Hormone Replacement TherapyHormone replacement therapy or HRT can reduce the impact of the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause such as night sweats and insomnia. But as with all medicines, it can be a two edged sword.When a woman begins to experience the symptoms of perimenopause she is experiencing the cessation of egg and hormone creation in her ovaries. Ovaries are where the female hormones of estrogen and progesterone are created. They are also where the monthly cycle of the release of the ovarian egg leads either to a period or to pregnancy, if fertilisation is successful. As the ovaries lose their ability to produce both eggs and hormones, a woman will experience fluctuating levels of hormones, leading to a variety of symptoms associated with perimenopause. Hormone replacement therapy is one method of dealing with these fluctuating hormone levels and reducing the resulting symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. HRT literally replaces the hormones your body is no longer able to make in consistent or reliable quantities. As with all medicinal solutions, this treatment has good features and bad features. It will be up to you, in consultation with your medical practitioner, what the best way forward is. Hormone replacement therapy will minimise many of the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. There is also evidence that replacing estrogen levels through HRT can reduce the problem of diminishing bone density that results in osteoporosis. Some women experience side effects using hormone replacement therapy. Others are concerned over long term use of hormone therapy. Consider your options and discuss your concerns frankly with your doctor. Don't be put off by rumours. Do your own research and make your own decision about what is best for you. It is all about your quality of life.
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