As menopause approaches, women are assailed by symptoms, each more unpleasant than the last: premenstrual syndrome of varying intensity with irritability, peaks of anxiety, lack of motivation, memory loss and of course the many dreaded hot flashes and night sweats. To deal with it, you can use a fan to cool down or stop smoking, limit spicy foods and alcohol. It has also been found that meditation can improve the situation for some women. But for those in whom hot flashes are unbearable, this will not be enough. And for good reason, the average duration of these symptoms is seven to nine years. Some will suffer even longer. For the latter, gynecologists recommend hormonal therapy or menopausal hormonal treatment (THM). And this, despite the numerous debates which have taken place over the last two decades on the subject.
Hot flashes, they should not be ignored, because there is always the risk that they will eventually give rise to an illness. Simple hot flashes increase cardiovascular risk,” Dr Michel Mouly, gynecologist, explained to Top Santé in an article devoted to the subject.
“To relieve hot flashes and night sweats, hormone therapy is the most effective option,” assures Dr Monica Christmas, obstetrician-gynecologist and director of the menopause program at the University of Chicago Medicine (United States) to the newspaper Parade. “And even then, the relief is not 100%. I tell people it’s 80%, but some people will get 100% relief. » “Hormone therapy is the most effective way to help, because it’s what your body is missing,” adds Dr Pelin Batur, obstetrician-gynecologist and menopause specialist at the Cleveland Clinic (United States).
There are two categories of hormone therapy
“Taking estrogen (a type of hormone therapy) has been shown to be the most effective treatment for relieving hot flashes and night sweats. If you still have a uterus, estrogen is taken with the hormone progesterone. Another option is a medication that combines estrogen with a medication called bazedoxifene. This medication is also used to help prevent bone loss,” explains the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) on its site.
Hormone therapy is divided into two categories: low-dose therapy and systemic therapy. The first is administered directly into the vagina. Also, very little product circulates in the bloodstream. The second is administered throughout the body through a pill, patch, spray, gel or vaginal ring. If you are healthy, under the age of 60, and ten years or less have passed since the start of menopause, systemic estrogen-based hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes, assures Dr. Stephanie Faubion, obstetrician-gynecologist and director of the Mayo Center Clinic for Women’s Health and medical director of la Menopause Society.
Better sleep, reduced risk of fractures and depression
“When you bring people together and look carefully at the risks and benefits, it’s not as scary as they imagine,” explains Dr Stephanie Faubion.
By relieving hot flashes and night sweats, hormone therapy helps patients regain quality sleep. It is also effective in keeping depression at bay, reducing memory problems and the risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also help prevent osteoporosis, as indicated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). ) on his site. Indeed, the drop in estrogen during menopause affects bone mass. Over the first five years, women can lose up to 20% of their bone density, putting them at increased risk of fractures. This is why experts regularly emphasize the importance of practicing muscle strengthening exercises and increasing your protein intake during this period.
For whom is hormone therapy not recommended?
Unfortunately, like most treatments, hormone therapy is not recommended for everyone. This is particularly the case for patients with a history of estrogen-sensitive cancer (breast, ovarian or uterine cancer), a history of blood clots or a high risk of clots, a history of heart attack or stroke, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, gallbladder or liver disease or abnormal vaginal bleeding.
If this is your case but your menopause is accompanied by symptoms that are too heavy to bear, your doctor can advise you on alternative drug treatments. Among them, antidepressants, gabapentin (an antiepileptic drug also used to treat nerve pain and restless legs syndrome), clonidine (a drug against high blood pressure), selective estrogen modulators (SERMs) or even Veola, a relatively new medication effective in treating moderate to severe hot flashes. Finally, if you also suffer from urinary incontinence, he may prescribe oxybutynin, a medication against overactive bladder.
Source: www.topsante.com
