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Growth Hormone Tips

Hormone Replacement Therapy - Who Is It Not Recommended For?

Dr. Sagar Bumb 90% (43 ratings)
DGO , MBBS
Gynaecologist, Pune
Hormone Replacement Therapy - Who Is It Not Recommended For?

HRT (otherwise called Hormone Replacement Therapy, menopausal hormone treatment, and estrogen substitution treatment) utilizes female hormones - estrogen and progesterone - to treat basic side effects of menopause and ageing. Specialists can prescribe it during or after menopause.

After your periods stop, your hormone levels falls, bringing on uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and now and again conditions like osteoporosis. HRT replaces hormones in your body when it does not make them anymore. It is the best treatment for menopausal side effects. If you begin HRT when you are still having periods, or have recently completed periods, you will regularly be encouraged to utilize a 'repeating joined HRT' readiness.

The treatment is as follows:

  • You take estrogen consistently yet progestogen is included for fourteen days of every twenty-eight-day treatment cycle.
  • This causes consistent bleeding at regular intervals, like a light period. (They are not dangerous periods, as HRT does not bring about ovulation or reestablish ripeness.)
  • The progestogen causes the covering of your womb (uterus) to develop.
  • This is then shed as withdrawal bleeding starts like clockwork when the progestogen is stopped.
  • Monthly patterned HRT is typically recommended for women who have menopausal symptoms however are as yet having general periods.

You may change to a ceaseless consolidated HRT if:

  • You have been taking patterned consolidated HRT for no less than one year; or
  • It has been no less than one year since your last menstrual period.

Some of the risks of taking Hormone Replacement Therapy are as follows:
As of late, a few reviews demonstrated that women ‘going out on a limb’ and getting HRT have a higher danger of breast cancer, coronary illness, stroke, and blood clots. The review found that women who took the mix treatment had an expanded danger of coronary illness. The general dangers of long-term use exceeded the advantages according to the review.

However, from that time point onward, a modest bunch of studies in view of WHI (Women's Health Initiative) have concentrated on the sort of treatment, the way it is taken, and when treatment began. Those components can create diverse outcomes. One late review by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center uncovers that antidepressants offer advantage like low-dosage estrogen without the dangers.

HRT has certain symptoms. Call your specialist in case that you have any of these:

  1. Bloating
  2. Breast swelling or delicacy
  3. Headaches
  4. Mood swings
  5. Sickness
  6. Vaginal bleeding

There are certain types of people for whom this surgery is not recommended. These are people who have the following:

  1. Those suffering from blood clots
  2. Cancer (for example, bosom, uterine, or endometrial)
  3. Heart or liver sickness
  4. Heart attack
  5. Known or suspected pregnancy
  6. Stroke
  7. Cholesterol problems
  8. Low blood sugar
  9. Diabetes
  10. Tumors or suspected lumps

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

5059 people found this helpful

Hormonal Imbalance In Women - Can Homeopathy Help?

BHMS, MD - Homeopathy
Homeopathy Doctor, Yavatmal
Hormonal Imbalance In Women - Can Homeopathy Help?

Hormonal imbalance is very common in women who are about to reach their menopause. The setting of menopause can lead to a variety of symptoms like moodiness and depression to hot flashes, insomnia and vaginal dryness. Homeopathy has remedies which are very helpful in relieving the symptoms of menopause when chosen for an individual as per their history. Homeopathy stimulates the person’s healing response to a certain stimulus, allowing the person to heal on their own.

Here are a few homeopathic remedies: 

Pulsatilla - This is for women who are mild, sensitive and weep very easily during the perimenopause stage. These women might whine when unhappy and are very depressed and sad. The women who need this medication prefer company, companionship and support. She is often uncomfortable and warm in hot rooms especially while experiencing hot flashes. The remedy is helpful in cases of insomnia and empty nest syndrome, a syndrome when children leave home. This often coincides with a change in a woman's life. Pulsatilla is very helpful for hormonal imbalance including during the menstrual cycle and peri-menopause phase.

