For women in their late 40s and 50s, menopause is a fact of life. Many women feel that they need help with the sometimes-unpleasant side effects caused by menopause. One common way to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause is to take hormone replacement therapy, also called HRT.

Replacement hormones puts hormones back into the body that the ovaries are not longer producing and eases the side effects, as well.

During menopause, a woman’s body begins to change. A woman’s menstrual cycle begins to stop. Most of the time it does not simply stop, but the periods will become more irregular and spotting may occur. Ovaries stop producing hormones. This can lead to chemical imbalances that can lead to panic attacks, anxiety, depression and decreased amounts of energy. Also, when menopause begins, women are more likely to experience hot flashes and night sweats. These are often uncontrollable and can leave a woman feeling very uncomfortable.

Another sure sign of menopause is problems with the genital area and with sex drive. Hormone imbalances can lead to vaginal dryness, incontinence and infections. These problems often lead to a decreased desire for sex and can make it uncomfortable.

Women who want help with these problems associated with menopause are often prescribed hormone replacement therapy. HRT is a way to put hormones back into the body and balance out the side effects caused by menopause. There are different forms of hormone replacement. Doctors can prescribe natural or synthetic-based hormones. In addition, these prescriptions can come in oral pill form, injections, gels, and skin patches. What the doctor prescribes often depends on the needs of the woman and whether or not she has her ovaries intact.

Taking hormone replacement therapy is not right for everyone. Some women tolerate these medicines better than others. Some women may experience even more side effects caused by the medication. In addition, women who have a history of heart disease, breast cancer and uterine or endometrial cancer are usually dissuaded from taking replacement hormones. Taking replacement hormones can increase the risk of some forms of breast cancer as well as increasing the risk of developing uterine cancer and heart disease.
Women with a history of strokes or blood clots are also discouraged from taking hormone replacement therapy.

Most women who take HRT enjoy the benefits. Many women report a marked improvement on the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, breast tenderness and anxiety attacks after taking replacement hormones for several weeks. Not only can these prescription medications aid the side effects of menopause, but it has also been shown that hormones can actually decrease the risk of developing several diseases often related to age. These include osteoporosis, macular degeneration, which is a degenerative eye disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Women experiencing menopause are encouraged to find a good doctor that can help them decided whether or not replacement hormones are right for them. Most doctors will prescribe these medications in the lowest possible dose for the shortest amount of time.