Facts and Myths About Treating Menopausal Symptoms with Hormone Replacement Therapy

About half of the population must deal with a potentially difficult, uncomfortable season of life. The actual phase of menopause lasts 12 months, and its symptoms often start years before (pre- or perimenopause) and last for years afterward (postmenopause). 

With symptoms ranging from hot flashes and decreased libido to anxiety and weight gain, it’s no surprise that many women want a way to combat the physical implications of this change. 

And they’ve found precisely that with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This treatment option replaces the hormones lost to decreased production during menopause. It’s a targeted, effective way to treat unwelcome symptoms. 

That’s why board-certified OB/GYNs Charis Trench-Simmons, MD, and Lorenza Simmons, MD, offer HRT here at Prestige Healthcare OBGYN in Atlanta, Georgia. 

This treatment helps countless women improve their quality of life before, during, and after menopause, but a lot of misconceptions surround it. It’s such a pervasive issue that medical journals like the Journal of General Internal Medicine have weighed in.

Since myths about HRT are widespread, we wanted to take a moment to clear up a few. 

Myth: Hormone replacement therapy significantly increases cancer risk

One of the most prevalent myths is choosing hormone replacement therapy increases your risk of breast cancer dramatically. In fact, that risk is much smaller than most people expect. 

After extensive research, HRT has been linked to only a slight increase in breast cancer. It hasn’t been demonstrated to increase your ovarian cancer risk. 

You can control your risk level by taking the replacement hormones only as long as your symptoms persist and only receiving the hormones your body needs. 

Your Prestige Healthcare OBGYN provider develops a personalized HRT plan for you with risk mitigation factors in mind. 

Myth: Hormone replacement therapy only treats hot flashes

HRT doesn’t just treat one or a few symptoms. Instead, this approach to managing menopause can make you feel like your old self.

That’s because we can provide your body with exactly what it needs. If your estrogen levels have dipped, we can give your body replacement estrogen. If you’re making less progesterone, we can supplement that. 

Our team uses a blood test to measure your hormone levels and determine what you’re lacking. That gives us a way to address all of the unwelcome symptoms of menopause, from sexual issues to mental health challenges to hot flashes and night sweats. 

Myth: Women don’t need hormone replacement therapy

There’s a school of thought that women should tough it out through menopause. But the dip in hormone levels you experience can heighten your risk of physical conditions like heart disease, osteoporosis, and stroke. On top of that, menopause can worsen your mental health.

In other words, treating menopausal symptoms isn’t just about comfort. It’s about being proactive in protecting your health through the years. The quality-of-life improvements that women report with HRT are a bonus. 

If you’re curious about exploring HRT and how it can ease menopausal symptoms, call our office or book an appointment online today.