Is Estrogen Necessary After Menopause

The Psychology Of Menopause

Hormone shifts can affect moods. It can be disturbing to find yourself feeling uncharacteristically nervous or depressed or having memory lapses. Sometimes these feelings can even strain your relationships with others. It helps to know that the psychological effects of menopause are temporary. In all likelihood, youll soon get back on an even keel. Here are the most common psychological accompaniments of menopause.

Anxiety. Women who have never had a problem with anxiety before may become more self-conscious and worried about minor events. In some cases, panic attacks occur. Mental health professionals have a variety of effective treatments. Many people feel much better just knowing what the condition is. The most important piece of advice is not to let anxiety restrict your activities. When anxiety or panic disorders cause people to avoid stressful situations, the result can be an ever-tightening leash that keeps them from enjoying life. Anxiety can lead to avoidance of many aspects of normal life. Prompt treatment prevents this.

Poor Memory and Concentration. Some women find that menopause brings occasional memory lapses, often related to reduced ability to concentrate. This can be upsetting and annoying, but fortunately it seems to go away on its own with time.

Take Vitamins To Increase Progesterone Levels After Menopause

For full work, the body needs all the vitamins and minerals. However, some of them are especially important for progesterone production.

• Vitamin C

The latest research works show that vitamin C enhances the production of progesterone after menopause. Sources: kiwi, wild rose, red pepper, citrus fruits, black currant, and other berries, especially sour ones.

• Magnesium

It helps a person to relax and reduce stress. Due to this, it has a beneficial effect on the hormonal system. Sources: green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and cocoa.

• Vitamin B6

Known for the ability to reduce stress and restore the functioning of the nervous system. It assists the liver to break down and excrete estrogen degradation products. According to studies, it helps lower estrogen levels and increases progesterone levels after menopause. Sources: walnut, hazelnuts, spinach, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, salmon, tuna, bananas, beef, chicken, and legumes.

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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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Whats Been Approved By The Us Food And Drug Administration

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves all estrogen therapy medications. Some hormones are sold as bio-identical hormones and are not FDA-approved. They are available without a prescription, and they are not held to the same safety standards as prescription medications. Despite marketing claims, these hormones are also not more natural than the FDA-approved treatments.

How Can I Tell If Ive Reached Menopause

The average age of menopause is around 51 years old. Once an individual with a uterus has gone 12 months without a period, they have reached menopause. However, this may be difficult to track if the individual is taking hormonal birth control. Some may choose to stop birth control once they start to notice symptoms of perimenopause for this reason, but this does not have to be the case for all individuals. If one does choose to stop taking birth control, they should use another form of contraception to prevent pregnancy.;

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Weight Loss After Menopause: 14 Foods To Eat And Avoid

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While the idea of bidding adieu to your period and all of the associated symptoms of PMS it causes may sound exciting, the transition to menopause can be a rocky road for many women. It can cause hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, fatigue, and weight gain, and if that isnt bad enough, these symptoms can last for up to 10 years before menopause officially occurs. The good news is that focusing on the right foods and eliminating the wrong ones can help balance your blood sugar and hormones, reduce cravings and help you feel satiated for longer periods of time, build lean muscle, and boost your metabolism, all of which are key to weight loss and maintenance. If youre looking for tips to help with weight loss after menopause, were giving you the low down on the best and worst foods for your waistline.

Taking Estrogen With A Progestin Vs Estrogen Alone

Treating menopausal symptoms with estrogen and progestin together is known as estrogen-progestin therapy or combined hormone therapy. Although estrogen alone improves the symptoms of menopause, it increases the risk of cancer of the uterus . Adding a progestin to the estrogen lowers the risk of endometrial cancer back to normal. Because of this, EPT is given to women who still have a uterus . EPT can be given 2 ways:

• Continuous EPT;means the same dose of estrogen and progestin is taken each day. Women often prefer continuous EPT because it rarely leads to menstrual-like bleeding.
• Sequential EPT;means different amounts of each hormone are taken on specific days. There are different ways to do this. For example, estrogen can be taken by itself for 14 days, then estrogen plus progestin for 11 days, then neither hormone for 3 to 5 days. Other schedules involve taking progestin only every few months. This lowers the amount of progestin that you are exposed to. Monthly regimens are also thought to result in hormone levels that are more like the natural menstrual cycle. Cyclical EPT can produce bleeding like a menstrual period, but it can occur less often than monthly.

