkof it more like the lapping tide or the slow arrival of dawn it isgradualuntil it is everywhere.

But while the timeline can be somewhat nebulous,the process of recovering from the symptoms of hormonal imbalance andfluctuation is not. For the majority of patients, it can be broken down intothree distinct phases:

• Preparation, Testing, and Diagnosis

Lets start at the beginning.

Preparation, Testing, and Diagnosis

If you are feeling the symptoms of hormonal change or imbalance, whether from something predictable as menopause or for unknown reasons, you need to get checked out. The BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz can help you assess if your symptoms may be hormone related, but you should always seek the advice of an expert to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

By connecting with a practitioner who specializes in hormone health, you can discover the root cause of your symptoms and create a comprehensive plan for moving forward. When you become a patient of a BodyLogicMD-affiliated practitioner, this process begins with the following:

• An at-home hormone testing kit will be mailed to you. Complete the tests and mail them back.
• Visit a local lab for any recommended blood serum tests.
• Complete an online medical history.
• Attend your first consultation.

Ongoing Self-Care

Menopausal Hormone Therapy And Cancer Risk

For decades, women have used hormone therapy to ease symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and sweating. This is called menopausal hormone therapy, and you may see it abbreviated as HT or MHT. You may also hear it described as hormone replacement therapy , postmenopausal hormone therapy , or postmenopausal hormones .

In the past, many doctors and their patients believed that MHT didnt just help with hot flashes and other symptoms it had important health benefits. But well-conducted studies have led many doctors to conclude that the risks of MHT often outweigh the benefits.

This information covers only how MHT can affect a womans risk of getting certain cancers. It does not cover other possible risks of MHT such as heart disease or stroke.

You can use this information when you talk to your doctor about whether MHT is right for you.

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What To Expect During The Hormone Replacement Process

If you are ready to improve your quality of life and suffer from symptoms of hormone imbalance, hormone replacement therapy can help. The hormone replacement process goes far beyond a single treatment session.

Rather, it starts with an initial evaluation because every client is unique and needs a tailored hormone replacement plan. Then, the appropriate hormones will be administered in the correct doses. Finally, there will be a follow-up appointment to ensure everything is going as well as it should.

See How Therapy Can Help

If youre suffering from any of the above symptoms, and especially if you havent gotten a good answer about your problems or are only getting treatment for the individual symptoms, visit the Medical Transformation Center in Louisville, KY todayto know the hormone replacement therapy cost so that we can help. We want to get at the root of the problem and get you back to feeling like yourself again.

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Highlight On The Possible Mechanism Of Action

Do weight loss bracelets really work? Some people swear that magnetic bracelets can help them lose weight. On the other hand, some critics mention it can be a result of the placebo effect. When people are aware of receiving the treatment and believing in the effectiveness of its power, then the psychological and motivational factors will be working with the behavior change like weight loss.

So, youve got the idea regarding the weight loss bracelet how does it work.

Stroke And Heart Attacks

The latest analysis from Women’s Health Concern regarding the risk of heart disease and stroke for women taking HRT states that:

• the risk of stroke is increased in women who smoke and are overweight
• women starting HRT and aged below 60 are not at an increased risk of stroke
• HRT is not recommended for women with a history of stroke or deep vein thrombosis

Speak to your GP if you are taking HRT and are worried about the risk of stroke or heart disease.

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The Benefits Of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

Managing your hormone imbalance with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy benefits you in so many ways: from restoring your libido, to giving you back that energy you once had, and helping you achieve your weight loss goals.

However, every case is unique and youll need a full assessment before we can customize the right formula to restore balance. Many factors can come into play when it comes to trying to lose weight and if you succeed, to keeping those pounds from coming back.

If youve tried a thoughtful, focused approach to lose weight and find that those stubborn pounds just wont budge, you may be the ideal candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Contact Cross Roads Hormonal Health & Wellness today. Were located in Cross Roads, Texas, and proudly serve the region, including Denton, and Frisco.

Choosing The Right Hrt For You

Finding the right type of HRT can be tricky.

A low dose of HRT hormones is usually recommended to begin with. It is best to start with the lowest effective dose, to minimise side effects. If necessary, you can increase your dose at a later stage.

