Can HRT help all my menopausal symptoms?

Can HRT help all my menopausal symptoms?

The objectives of hormone replacement therapy are to alleviate or minimise the morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) associated with the reduced levels of reproductive hormones associated with the menopause.

Certainly if your symptoms are solely related to oestrogen deficiency they should respond to hormone replacement therapy. However symptoms typical of the menopause may have a variety of other causes. Lack of energy, soreness of the vagina, and depression are commonly found in association with the menopause, but lack of energy may be related to lifestyle (overdoing it) or anaemia, soreness of the vagina could be due to infection, and depression can have many explanations including the stresses of life.

During reproductive years, the ovaries secrete oestrogens, progestogen and androgens. Following the menopause, there is a significant reduction in production of each of these hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is the term most frequently employed for oestrogen replacement. We should also consider progesterone and androgen deficiency and possible replacement of these (progesterone replacment therapy andQ 28.17).

Unfortunately, many patients or their families, inappropriately assume that there must be a perfect HRT that will provide a complete panacea for all their difficulties; some of their problems may be unrelated to hormone changes. HRT can only reduce symptoms attributable to hormone deficiency.

Please click on the required question.