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Menopause And Birth Control: When Is It Time To Quit

Menopause can be a distressing, confusing time for many women. Its a natural part of life, but the timeline may vary between individuals with a uterus. You may have several questions about what this process entails, which is totally normal! The following article will provide some insight, particularly in terms of how to manage birth control use as you approach menopause.

Getting The Right Post

As with most things in medicine, the decision to use progesterone treatment after hysterectomy comes down to the individual patient: you. Whether you choose estrogen-only or combination hormone replacement therapy depends on your unique needs. Thats why any hormonal treatment needs to be entered into with as much information as possible and should be guided by a practitioner who understands your symptoms, preferences, and risk factors. By working with the best hormone replacement practitioners, you create a plan that makes sense for you.;

Ultimately, your treatment decisions must takeinto account your own evaluation of the risk/reward balance. After all, ahysterectomy is neither an end nor a beginning. Its part of your life, and theright hormone treatment can help you keep living it the way you want to.;

If you are considering progesterone treatment after your hysterectomy, BodyLogicMD can help. The BodyLogicMD network is comprised of top medical professionals specializing in womens hormonal health and extensively trained in hormone replacement therapy. A BodyLogicMD-affiliated practitioner can evaluate your symptoms, listen to your concerns, and design a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your health goals using the best therapies available today. Contact a local practitioner to schedule your first appointment, or take the BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz to learn more about the everyday impact of hormones.

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Symptoms Of Low Estrogen In Women: What Is Going On

Estrogen is a vital hormone that can be found in women and men. In women, it is responsible for maintaining the reproductive system and forming female features such as the development of breasts, enlargement of hips, and pubic hair. Ladies can monitor their impact when they have a menstrual cycle. Mainly, it is produced by ovaries. And, when the time comes to menopause, low estrogen symptoms start emerging and causing changes such as cessation of menstruation, ovulation. Accordingly, a woman can no longer bear a child. However, during the onset of menopause, estrogen still allows one to perform a reproductive function but only with the help of gynecologists who will appoint the correct treatment to prolong the first stage.

What Should Women Do If They Have Menopausal Symptoms But Are Concerned About Taking Mht

Women who are seeking relief from hot flashes and vaginal dryness should talk with their health care provider about whether to take MHT, the possible risks of using MHT, and what alternatives may be appropriate for them. FDA currently advises women to use MHT for the shortest time and at the lowest dose possible to control menopausal symptoms. The FDA provides additional information about the risks and benefits of MHT use for menopausal symptoms on its Menopause & Hormones: Common Questions fact sheet.

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Post Menopausal Hormon Replacement Therapy

How prevalent is heart disease among women?

Female Reproductive Organs

Cardiovascular disease is NOT just a mans disease. Cardiovascular disease is the Number 1 killer of women over age 25 in the United States, regardless of race or ethnicity. Once a woman reaches the age of 50 , the risk for heart disease increases. In young women who have undergone early or surgical menopause, the risk for heart disease is also higher, especially when combined with other risk factors such as:

• Diabetes
• Elevated LDL cholesterol
• Low HDL cholesterol, sometimes called “good” cholesterol
• Obesity
• Family history of heart disease

What is menopause?

Menopause is a normal stage in a womans life. The term menopause is commonly used to describe any of the changes a woman experiences either before or after she stops menstruating. As menopause nears, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen , causing changes in the menstrual cycle and other physical changes. The most common symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, night sweats, emotional changes and changes in the vagina .

Technically, menopause is the end of a womans reproductive cycle, when the ovaries no longer produce eggs and she has her last menstrual cycle. The diagnosis of menopause is not confirmed until a woman has not had her period for six to twelve consecutive months.

How is heart disease associated with menopause?

What can be done to reduce the risk of heart disease for menopausal women?

What This Means For You

While the WHI found that estrogen-only HRT reduced breast cancer risk, a number of other studies have found that both types of HRT increase breast cancer risk. So the issue is far from resolved.

Menopausal side effects can dramatically reduce quality of life for some women. These women have to weigh the benefits of HRT against the risks. If you’re having severe hot flashes or other menopausal side effects and are considering HRT, talk to your doctor about all of your options. Ask how you can minimize your breast cancer risk and relieve your symptoms. Be sure to discuss the pros and cons of different types and doses of HRT.