Persevere with HRT and wait a few months to see if it works well for you. If not, you can try a different type or increase the dose. Talk to your GP about any problems you have with HRT.

While there are more than 50 different preparations of HRT, the three main types are discussed below.

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Putting The Pieces Together

The obvious answer to weight loss is reducing calorie intake and exercising more. But if you have maxed out your capacity to diet and exercise without seeing the desired results or have hormone-related symptoms that interfere with your ability to make healthy lifestyle changes, its time to do more. For many, the answer could be hormone replacement therapy .

For women experiencing menopause or perimenopause, HRT under the guidance of a hormone health specialist can be life-changing. Researchers have found strong evidence that estrogen or combined estrogen-progesterone replacement therapy may help to prevent menopause-related changes in body composition and the associated metabolic consequences. Additionally, many women find that HRT alleviates symptoms that interfere with weight losssuch as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mood symptomsand allows them to make the choices necessary to shed unwanted pounds.

If a thyroid condition is thwarting your efforts for weight loss over 40, getting a specific and accurate diagnosis is critical. If your lab results and symptoms point to hypothyroidism, hormone therapy is the gold standard in treatment and can help you restore balance and take control of your health. A hormone specialist can devise a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs and provide nutrition and lifestyle recommendations to support greater ongoing health.

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The 5 Best Things You Can Do To Help Maximize Your Hormone Therapy

• Be patient: Your bodys hormones have taken a long time to reach the changes they are experiencing now. It will also take time to adjust to a new hormone therapy program. Allow yourself and your treatment team some grace in knowing that immediate results are not likely.
• Be vocal: Your HRT doctor needs to know how youre feeling, what youre experiencing, whether youre taking your meds on time and more. Be open, honest and forthright with your doctor at all times so they can adjust your HRT doses as necessary.
• Eat healthier: Your changing body needs a different diet to help it along its journey. Make smarter dietary choices, including limiting alcohol, caffeine and sugar. Focus on a more well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.
• Start exercising: A regular exercise routine will help keep the rest of your body in proper shape, which helps you tremendously as you move through your HRT program. If you already exercise on a routine basis, ask your doctor if you are pursuing the right exercises for your bodys needs.
• Take your medication on time: Your HRT meds are dosed specifically for your body. You need to take those meds on schedule and keep taking them as prescribed until your doctor tells you otherwise. One caveatnever take a missed dose. Just continue on with your schedule as per usual.

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A Note From Cleveland Clinic

The decision to take hormone therapy needs to be a very personalized one. Hormone therapy is not for everyone. Discuss the risks and benefits of hormone therapy with your healthcare provider at an office visit specifically dedicated for this conversation. Youll need the time to address all the issues and answer questions in order to arrive at a decision that is best for you. Factors considered should be your age, family history, personal medical history and the severity of your menopausal symptoms.

Be sure to talk about the pros and cons of the different types and forms of HT as well as non-hormonal options such as dietary changes, exercise and weight management, meditation and alternative options.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Why Age May Matter

Salpeter’s study indicates something crucial: The age at which a woman starts HRT may make a big difference.

Salpeter argues that when a person first starts hormone replacement therapy, her risk of blood clots increases slightly. In healthy women who are in their 50s — and close to the age of menopause — this increase is very unlikely to cause problems. The higher risk subsides after a couple of years, she says, although other experts disagree.

But women in their 60s may be more likely to already have early heart disease or hardening of the arteries . In these cases, the risk of blood clots becomes more serious. So if a woman first starts hormone replacement therapy in her 60s, the initial risks are more dangerous, Salpeter says.

This is what Salpeter says affected the results of the Women’s Health Initiative trial. The average age of a woman in that trial was 63, with a range of ages between 50 and 79. She and other critics argue that the researchers were looking at many women who might already have been sick.

“I was surprised when I first heard the results,” says Lynne T. Shuster, MD, director of the Women’s Health Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “But, once I saw the details, I wasn’t surprised anymore. They gave women who were older and possibly had underlying arteriosclerosis a pill that increased the risk of blood clotting. Of course it increased the risk of heart problems.”

“Basically, were looking at the wrong group of people,” Salpeter tells WebMD.

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