Cimicifuga - This is recommended for those women who suffer from severe headaches during perimenopause. The headaches are characterized by pain on the right side of the neck, which often extends to the right shoulder. This remedy is also helpful in women who feel disappointed and trapped in their lives. Some women who have a feeling of being caged and surrounded by dark clouds also benefit from this. It is considered to be a perfect remedy for many women who experience hormonal changes at the menopausal stage of their lives.

Sepia - This remedy is especially helpful for perimenopause and hormonal imbalances. This is helpful in women who feel exhausted and chilly. Sometimes a woman might develop an aversion to her family members especially the children and does not want to care for them. Sepia is known to help women overcome these feelings, enables them to reestablish stability and balances hormones. Some women also get a feeling that their inside is bearing out and get a sensation that their uterus and vagina might fall. This feeling and sensation are eliminated by sepia. Sepia is also helpful for the hot flashes, dryness, vaginal irritation and moodiness during this phase of their life.

Lachesis - This is indicated in the perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms like the night sweats and hot flashes. This remedy is capable to provide relief from the occipital headaches associated with the changing hormones. Women who need Lachesis might be witty, loquacious, nasty, crib and complain about the body pains which are more significant on the left side, like the left ovary discomfort. This remedy also relieves insomnia and depression related to the hormonal swings.

4775 people found this helpful

The Efficacy of Hormone Therapy in Early Menopause

Dr. Mohan Krishna Raut 91% (83 ratings)
MD - Obstetrtics & Gynaecology, MBBS, DGO
Gynaecologist, Mumbai
The Efficacy of Hormone Therapy in Early Menopause

The menopause can take three very different routes for women. There are those who sail through it with very few symptoms or problems and don't even notice that their ovaries have stopped producing the hormone. Then there are those for whom it is a matter of a few hot flushes and a couple of night sweats, doesn't last long and not really a bother. This usually marks a relief from the periods. But for some it is abject misery accompanied with crippling fatigue, absolute exhaustion, hot flushes, vaginal drying, mood swings along with low desire or lack of sexual feelings. These symptoms might persist for more than 7 years.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is considered to be an effective treatment for menopausal symptoms. The other problems linked with menopause can also be influenced by HRT in a positive manner.

HRT is indicated in:

  1. Treatment of symptoms of menopause and the risk benefit ratio is apt for the women and they have been informed about the same
  2. For women who are around 51 years and are reaching menopause even though they are asymptomatic
  3. In women who are at the risk of osteoporotic fractures and are under 60 years and the non-estrogen treatments cannot be given
  4. HRT is not recommended in women who are above 60 years

Benefits of HRT:
The benefits of HRT usually are more than the risk if done in a woman who is under 60 years of age. 
These include:

  1. Improvement in quality of life by relieving muscle pains and improving sleep
  2. The mood swings are controlled and low moods are usually alleviated by HRT. Low moods usually arise due to menopause.
  3. It reduces the vasomotor symptoms, usually within four months of the treatment with maximum benefit in three months
  4. HRT improves the urogenital symptoms by lowering the vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, urinary frequency and symptoms. 
  5. HRT reduces the risk of osteoporosis. HRT is believed to preserve the bone mass density of the skeletal sites thus reducing the chances of vertebral and nonvertebral fractures.
  6. HRT also reduces the risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Risks of HRT:
The main risks of HRT are stroke, endometrial and breast cancer, thromboembolic disease, pulmonary embolism and gallbladder disease. Though other risks are:

  1. It increases the risk of ischemic stroke
  2. There is a small risk associated with breast cancer and the risk increases more, if the woman is underweight or overweight, alcohol user, smoker and stops HRT suddenly
  3. Estrogen only HRTs can increase the risk of endometrial cancer. If cyclical progestogen is used for 10 days for 28 cycles then the risk is eliminated.
4630 people found this helpful

Hormonal Imbalance And Menstrual Cycle: What You Need To Know?

Dr. Himani Sharma 87% (34 ratings)
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer, SMS medical College, jaipur
Gynaecologist, Jaipur
Hormonal Imbalance And Menstrual Cycle: What You Need To Know?

The cyclical change in the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system is called the menstrual cycle. It includes changes in the physiology of the uterus along with the change in hormones as well. This cyclical change is what allows a woman to get pregnant. This cycle allows the formation of ovocytes and helps to prepare the uterus for implantation.

