Women's Clinic


HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
(Premarin and Provera)

Menopause is a natural result of the decrease in the amount of estrogen produced by a woman’s ovaries. This typically occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, although surgical removal of the ovaries at any age results in menopause. When the amount of estrogen begins to decrease, some women develop uncomfortable physical symptoms, such as episodes of intense heat and sweating (hot flashes), and vaginal dryness. Another change that can occur that is not as obvious early on is the thinning of the bones known as osteoporosis.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic hormones to "replace" the ones that are naturally decreasing at the time of menopause. Premarin and Provera are synthetic forms of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Use of this combination of hormones can help to lower, or alleviate, the discomfort of hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It will also slow down the bone thinning process and help to prevent bones from turning brittle.

There are some dangers associated with use of this treatment. Estrogens (Premarin) have been found to increase the risk of uterine cancer with larger doses. This risk increases if you are overweight, diabetic, or have high blood pressure. The risk is significantly reduced, however, by combining progesterone (Provera) with HRT. Another known risk of using estrogen is of development blood clots.

It is very important to be aware of the indications of a possible blood clot, and to have regular examinations at Women’s Clinic. You can reduce your own risks of using estrogen by knowing these danger signals:

Also be aware of some reported side effects:

Some conditions that may contraindicate the use of HRT are gallbladder disease, heart disease, kidney disease, epilepsy, asthma and migraine headaches