Menopause & perimenopause
Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) stop menopause from happening?
No. We can’t stop menopause. Beginning two to ten years before your periods
truly end, your ovaries will begin to fluctuate in the amount of hormones they produce.
Ultimately, once in menopause, they will stop
releasing eggs and slow their production of progesterone and estradiol (ovarian
estrogen). This decline in hormone production can happen gradually for some and
drastically for others. The fluctuation and eventual decline in hormone levels are
often what cause the symptoms of perimenopause and
menopause.
HRT can augment your levels of estrogen and progesterone (and possibly cut down
on your symptoms), and it may even induce false periods, but it cannot cause you
to produce eggs or allow you to reverse menopause.
There are various ways to take hormone therapy, with the two approaches being either
cyclical or daily dosing. If you choose to take it in a cyclical or sequential fashion
rather than daily, you will be introducing progesterone in the way that it would
be released naturally during a 28-day menstrual cycle. This can induce withdrawal
bleeding, but these are not necessarily true periods. On the other hand, if you
opt to take a continuous or daily dose of HRT (estrogen and progesterone), the usual
outcome is that you will not have “periods” (withdrawal bleeds). There
may be some spotting or bleeding when HRT is introduced or changed, but this will
usually subside within 6–12 months of daily exposure.
Replacing your body’s hormones does not stop menopause from occurring. It
simply masks some of the important signals Mother Nature intends for you to receive.
While this may be necessary for a short period of time relative to quality of life
issues, we encourage you to view menopause as an opportunity to listen to your body
and learn how to take better care of yourself. Without the masking effects of estrogen,
it is the ideal time for you to take control of your own health.
For more information, read our articles on
HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
Return to:
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements,
our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional
phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home
version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at
1-800-798-7902. We're here to listen and help.
We’re always happy to welcome new patients to our medical clinic in Yarmouth,
Maine, for those who can make the trip. Click
here for information about making an appointment.
Original Publication Date: 02/23/2007
Last Modified:
02/16/2010
Principal Author: Marcy Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician