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Before Beginning Hormone Replacement Therapy Know This

The world of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is filled with all kinds of confusing acronyms like ET (estrogen therapy), ERT (estrogen replacement therapy), EPT (estrogen plus progestogen) and HT (Hormone Therapy) which can include ET and EPT.

Then there are patches, creams, liquids, rings, injections and pills. Women will often share stories of how their HRT helps them manage menopause, but there are risks with HRT. The safest and best recommendation comes from a doctor trained to prescribe a custom compounding of therapies.

Dr. Danielle Staecker, obstetrician and gynecologist with The University of Kansas Health System, offers these 15 questions every woman should answer to better decide if they are a candidate for HRT.

Quiz Questions

  1. Are you having hot flashes?
  2. Have you, or your family/friends, noticed if you are you irritable or short tempered?
  3. Are you having night sweats or difficulty staying asleep?
  4. Do you or someone in your family have osteoporosis?
  5. Do you have a family history of colon cancer?
  6. Are you experiencing low sexual desire?
  7. Are you experiencing painful sexual intercourse or vaginal dryness?
  8. Are you under 60?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a candidate for HRT.

  1. Have you had a heart attack?
  2. Do you have high blood pressure or diabetes?
  3. Have you ever had a stroke?
  4. Have you ever had a blood clot in your extremities or lung?
  5. Have you had breast cancer?
  6. Have you had uterine canceror memory loss?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, HRT may not be right for you.

Dr. Staecker says to share the answers to her quiz with your physician or call her office at (913) 588-1227 to make an appointment.

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