Like any type of medicinal treatment, hormone replacement therapy has both its risks and benefits. Understanding the risks and benefits is essential if you hope to use hormone replacement therapy to treat your medical condition.
When the body’s hormonal balance is off, the entire body can be affected. Most often, hormone replacement therapy is used to treat symptoms of menopause, but it can also be used in the treatment of prostate cancer and issues with testosterone imbalances. However, as with all drugs, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not without risk.
If your physician has suggested hormone replacement therapy, they have determined that the benefits outweigh the risks. But understanding both the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy is important before you begin treatment. Contact The Healthy Choice compounding pharmacy in New York when you are ready to obtain your personalized HRT formulation.
Risks Associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy
It is important to understand the risks associated with any type of medical treatment you receive, and hormone replacement therapy is no different. Every medication is different, so you can expect side effects of your treatment to vary depending on what you are taking. For example, if you were taking oestrogen, you may experience body swelling, breast tenderness, bloating, and general feeling of being sick.
But there are also long-term risks you need to be aware of with hormone replacement therapy. Research has shown that hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk of developing breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease if you are a woman. Men may experience infertility, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, and an increased risk of blood clots, to name a few.
Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy
The benefits of hormone replacement therapy often far outweigh the risks for both men and women. This is partly because the risks are often only increased when hormone replacement therapy is used over a significant period of time. Some of the benefits of hormone replacement therapy include:
- Decreased risk of heart disease
- Easing of menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes
- Decreased risk of developing dementia
- Help in reducing bone fractures caused by osteoporosis
Because there are many different hormonal imbalances you may experience, there are seemingly endless ways you could benefit from the use of hormone replacement therapy. Men who are able to correct testosterone imbalances may see an increased sex drive, improved mood, increased mental sharpness, improved sleep, and lowering of bad cholesterol levels.
You can speak with your physician about your hormonal imbalance to determine the individual risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy could be for you and whether you are a good candidate for HRT based on that information.
Reach Out to a Compounding Pharmacy in New York
You can further discuss the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy with your physician and pharmacist at your New York compounding pharmacy, The Healthy Choice. You can reach us by phone at 914-238-1700 or through the convenient contact form that has been provided at the bottom of this page.