Technicalities of HRT
Oophorectomy and Hysterectomy are the medical terms for the removal of ovaries and uterus, respectively, from a woman's body. While the removal of ovaries is generally followed by the removal of uterus also, it may not always be the case. Moreover, after the ovaries have been removed, it naturally leads to menopause that is often called surgical menopause. Women who only opt for the hysterectomy procedure don't go into surgical menopause because their ovaries are still present producing the female sex hormone estrogen. They will enter the menopause phase naturally because of aging.
After the hysterectomy treatment, women may gradually go into menopause because of the decreasing levels of estrogen in their body. Removing the uterus from women's body leads to hormonal changes that cause various physical and psychological issues. To counteract the levels of decreasing estrogen in women's body post hysterectomy, hormone replacement therapy is used. In HRT, the estrogen loss from the body is balanced by administering man-made estrogen and progestin hormones in the form of medication. Generally, both estrogen and progestin are recommended when ovaries have been removed. Else, only estrogen hormone is given. HRT is usually administered to patients by prescribing medicines in the form of tablets. Some experts also prescribe natural progesterone in the form of vaginal gel or pessary (inserted into the vagina) and suppository (inserted into the rectum). The objective behind these insertions is that the required hormone is directly absorbed into the bloodstream by the vaginal or rectum walls. Since tablets are easy to use, they're mostly recommended by medical experts.
Is Hormone Replacement Therapy after Hysterectomy Worth the Risk?
The medical community has alternated its stand on the efficacy of hormone replacement many times in the last four to five decades of medical research. This has obviously generated confusion amongst women. Until the year 2000, HRT was encouraged as an ideal treatment option for women suffering from several post menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, decreased sex drive, aching muscles, and joints, etc. However, after a medical trial published its report stating the negative consequences of HRT, the general response among the layman was of angst and panic. So, what should women do? If they face numerous side effects post hysterectomy (headaches, weight gain, osteoporosis, hypertension, depression, anxiety, and hair loss), should they choose HRT? In the following segment of this article, we give you information about a better way to assess your condition. Understand that these factors are just recommendations and we strongly advise you to schedule an appointment with your family doctor and an endocrinologist to arrive at the final conclusion regarding your choice of treatment. Some essential parameters to look for before going for HRT are:
- Age at the time of operation
- Past medical history
- Health issues that can interfere with HRT
- Family history
There are some benefits of HRT for women who have undergone menopause quite younger (less than 45 years) than expected post hysterectomy. This is because if menopause has occurred at a relatively younger age after the hysterectomy, plummeting of estrogen levels in the body increases the risk of bone diseases like osteoporosis. A large number of medical studies have also supported the fact that HRT is beneficial in decreasing the risk of heart diseases and colorectal cancer in aging women. Medical experts also suggest that only if all treatment options have failed, women must choose HRT. Though these can't be enough reasons to prefer HRT, they provide a fair way to asses a woman's health condition.
The Negative Aspects of HRT
When it comes to drawbacks of HRT, medical experts are critical about the fact that it is not that HRT treatment is responsible for all side effects. It is the particular health condition of the women that must be kept in mind before recommending HRT. So, if a woman doesn't experience severe post menopausal symptoms, she should avoid HRT. Post menopausal complications can be improved by lifestyle habits. Alternatives like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can also be considered after medical supervision. Women suffering from liver diseases or other complex medical complications must avoid HRT. Medical studies have also reported that going for HRT increases the risk of heart attacks (when estrogen and progestin both are taken), breast cancer, and blood clots.
So, is HRT good or bad for you? As we have stated both sides of the coin, it is up to you to decide what is best in your case. All in all, neither is HRT an excellent treatment option nor it is something that should be neglected completely if the need arises. By focusing on your respective health conditions and expert medical recommendation, you can surely make an informed decision.
By Kundan Pandey
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar