Hormone tablets side effects on the fifth day. Why do we need female hormones in tablets

When something is missing in the body, the deficiency is compensated from the outside. This is how diabetes, thyroid diseases are treated, and more recently, purely female problems have been eliminated.

Many women are afraid hormones like fire and admit that they will only agree to be treated by them as a last resort. But sometimes you really can't do without these drugs. And until we figure out for ourselves what they bring more - benefit or harm, a lot of questions will arise in the future.

We asked Yana Ruban, candidate of medical sciences, obstetrician-gynecologist at the Isida clinic, head of the department of prenatal diagnostics, to answer some of them.

I was prescribed hormonal treatment, but it does not work. I have been taking the pills for over a month and still feel bad. I read that this can be due to completeness. Is it true?

In the presence of excess weight, we recommend that a woman first go on a rational low-calorie diet and increase physical activity, and only then prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In some cases, we additionally prescribe drugs that reduce body weight. This is necessary, since normalization of weight is one of the main conditions for a positive result. In general, it takes at least 3 months to evaluate the effectiveness of hormone therapy.

I heard that women who receive HRT age later. It's right?

Treatment hormones assigned for different purposes. This is not only a cosmetic effect, which consists in improving the condition of the skin, hair and nails, but also the effect on the cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal systems, the state of memory and performance, the ability and desire to have a regular sex life. With HRT, the required amount of estrogens enters the female body, their concentration is constantly maintained at the same level, which not only allows you to feel young longer, but also improves the quality of life during this “autumn” period.

The doctor has appointed or nominated to me treatment by hormones - meanwhile on half a year. How long can this take?

Obstetrician-gynecologist, head of the department of prenatal diagnostics at the ISIDA clinic

The main task of hormone therapy is the elimination of early and late complications associated with the termination of the normal functioning of the ovaries. Therefore, several options are possible.

FIRST - short-term treatment aimed at eliminating early symptoms, such as hot flashes, palpitations, depression, irritability, headaches. Duration of admission - 3-6 months (it is possible to repeat the course);
SECOND - long-term, aimed at preventing later symptoms (such as itching and burning in the vagina, pain during intercourse, dry skin, brittle nails), cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, as well as eliminating metabolic disorders.

I'm afraid to take hormonal drugs, because I heard that they increase weight. How to be?

Taking combined oral contraceptives (COCs) in some cases is indeed fraught with such an “effect”, but this is not true for all drugs (much depends on the components that make up them). The process, as a rule, is reversible - the weight is restored after the end of the course. When deciding to take COCs, be sure to consult your doctor.

At the same time, if a woman notices that she begins to recover in parallel with the appearance of manifestations of the climacteric syndrome, then timely and individually selected HRT, on the contrary, will help to reduce and stabilize weight. True, there are prerequisites for this age period: an increase in physical activity, nutrition control, smoking cessation and a decrease in alcohol consumption.

Three years ago, the uterus was removed. The ovaries are working normally, but have recently appeared. Can I be treated with HRT?

It is possible and necessary (provided that it is prescribed by a doctor), since after such an operation, a decrease in ovarian function inevitably progresses. But first you should conduct a complete examination of the body by visiting a gynecologist, mammologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist and therapist. In the absence of contraindications, not combined preparations are prescribed, but monotherapy with natural estrogens in the form of tablets, patches, skin gels, subcutaneous implants, suppositories. You can take it both periodically and continuously - depending on the phase of menopause (peri- or postmenopause).

Whether it is possible to use instead of hormonal preparations homeopathic - Remens,? How fully do they perform the functions of hormone therapy?

The listed medicines, as well as, belong to the group of homeopathic remedies, the main component of which is an extract of phytoestrogen - rhizomes of cimicifuga. The mechanism of its therapeutic action is based on an estrogen-like effect. Due to this, the emotional state of a woman is stabilized, hot flashes, sweating, irritability and nervousness are reduced. At the same time, the drugs are safe for health and well tolerated. But they have a selective effect: they do not have any effect on the state of the endometrium, the skeletal system, skin and blood composition. They are indicated for women with mild symptoms of menopause, as well as in the presence of contraindications to HRT, unwillingness to take hormonal drugs.

The result of severe stress was the failure of my menstrual cycle. After a course of hormones, everything returned to normal. Is it possible to refuse them now?

If you feel well, then do not hesitate to stop taking the medicine after drinking the last pill from the package. Expected period will start on time. Next, control and be sure to mark subsequent periods on the calendar. If you do not plan pregnancy, be sure to use other methods of contraception.

Sometimes, after taking hormonal contraceptives, menstrual irregularities are observed in the form of oligo- (rare menstruation) or amenorrhea (their complete absence). In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.

I have mastitis. I recently started menopause and the doctor suggested hormone therapy for me. But I read that it is dangerous for breast diseases.

If breast cancer is suspected, hormones are not prescribed. Against the background of taking drugs during the first 3 months, there may be swelling and soreness of the mammary glands, which disappears over time. In this case, the principle of individual selection of the drug is always observed. In addition, a mammogram should be done once a year.

? Is it possible to apply hormonal contraceptives for medicinal purposes?

Indeed, they are used not only to prevent pregnancy, but also to achieve a therapeutic effect.

WHO international studies have shown that the use of COCs significantly reduces the risk of ovarian cancer (by 50%) and endometrial cancer (by 60%). COCs create functional rest for the ovaries, therefore they are used to treat and prevent menstrual disorders, (), premenstrual syndrome. They are also used in the complex therapy of benign breast diseases, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs. They are effective in the treatment of both polycystic syndrome and certain types of infertility. Oral contraceptives are also effective in eliminating cosmetic skin defects, such as increased hair loss. The main thing is to choose the right drug, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. In this case, the benefit / risk ratio must be evaluated to minimize side effects.

How to determine if hormone therapy is right for me, are there any contraindications?

Like any medicine, hormonal preparations for replacement therapy also have certain limitations. They are not prescribed to women who have been diagnosed and treated with breast or endometrial cancer, with acute hepatitis and thromboembolic complications, liver dysfunction, untreated tumors of the genital organs and mammary glands, as well as allergies to the components of the drug.

There are diseases in which hormonal agents can be used if the benefits are greater than the predicted risk of side effects. This applies to uterine fibroids, endometriosis, migraine, previous venous thrombosis and embolism, cholelithiasis, epilepsy, ovarian cancer. In the presence of relative contraindications, only a doctor can decide whether to prescribe hormonal drugs and which ones.

Able to help in the treatment of diseases such as acne, skin and hair problems, hormonal levels, etc. The myth that only women drink “hormones” is not true. Quite often, men also go through therapy with hormone-containing drugs.

It is impossible to drink such drugs mindlessly. First of all, before starting any hormone therapy - whether it is conventional contraception or serious and long-term - it is necessary to visit a doctor. Either a specialist endocrinologist or a gynecologist can prescribe such drugs for you. The doctor will definitely send you for tests. As a rule, blood is taken from a vein to check the level of hormones in the body. In some cases, you may be assigned an additional consultation with specialists in related fields. For example, a gynecologist will send you to a mammologist. This is necessary to eliminate the risks of the emergence of various neoplasms in other parts of the body.

Based on the results of the examination and the studies carried out, you will be selected a drug with the required dose of hormones. It can be micro-dose, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose. Each of them affects the body with different strength and effectiveness and is prescribed individually. It is impossible to prescribe a doctor on your own. If you are in doubt that the dose of the drug is adequate for you, it is better to consult another doctor.

Hormones must be taken strictly at a certain time of day - no more than a 12-hour break is allowed. You can't miss a pill either. It is necessary to drink drugs strictly according to the scheme. In case of any changes - you forgot, you neglect the doctor's prescriptions, etc. You risk making things worse for yourself. Therefore, tune in to a long treatment in advance. If you do not trust yourself, set somewhere a reminder to take a pill, hang a piece of paper marked on the refrigerator.

With hormone therapy, you will have to give up some medications. These are analgesics, tranquilizers, antibiotics, excess vitamin C, etc. This is due to the fact that they reduce the effectiveness of hormones, which, in turn, is about the same as if you forgot to take your pill. Alcohol for a while is also contraindicated.

Of course, the treatment of this kind of medicinal should be carried out under the supervision of your doctor. You will have to periodically take tests to determine exactly how the treatment process is moving. Looking at the dynamics, the doctor can either increase or decrease the dose of the drug you are taking.

In medical practice, doctors often have to resort to hormone replacement therapy. There are many reasons for this: hypothyroidism, cancer, dwarfism, menopause, infertility, etc. Treatment with hormones imposes a certain responsibility on the doctor, because it is necessary to calculate all the consequences of their additional introduction into the body. Some people start taking hormones on their own to prevent unwanted pregnancy or to lose weight. Therefore, many are concerned about the question, is it possible to take hormones, what harm or benefit can they bring to the body?

Features of taking hormones

First of all, it should be noted that these unique substances control almost all biological processes occurring in our body. The work of internal organs and the endocrine system, which is responsible for the production of hormones, is closely interconnected. This mechanism is debugged by nature itself, so you need to intervene in it very carefully. The main problem that often leads to complications and unexpected hormonal failure is the incorrect calculation of the dosage of the drugs taken. In the human body, the level of hormones is unstable, it periodically fluctuates depending on the time of day, emotional state and many other factors. It is extremely important to take into account the individual characteristics of each person, but such control is rarely exercised. Prescribing the wrong dose of hormones most often leads to negative consequences. However, there are situations when hormone therapy is necessary: with a deficiency of any biologically active substance in the body, the presence of a cancerous tumor, to restore the reproductive function of men and women, autoimmune diseases, menopausal syndrome.