The commencement of period is called the menarche. It normally starts from the age of twelve to fifteen years. The time between the first day of the period and the first day of the next one is usually twenty one to forty five days in young adults and twenty one to thirty five in older women. The entire cycle is mainly governed by hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, Luteinizing Hormone etc.

Hormonal changes play a big role in the menstrual cycle. It consists of three phases

  • Menstrual stage (1-7 days)
  • Proliferative stage
  • Secretory stage

In the menstrual stage, the thick endometrial lining of the uterus will start to shed and will come out of the vagina in the form of blood and mucous. This may last from four to seven days. The levels of both progesterone and estrogen remain low in this phase.

In the second stage, i.e, the proliferative stage, the amount of oestrogen gradually rises and the menstrual flow reduces and eventually stops. The Follicle stimulating Hormone (FSH) is produced in the brain that stimulates your ovaries to produce mature eggs. The eggs are present in a follicular bag, which allows the secretion of oestrogen. Hence the amount of oestrogen is the least on the first day and increases gradually. At the same time, the uterine lining starts to thicken. This is the phase in which the egg is produced and in the presence of sperm, gets fertilised.

You may notice a thin slippery discharge around these days that makes it easier for the sperm to travel and survive in the uterus. You are most fertile in this stage, around on the 14th day of the cycle when ovulation occurs. The egg survives for around 24 hrs, whereas sperm can survive for about 2-3 days.

In the secretory phase, if the egg is not fertilised, the levels of oestrogen and progesterone fall. The thick lining that has been produced starts to shed and that commences the menstruation. If the egg is fertilised, then it may implant itself to the uterine wall and produce the pregnancy hormone called human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG).

4066 people found this helpful

How Hormonal Imbalance Can Be Treated In PCOD Patients?

Dr. Abhay Ahluwalia 87% (100 ratings)
MBBS, MD - General Medicine, DNB, DM - Endocrinology
Endocrinologist, Gurgaon
How Hormonal Imbalance Can Be Treated In PCOD Patients?

The human body includes countless hormones. Most of these hormones control the internal physical functions of the body when they are in the perfect balancing state. When any infection affects the balancing state of the hormones, the body cannot function properly. Infertility happens due to hormone imbalance as well as due to the ovarian disease, Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD). However, there are different ways to treat the hormonal imbalance in PCOD patients.

Ways to treat the hormonal imbalance when a person is suffering from PCOD

Although there are several ways to treat the hormonal imbalance in PCOD patients, some of the most common ways include:

  • Creating some lifestyle changes
  • Medicines
  • Surgery

How can a lifestyle change treat the hormonal imbalance?

  1. Maintaining a healthy weight - Any obese PCOD woman will prone to hormonal imbalance. Losing the surplus weight will allow the woman to overturn the imbalance in her hormones effectively. Even a 5% decrease in weight will show a way to a considerable improvement in her hormonal balance effort. Moreover, healthy weight means maintaining the body mass index between the ranges 18.5 to 24.9.
  2. Following a healthy dietFollowing a healthy balanced diet will aid a PCOD patient greatly in maintaining her hormonal balance in an effective way. Food items, which are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, will allow the patient to keep up a healthy weight. These foods will help her in keeping her hormones in a perfect balancing level, as well.
  3. Exercise regularly - It is essential for a PCOD patient to maintain a regular workout regimen. This will not only allow her to lose the extra pounds, but also avoids the hormonal imbalance problem.

Role of medications in treating the hormonal balance in a PCOD patient

There are many medicines out there, which allow a PCOD patient to treat hormonal imbalance effectively. However, the medicine, Clomifene is considered the primary medicine to treat the hormonal imbalance in PCOD patients. It is always recommended to consult a specialist before taking any medicine. 

What type of Surgery can treat PCOD?

When a PCOD woman is incapable to treat her hormonal imbalance through lifestyle changes and medicines, then a surgery is the only feasible solution. An infertile woman can opt for the LOD or the laparoscopic ovarian drilling surgery to treat the disorder successfully. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

2038 people found this helpful

What Is Parathyroid Hormone And How Is It Beneficial For Osteoporosis?

