TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR MENOPAUSE

1. Conventional treatments
2. Naturopathic treatments

It is important to have a thorough discussion with your healthcare provider regarding the benefits and risks of different options for reducing symptoms and health risks associated with menopause.

1. CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS

Hot flashes and other symptoms that may occur during the menopausal period are often treated with hormone replacement therapy, or HRT

HRT adds back in the estrogen and sometimes the progesterone that the body no longer makes

Premarin, the most common form, is taken from the urine of pregnant horses
(Note: Many animal welfare groups question the treatment of the horses used for this process, as well as the treatment of the baby horses that result from the pregnancies, and urge women considering this therapy to ask their doctors about alternatives to Premarin.)

HRT has long been believed to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease in post-menopausal women. Recently, however, studies have reported that HRT may not help prevent these conditions after all. In addition, the use of HRT may increase the risk of uterine and breast cancer

Current or past breast or uterine cancer, chronic or acute liver disease, endometriosis, current blood clots or a history of blood clots, a history of stroke, recent heart attack, pancreatic disease, gallbladder disease, fibrocystic breast disease, familial high cholesterol, high blood pressure that is aggravated by estrogen, migraine headaches that are aggravated by estrogen, uterine tumors, and undiagnosed vaginal bleeding.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPIES

Breast pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea, leg cramps, weight gain, depression

Increased risk of ovarian cancer ,endometrial cancer, breast cancer after 4 or more years of HRT

Increased breast density, making mammograms more difficult to interpret and possibly increasing breast cancer risk

Increased risk of blood clots

Increased risk of gallbladder disease

Increased risk of heart attack or stroke

Bloating and fluid retention, primarily associated with progestins

Given all this, it may be best for many women to seek alternative treatments for hot flashes.

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