If youve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you should not take any type of HRT.

If you do decide to take HRT, try to take the lowest dose possible that still meets your treatment goals. You may want to ask your doctor if estrogen-only HRT is a good option for you. You also may want to ask your doctor about vaginal or transdermal HRT.

To start the discussion with your doctor, you may want to review the North American Menopause Society HRT guidelines:

Learn more about menopause and ways to manage side effects on the Breastcancer.org Managing Menopausal Symptoms pages.

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Mood And Memory Disorders

Oestrogen facilitates synaptogenesis, induces growth factor production, protects against oxidative stress and regulates neurotransmission in brain systems associated with cognition and mood .

Although oestrogens affect brain tissues and brain processes in ways expected to reduce dementia risk and improve the course of cognitive ageing, this is not supported by clinical findings. Many observational studies imply that oestrogens reduce the rate of AD, however it now seems that there is no benefit to be had by starting hormones, and there may even be an increased risk when started in women over the age of 65 .

Data from the HERS trial suggested that for symptomatic postmenopausal women, HT was associated with lower depressive symptoms. Two small RCTs demonstrated that transdermal oestradiol had antidepressant efficacy , however, compelling evidence is lacking regarding the antidepressant efficacy of HT alone.

Isolating the effects of ageing from the effects of the menopause is difficult, but there is currently no evidence to support the use of HT for improvement or prevention of cognitive decline. Any beneficial effects of HT in mood disorders may be more likely to occur in women with concurrent vasomotor symptoms .

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.

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How Does Birth Control Affect Perimenopause Symptoms

Hormonal birth control can help prevent pregnancy and eliminate period symptoms. Similarly, using birth control during perimenopause can help alleviate unpleasant symptoms and even decrease the likelihood of negative health conditions. For instance, the process of menopause may lead to osteoporosis and other bone-related issues, and implementing birth control can help reduce this risk. Additionally, because birth control regulates hormone levels, it can further minimize some of the effects associated with perimenopause such as hot flashes, acne, and vaginal dryness.

It is important to note, however, that hormonal contraceptives can mask perimenopause symptoms. Furthermore, those who take birth control may not recognize when they have reached the perimenopause stage. For this reason, it is crucial to communicate with a doctor in order to better understand what is going on in your body.

Added Benefits Of Hrt

HRT reduces the risk of various chronic conditions that can affect postmenopausal women, including:

• diabetes taking HRT around the time of menopause reduces a womans risk of developing diabetes
• osteoporosis HRT prevents further bone density loss, preserving bone integrity and reducing the risk of fractures, but it is not usually recommended as the first choice of treatment for osteoporosis, except in younger postmenopausal women
• bowel cancer HRT slightly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer
• cardiovascular disease HRT has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease markers when used around the time of menopause.

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What Is High Estrogen In Women

Symptoms of hormone imbalance manifest when certain hormones are over- or under-produced by the body. High estrogen levels are one of the most common hormonal imbalances found in women of childbearing age. Excess estrogen can manifest from a health condition, such as endometriosis or obesity, or in response to certain medications, like antibiotics or hormonal birth control.

Foods To Avoid To Avoid After Menopause

1. SUGARReducing or removing sugar from your diet is my first recommendation when it comes to weight loss after menopause. When we eat sugar, opioids and dopamine are released, which make us feel really good and crave it even more. It triggers the pleasure center of our brains, as well as the reward center, which makes it a difficult addiction to crack. Sugar consumption can lead to issues like weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and it can also wreak havoc on your hormones, and make you feel tired and sluggish. Beware of ingredients like sucrose, fructose, and pretty much any other words with ose at the end as they contain sugar. Use natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup instead.

2. REFINED CARBSCutting back on refined carbs foods like cookies, cakes, pastries, candies, fast foods, breaded or battered foods, sugary cereals, pastas, bagels, and pizza can also be beneficial with weight loss after menopause. Refined carbs are absorbed into the bloodstream quickly, causing spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which can perpetuate cravings for high carb, sugary snacks.

3. PROCESSED FOODSProcessed foods such as deli meats, bacon, sausages, potato chips, and microwave meals are definitely convenient, but they tend to be high in sodium and sugar, which can lead to bloating and water retention. Avoid these foods as much as possible if youre trying to lose weight!

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