Every woman goes through it eventually. As we age, our bodies change. One of those changes has to do with sexual hormones. A woman’s hormones decrease gradually at first, then faster as menopause progresses.
When your hormones first start to fall, you may not have a lot of symptoms. Symptoms may be sporadic or nonexistent. You may notice some minor differences, such as decreased lubrication during intercourse or brief hot flashes. As symptoms start to appear, they can range in severity and frequency.
So at what point do you need hormone therapy? The truth is that it depends on each individual woman. Your body may react differently to decreased hormones than someone else. You may have more severe or less severe symptoms. If you reach a point that your symptoms are severe enough to limit your activities or make you feel uncomfortable, it might be time to talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormone therapy.
Some of the signs that you should be considering bioidentical hormone therapy include:
- Vaginal laxity/looseness
- Vaginal dryness
- Stress incontinence
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Irregular and/or infrequent periods
If you have any of these symptoms of menopause, it may be time for you to get bioidentical hormone therapy. The best way to determine if you are a candidate for HRT is to schedule an appointment for an examination and testing. After running a blood panel to check hormone levels, the doctor can determine if you will benefit from bioidentical hormone therapy.
The bottom line is that bioidentical hormone therapy is not for everyone, and there is no magic age or lab number that says it’s time to get hormone replacement therapy. It is important to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor.
- Holistic Approaches to Reduce Stress - September 30, 2024
- Common Conditions Treated with Integrative Medicine - September 20, 2024
- What is an Autoimmune Disease? - August 23, 2024