Hormonal contraceptives

Many women use hormonal birth control pills to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Of course, this is very convenient, because when taking them, you do not need to resort to other means of contraception: intrauterine devices, contraceptive suppositories, lubricants, creams, caps, etc. In addition to the contraceptive effect, hormonal pills have a number of positive qualities: they normalize the menstrual cycle, reduce the likelihood of infertility, prevent ectopic pregnancy, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. But not everything is so rosy. Long-term use of oral contraceptives can also cause hormonal imbalance, disrupt fat metabolism in the body, and increase body weight. In addition, such preservatives help thicken the blood and slow down blood flow, increasing the risk of developing thrombosis. There are cases of the negative impact of birth control pills on the liver. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body of each woman.

Hormones for weight loss

Some believe that taking hormones helps to get rid of excess weight. Many people “sit down” on strict diets, exhaust themselves in gyms, but cannot get rid of excess body fat. The main reason for this phenomenon lies in metabolic disorders, and thyroid hormones are primarily responsible for metabolic processes. Indeed, by accelerating the metabolism, a person who has started taking drugs containing thyroid hormones can lose weight. But it is strictly forbidden to do it on your own. The decision should be made by the attending physician, who must determine which particular hormone deficiency causes a slowdown in metabolism. Otherwise, the problem of excess weight can only get worse.

Hormones during pregnancy

The appointment of hormonal drugs during the period of bearing a child is already a recognized need. Usually, their intake is prescribed to expectant mothers with insufficient production of the hormone progesterone, which stimulates the growth of the endometrium of the uterus, ensures the preservation and normal course of pregnancy. Due to the deficiency of this hormone, the conditions for the development of the fetus are violated, as a result of which a miscarriage may occur. Sometimes taking hormonal drugs such as Duphaston or Utrozhestan causes dizziness, drowsiness, but this usually happens with an overdose of drugs. The main thing is to achieve the main goal of such hormone therapy - to prevent abortion.

Thus, in search of an answer to the question of whether it is possible to take hormones, it is worth thinking a thousand times about the advisability of taking them so as not to harm your health. Take care of yourself!

The idol of many women - Coco Chanel - argued that youth begins only after 70 years. But some ladies already after 35-40 begin to notice obvious signs of aging: wrinkles, skin aging, deterioration of health, development of diseases. There is a means to stop these processes - female hormones in tablets. But what will their use bring - health and youth or cancer and excess weight?

Why take hormone pills?

A modern woman wants to be young, desirable, attractive even when her age has exceeded 40. Old age and its companions - decrepitude, loss of activity, age-related diseases - are now out of fashion. Today, hormone-containing drugs are used to combat them. What problems do they solve? Female hormones in tablets have the following effect:

eliminate the deficiency of sex hormones, which means they prolong youth;
maintain skin elasticity and firmness, reduce the rate of appearance of wrinkles;
prevent the development of obesity;
female hormones in tablets after 50 years reduce the risk of developing diabetes, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis (which leads to excessive bone fragility);
eliminate diseases caused by atrophy of the vaginal mucosa; itching and dryness in this place;
are an element of therapy for chronic cystitis associated with atrophy of the bladder mucosa;
relieve the problem of frequent urination to the toilet;
normalize blood pressure;
tablets - female hormones during menopause significantly alleviate the condition, restore efficiency and well-being (reduce the number of hot flashes, reduce sweating);
are a prophylactic against the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system and stroke.

What role do hormones play and what causes their deficiency?

The main sex gland in a woman's body is the ovaries. Nature has assigned them the duty to secrete sex hormones. They retain moisture in the skin, so young girls have smooth, toned skin, their mucous membranes are moisturized, and their eyes radiate a bewitching brilliance.

But after 40 years, the amount of female sex hormones decreases, which becomes noticeable in appearance: the skin becomes dry, wrinkles appear, the look fades. These are signs of approaching old age. To replenish the supply of hormones, the female hormones estrogens in tablets just help.

The most important hormone of "femininity" 2.

Estrogens. They stimulate the formation of bone cells (therefore, their lack turns into brittle bones). Hormones ensure the health of blood vessels, prevent fats from building into their walls (eliminate the risk of heart attack and stroke). Estrogens have a positive effect on the arteries, the brain, and the immune system. These substances improve the condition of the skin, increase sexual desire, ensure the growth of the mammary glands, and are responsible for normal sleep. It is simply impossible to describe all the functions of these hormones, since their number reaches 400! Suffice it to say that they are involved in the work of the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs.
Progesterone. It is necessary for a woman to bear a child, and is also involved in the production of breast milk. The hormone prevents the uterus from overgrowing. A decrease in its amount is accompanied by the appearance of gynecological diseases - endometrial polyps and hyperplasia.

