You thought you’d be thrilled to finally throw out all the tampons and the cramps medications, but if you’ve entered menopause you just might be waxing nostalgic for the days of PMS. As you leave your reproductive years, your estrogen and progesterone levels dip, which can cause a number of extremely uncomfortable symptoms, including the dreaded hot flashes.
Now it’s summer. The sun’s already beating down on the outside of your body. You don’t really want to deal with the inner heat, too.
You don’t have to. The compassionate nurse practitioners Maria Cole, APRN, FNP-C, and Kelly Wenger, APRN, FNP-C, offer hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women at Enrich Family Practice in Odessa, Texas.
Even though menopause is a normal stage of life, that doesn’t mean you should be uncomfortable or unable to function at your peak. If your hormone levels are unbalanced, you might not feel or look like yourself. Menopause can bring you:
The symptoms of menopause often exacerbate one another. If you have night sweats, you may have more difficulty sleeping, which makes you feel tired, irritable and unfocused during the day. When our nurse practitioners restore a healthier hormonal balance with HRT, your symptoms resolve.
Years ago, studies on HRT seemed to show that hormone therapy increased the risk for breast cancer or heart disease. However, the women in the original studies were already over 60 and in poor health. Today’s HRT is safe.
When you look at the symptom list associated with menopause, you can see that not balancing your hormones also comes with risks. Insomnia and fatigue increase your risk for accidents. Bone loss could lead to osteoporosis and fractures. And nobody wants to say good-bye to an intimate, happy sex life just because they’re older.
At Enrich Family Practice, we evaluate your hormone levels with a blood test. Depending on the results, we prescribe HRT that helps restore a healthier, more youthful hormone balance.
For instance, progesterone is a hormone that protects the density of your bones so that you’re less likely to develop osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures. If you’re low in progesterone, we may combine it with estradiol — a type of estrogen — to keep your bones strong.
You only take HRT as long as you need it. We monitor your hormone levels every year to determine if you’ll continue to benefit. We also recommend that you adopt lifestyle habits that help your body stay strong and regulate your hormones, such as:
We can help you find the right foods and an exercise routine so that you feel active, nourished, and satisfied. Between a healthier lifestyle and re-balanced hormones, you might find that you’ve entered the most exciting stage of life of all.
Once your HRT starts to work after about 10 days, you notice changes in the way you look and feel. Your hot flashes and night sweats should diminish or end. HRT also brings you benefits such as:
With HRT, you can look hot this summer while feeling cool. Find out if HRT is right for you by calling us at 432-200-9087 or using our online message form.
