Menopause Medications

Aug 14, 2018 by Lauren H.

Until recently, many medical experts believed that hormone replacement therapy was the safest and most effective way of helping women go through their menopause experiencing the smallest number of symptoms of this stage possible. However, today, certain studies have proven that this therapy can be quite dangerous, potentially leading to heart problems, dementia and even cancer, even though there are many women who have already undergone hormone replacement therapy without suffering from any side-effects.

Menopause medication is mainly focused around two types of drugs, those based on hormones and those without them. As far as the first category is concerned, doctors may prescribe antidepressants. This form of menopause medication is best for preventing bouts of sweating, more commonly referred to as hot flashes. Also, these drugs prevent nervousness, depression and mood swings. Alternatively, blood pressure drugs like Clodine can be used for dealing with menopause symptoms since hypertension can lead to some of them too. Gabapentin is also used for these purposes. Nevertheless, it is crucial to consult with your doctor before taking any of these drugs on your own.

On the other hand, there are much more types of medications which are based on hormones. First of all, in the period before menopause, women can use birth control pills in order to balance their menstruation cycles, making sure that their menstrual bleeding is not excessive. Yet, side-effects may affect women who use these pills, so make sure you get adequately and thoroughly informed beforehand. Vaginal dryness, a common menopause problem, can be mended with creams which contain low-dose vaginal estrogen.

Those who are against the hormone replacement therapy recommend a more natural alternative called bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, as an effective form of menopause medication. But, women who use this approach need to bear in mind that it is a part of an area of medicine which requires further research. In general, hormone replacement therapy, in any of its forms, should not be applied for a time period which is too long. Overexposure to these hormones can lead to side-effects and, in order to avoid this, it is best to limit the duration of this therapy.

Finally, hormonal therapy for libido problems during menopause is based on testosterone. Again, various tests have shown that using this approach for longer than 3 months is not recommended. Nevertheless, through regular visits to the doctor and adequate monitoring of one’s health condition, women can use hormone-based medication for up to 5 years of their menopause. All in all, there are many possible treatments and drugs which can be called menopause medication. Still, women should be careful about these and make sure that they are using them for the best, avoiding any adverse effects.