Female hormones estrogens in tablets - menopause is canceled?

To replenish the amount of estrogen, several types of hormonal drugs have been developed. To delay the onset of menopause and all its unpleasant consequences, the doctor may prescribe female hormones in tablets. Names of such drugs:

Estrace, Ginodiol, Estradiol benzoate, Estradiol succinal - are taken orally. Appointed for a long term;
tableted vaginal preparation - Vagifem. Facilitates the manifestations of menopause;
to correct the menstrual cycle (which is important for 40-year-old women), Microfollin, Proginova are prescribed;
Estrofeminal, Presomemen. Tablets in shells; effective means that improve the condition of a woman during menopause;
Chlortrianisen (used to treat breast cancer), Tefestrol - stimulates the development of the uterus.

Female hormones in tablets after 40 years are prescribed for insufficient ovarian function. They are indicated for primary and secondary menopause, sexual insufficiency, menopausal disorders. Such hormone therapy is necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis, the normalization of high blood pressure and the elimination of spasms of peripheral vessels.

Taking hormonal drugs is prohibited if tumors, venous thrombosis, diabetes, cardiac ischemia, stroke, liver disease (cirrhosis), vaginal bleeding, viral hepatitis, severe headaches of unknown etiology are diagnosed. Treatment of menopausal symptoms with estrogen-containing drugs is not suitable for active smokers.

Progesterone - progestogen deficiency no longer threatens!

The age-related deficiency of the female hormone progestogen today can also be filled with pills. Female hormones during menopause are produced by the ovaries in very small quantities. Therefore, a drug such as Progesterone (and its analogues Geston, Ginlyutin, Lutein, Progestin, Lucorten) will effectively replace the work of the ovaries.

Replacement therapy can also be carried out with the help of Duphaston and Utrozhestan. These funds are shown not only to pregnant women: they are also prescribed after removal of the ovaries, with amenorrhea, cystic-fibrous mastopathy and to mitigate the manifestations of menopause.

It is not recommended to use drugs with gestagens for those who suffer from renal and hepatic insufficiency, hypertension, bronchial asthma, thrombophlebitis or thrombosis. Serious contraindications are diabetes mellitus, migraine and epilepsy.

What can replace hormonal drugs?

Although safe female hormones in tablets have already been developed that can cause a minimum of side effects, not all women agree to such treatment. How, then, to make up for the age-related lack of hormones in order to live a full life during menopause? You can try to balance your diet. It should include seafood, cabbage, soy, rhubarb, legumes. The fruits of mountain ash and sage can supply female hormones to the body.

Pharmacists are developing more and more new drugs that can delay old age and alleviate the condition of women. Why are patients panicky afraid of such treatment? There is a prejudice that taking them can negatively affect the character, increase weight and even provoke cancer. In fact, modern hormonal drugs do not have such a detrimental effect on the body and help bring weight back to normal. But the safety of their use directly depends on how correctly the drug is selected and prescribed.

Sex hormones for women in their body play a very important role. But recently, hormonal disorders have become quite common, which can be associated with poor ecology, constant stress and other negative factors. To bring the content of these elements back to normal, special preparations have been developed - female hormones in tablets. They not only help a woman to be healthy and beautiful, but also protect her from unwanted pregnancy.

Major sex hormones

The most significant hormones in women are progesterone and estrogen. The ovaries produce estrogen, which affects the health and puberty of the fair sex. In addition, this hormone affects the formation of the figure and the softness of the lady's character. If the body suffers from a lack of estrogen, then it begins to age quickly, but too much of it can lead to various disorders and diseases, such as overweight or, worse, benign tumors. Progesterone is also important for women's health, because the distribution of adipose tissue, the formation of the mammary glands, genital organs, and the development of the fetus depend on it. This hormone is produced by the corpus luteum of the ovaries and the placenta.

The use of hormonal drugs

To eliminate hormonal disruptions in the body of a girl, they are used in tablets. This is necessary, since an unstable one can provoke serious consequences, such as sudden changes in blood pressure, menstrual irregularities, chronic fatigue, digestive system disorders, and headaches. Everything will affect the appearance: acne, acne may appear, the hair becomes oily, the skin begins to peel off. They are also often used as contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies. It is thanks to this that female hormones in tablets are widely used.

Types of hormonal drugs

Hormonal drugs produced in the form of tablets can be divided into two types:

It should be noted that it is necessary to take drugs of this kind only if they are prescribed by an endocrinologist or gynecologist. After all, the wrong intake of hormonal drugs can cause serious harm to a woman's body.