HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy)

If you are going through menopause as a woman, you may experience various complaints. This is a period around the time of your last menstrual period. This period is also called the transition. During this period you may experience various complaints due to a change in your body's hormones. HRT is a way to resolve these complaints?

What is HRT?

HRT or Hormonal Replacement Therapy is a way to get your female hormones going again. During menopause, the ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone. This includes a number of changes that can result in menopausal complaints.

The menopause can have different effects on you, namely:

• Hot flashes and sweating
• Blushing
• Irregular menstruation
• Sleep problems
• Irritable
• Mood changes
• Vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse
• Urinary leakage and urinary tract infections
• Decreased sexual interest

A number of general complaints can also be attributed to menopause. Since less estrogen is produced, the osteoporosis process accelerates.

HRT is a way to replace the hormones in your body with other hormones. This is also where the name comes from. It is better not to start too early with HRT. If your period is rare or would prefer to have stopped completely, it is best to start. If you start earlier, your body can continue menstruating.

How do you recognize menopause?

Menopause can mainly be recognized by irregular periods. Menstruation becomes very irregular. This means it can last shorter or longer and you may lose more or less blood. It is difficult to recognize menopause, especially in the beginning, but over time the symptoms become increasingly clear.

You may experience the symptoms of menopause listed above in the meantime. These usually last until menopause, after which they gradually decrease again. The extent of the complaints differs per woman.

What can you do yourself?

There are a number of things you can do yourself to combat the symptoms of menopause. A healthy lifestyle in particular can help against complaints during menopause. There are a number of things you can do for this:

• Plenty of exercise
• Healthy and balanced eating
• Aim for a healthy weight
• Don't smoke
• Drink little or no alcohol
• Limit coffee and highly spicy food

If you are overweight, you are more likely to suffer from complaints such as sweating. Smoking can also cause extra sweating.

What can your GP do for you?

If you suffer from severe menopausal symptoms, it is best to see your doctor immediately. They can decide whether they want to help you with HRT. There may also be a number of reasons why a doctor does not want to offer you HRT. This can occur under the following circumstances:

• Breast cancer: the risk of recurrence is too great
• Severe heart and/or liver disease
• High blood pressure
• Uterine cancer
• Blood clotting problems
• Vaginal bleeding without cause

HRT treatment is never wise in these circumstances. If this does not bother you, your doctor can inform you about the treatment and its pros and cons.