Whether you're keen to clue yourself up on HRT, you might be interested to know there are alternatives when going through the menopause.
To help get you clued up, we caught up with Dr Sameer Sanghvi of Online Doctor, who has shared five alternative treatment options you may like to consider and discuss with your doctor if you're experiencing menopausal symptoms.
Remember, you should always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your healthcare routines.
What is HRT?
HRT refers to Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and it is one of many [menopause treatment options]{href='https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/womens-health-advice/menopause-treatment-options' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener nofollow'}.
As women approach menopause and hormone levels decrease, many experience symptoms like hot flushes, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and reduced sex drive. HRT can be used to relieve these symptoms, and may even prevent some debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease and bowel cancer.
HRT comes in many forms including tablets, gels, patches, pessaries, implants and more.
Alternative menopause treatments to HRT
Tibolone
Tibolone produces similar effects to combined HRT, mimicking the effects of female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. Taken in the form of a single tablet, tibolone is best for women experiencing hot flushes and low moods. One limitation is that this medication is only suitable for women whose periods stopped more than a year ago. It’s also worth noting that there is a small risk of breast cancer and strokes associated with this drug.
Clonidine
Clonidine is most commonly prescribed for women struggling with hot flushes and low moods. Again, it comes in tablet form but, unlike tibolone, clonidine doesn’t affect your hormones and therefore doesn’t pose an increased risk of cancer or blood clots. In terms of drawbacks, studies have shown clonidine has limited results. Plus, it can cause unwanted side effects like drowsiness and a dry mouth.
Vaginal moisturisers and lubricants
For many women, vaginal dryness can be an issue after menopause. If this is the case, vaginal moisturisers and lubricants which are applied topically can make everyday life, as well as sex, more comfortable. You can browse some of the best lubricants for menopausal dryness in our article here.
Natural remedies
Lifestyle changes
Maintaining a healthy mind and body with exercise and healthy eating is hugely important during and after menopause to look after your mental health, prevent weight gain, and promote good sleep. You might also find choosing looser clothing and investing in cooler bedlinen or a fan can keep hot flushes and night sweats at bay. Many women also find spicy food and caffeine can trigger hot flushes. Staying away from these is also worth a try.
Herbal remedies
The problem with herbal remedies is that they can be difficult to take in the right doses. Plus, a lot of the claims surrounding them are unverified. You should always talk to a doctor before adding a herbal remedy into your healthcare routine as they can cause side effects and may react negatively to other treatments.
You can find some menopause supplements along with some expert medical advice here.
Real life: My HRT journey
Claire Rodrigues Lee, 45, is a professional songwriter and founder of fashion accessories brand, Neon Army. As a mum of two and carrier of the harmful BRCA2 gene, Claire made the decision to have a procedure called ‘life giving life saving’ after the birth of her son in 2019. Here’s the story of her HRT journey:
“My husband and I agreed that when we had completed our family, I would have a procedure called ‘life giving life saving’. When my son, Jack was born in 2019, he was born by C-section and then they would remove my ovaries straight after, which would send me into early menopause. I was the second person in the UK to have this procedure and it was done by the incredible Dr Patrick Obrien at UCLH.
“After having Jack and my oophorectomy, I wasn’t allowed to start HRT straight away and was told to wait around 9 months before I could start to allow the pregnancy hormones to settle.
Going into early menopause with a newborn and toddler was challenging and it took the best part of a year to get my HRT right.”
Claire explains there is no one size fits all with HRT, “On top of all the usual new mum challenges, I was hot, sweaty, exhausted and admittedly a little insecure about how I looked post having 2 children by C-section and this surgery. The HRT patches weren’t compatible with my skin and kept peeling away, then when they changed me onto oestrogen gel, it didn’t absorb into my bloodstream.
“I eventually found what worked for me, the tablet form of oestrogen and progesterone and testosterone gel. I use the gel for fatigue but some women use it for libido. It was a journey until I got the HRT right but once I found the right balance, everything started to get back to some kind of normality. Then Covid hit.”
During the Covid pandemic and lockdown Claire gave up her job as a songwriter, finding herself uninspired. “The truth was I didn’t need to give up altogether but the days were so long that by the time I got the children to sleep, I felt so drained, tired and uninspired that I lost the spirit for writing. Life consisted of planning meals and daily entertainment for the kids and constantly logging in to try and get a slot for an Ocado order.”
Finding herself unable to create music, Claire found a new creative outlet for herself. “When online shopping I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to upcycle my existing wardrobe. Instead of buying new, I would source buttons, paints, patches and jazz up what I already had.
“I found myself drawing designs in a book and making notes on my phone which then led me to looking for someone to bring my creations to life. Suddenly I felt the same fire inside me that I had for music and it felt so good. I was inspired, excited and focused. Something I had lost but was finding again through fashion.”
In December 2021 Claire contracted pneumonia and was told to stay at home with strict bed rest, but her inspiration continued. “Anyone who knows me, knows my brain can’t rest and I found myself using this time to bring all these drawings and notes together. It all started to become very clear and I could see the entire vision for the brand, so I went for it. From Trademarking the brand to setting up the business, getting samples made and building a website.”
Claire launched Neon Army on June 22nd 2022, though she was about to embark on one of the biggest challenges of her life – a double mastectomy. “I knew an operation was imminent but I didn’t know when, but after having lost years to covid, I wasn’t going to let anything hold me back. I had my surgery on November 22nd 2022 and was back working 4 weeks later at my first pop-up shop at John Lewis in Oxford street. I even hosted Christmas Day for the family at home. It’s amazing what a positive mind can overcome.
“I had to learn from scratch and I’m still learning, I’m only just getting started. In January 2023, I turned 45 and never felt more comfortable and confident in my own skin.”
Lorna White is a Senior Digital Writer at Yours.co.uk. She was previously a writer at Yours Magazine writing features and news stories before joining the digital team. Lorna loves the great British countryside and likes to spend her spare time out and about in her home of Nottinghamshire walking her dog, Pippin.