Interview a woman who has or is going through menopause and has decided to take hormones.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of medications that increase the levels of hormones in the body. Hormones are used to treat symptoms such as hot flashes that are associated with menopause when the body stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone (Alexander, 2010). I am not real familiar with menopause and hormone therapy since I am several years away from experiencing it so I decided to ask my Aunt for her view on it. She said that for a while she had been experiencing bad hot flashes. She would have sweat running down her face at work and the sheets would be dripping in sweat while she was sleeping. At first she did not want to take hormone therapy because she had always heard that it was associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer. For a while she tried natural and herbal remedies but they didn’t work. Finally she took her doctor’s advice and started taking Prempro, a pill that combines progestin and estrogen. Her doctor also told her that taking hormone therapy would help reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis. After taking pills for a few months now she says she has seen a dramatic difference. The hot flashes have subsided and she feels like a normal woman again. She said though that she does have some side effects such as breast tenderness and occasional spotting but these are much more manageable than hot flashes. I learned a lot about menopause and hormone therapy while talking with my Aunt. I feel so fortunate to have a great relationship with the women in my family where I can talk to them about anything or go to them when I need advice on women issues.
References
Alexander, L., et al. (2010). Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy. New Dimensions in Women’s Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
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Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to be able to have someone such as your Aunt, that will give you honest answers regarding menopause. Sometimes people try to downplay the symptoms or try to stear women away from the reality of menopause. I think women should have choices in how they handle the symptoms either by HRT or naturalistic ways. Sounds like your Aunt found a match to control her symptoms, I am glad there are ways science can help with this natural change in women. I will be more prepared with information when I get there in my perimenopausal years.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI also wasn’t familiar with Menopause, Hormone replacement therapy and the main symptoms that women go through when they reach this stage in life. Is puberty, and menstruation isn’t enough that later on we have another issue waiting for us! Anyhow is good that we learned and know what to expect in the future especially from family members who share their experiences and give us their advice.