There is no one way women experience menopause; there are many ways menopause manifests itself in women’s health. There is no one thing to know about hormone replacement therapy (HRT); there are many things to know about hormone replacement therapy.
If you are a woman with menopause symptoms or one who is considering the role hormone replacement may take in her menopause transition, you need a doctor who sees you as a whole person — your health as a whole, not just one system in isolation.
Things to consider include the severity of symptoms, other medical conditions, reproductive plans, menstrual patterns, mental health and risk factors for heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to managing menopause and the decision to take HRT is a personal one. Women who are contending with menopause symptoms deserve care tailored specifically for them.
Let’s start with those myths.
Twenty-five years ago, misinterpretation of the Women’s Health Initiative study cast a pall over the use of HRT for menopause symptoms. Women who had relied on HRT to manage night sweats, mood swings, headaches, and sleep disruptions were told to discard their pills immediately.
No alternatives given. No relief offered. Research into menopause and hormone therapy largely stopped. Lawsuits against manufacturers of HRT had a chilling effect on the entire industry, which is thankfully now starting to thaw.
As women’s voices become amplified and social taboos about menopause lift, the medical community is being encouraged to address menopause and women’s healthy aging in a more serious and intentional way.
Research is coming back to life, guidelines are being updated, and a new generation of physicians are starting to gain expertise in a treatment option that had been mothballed. This is great news for women who want to explore safe and effective ways to manage menopause symptoms.
The “black box” label was removed. What does that mean for you?
One of the reasons HRT is back in medicine cabinets around the country is that in November, the FDA removed the broad “black box” warnings for cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and dementia from most menopause HRT products. The true risks and benefits are nuanced and highly individualized.
Seeking care that is tailored to your specific needs and overall health risks is important. Every day on my drive to work, I cringe when I pass storefronts advertising HRT patches along with Botox treatments and eyelash extensions. Hormone replacement therapy is a medical treatment, and those receiving it need and deserve medical expertise.