Dr. Arindam Majumdar 88% (21 ratings)
MS - Orthopaedics
Orthopedic Doctor, Kolkata
What Is Parathyroid Hormone And How Is It Beneficial For Osteoporosis?

What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a medical condition wherein the bone becomes fragile and breaks easily even with a minor fall. The bones of the spine, wrists, and hips get affected the most. These fractured bones lead to severe pain and can force a person to become immobile. A spine fracture can even lead to a loss of height.

What is parathyroid hormone?
The parathyroid is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates the amount of calcium present in the body. They mitigate the risk of bone breakage in the body for a patient suffering from osteoporosis. These hormones are injected into the body on a daily basis to maintain the normal flow of calcium in the body. Before initiating the procedure, one should check the renal blood profile for the safety of the patient.

How does the treatment work?
Treatments are available in the form of drugs and injections. A  Orthopedic Doctor can prescribe drugs if the patient is at an increased rate of bone breakage. The parathyroid hormone helps to protect the bone from breaking, but have no role when the bone actually breaks. The body has a natural process of breaking a bone and rebuilding it by itself. Osteoporosis sets in motion when this process of bone formation is disturbed.

When does a doctor prescribe hormonal treatment?
If a patient has undergone a number of vertebral compression fractures and the condition has not improved, a doctor might suggest undergoing parathyroid hormone treatment. The treatment requires nursing support due to a patient’s delicate bone condition. Maximum dosage of 20 micro grams of parathyroid can be injected for a time duration not exceeding 2 years.

Things to know about the treatment:

  1. Be informed: It is good to be well informed about the course of the treatment, treatment duration, plausible problems, etc. This will help a patient to be on top of the decision-making process. The helpline of the 'National Osteoporosis Society' can be reached to understand the preparation required for a patient to undergo the treatment.
  2. Take the right dosage at the right time: Parathyroid injections should be injected on a daily basis for a maximum time period of 2 years. These injections are taken daily at the same time. It should be ensured that none of the injections are skipped without the prior approval of a doctor. The injection, which lasts for 28 days, needs to be stored in a refrigerator. In case a patient is traveling, special bags are available that has space for storing gel packs.
  3. Side effects: Most patients do not report any side effects, but they do exist. Possible side effects include dizziness, arthralgia, depression, and headache. These symptoms often suggest that your body is reacting to the parathyroid hormone treatment. A doctor may or may not prescribe any further drugs to address these symptoms.
2267 people found this helpful

How Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Is Helpful In Osteoporosis?

MBBS, MS - Orthopaedics
Orthopedic Doctor, Kanpur
How Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Is Helpful In Osteoporosis?

What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a medical condition wherein the bone becomes fragile and breaks easily even with a minor fall. The bones of spine, wrists and hips get affected the most. These fractured bones lead to severe pain and can force a person to become immobile. A spine fracture can even lead to a loss of height.

What is parathyroid hormone?
Parathyroid is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates the amount of calcium present in the body. They mitigate the risk of bone breakage in the body for a patient suffering with osteoporosis. These hormones are injected into the body on a daily basis to maintain the normal flow of calcium in the body.

How does the treatment work?
Treatments are available in the form of drugs and injections. A doctor can prescribe drugs, if the patient is at an increased rate of bone breakage. The parathyroid hormone helps to protect the bone from breaking, but have no role when the bone actually breaks. The body has a natural process of breaking a bone and rebuilding it by itself. Osteoporosis sets in motion when this process of bone formation is disturbed.

When does a doctor prescribe hormonal treatment?
If a patient has undergone a number of vertebral compression fractures and the condition has not improved, a doctor might suggest to undergo parathyroid hormone treatment. The treatment requires nursing support due to a patient’s delicate bone condition. A maximum dosage of 20 micro grams of parathyroid can be injected for a time duration not exceeding 2 years.

Things to know about the treatment:

  1. Be informed: It is good to be well informed about the course of the treatment, treatment duration, plausible problems etc. This will help a patient to be on top of the decision making process. The helpline of the 'National Osteoporosis Society' can be reached to understand the preparation required for a patient to undergo the treatment.
  2. Take the right dosage at the right time: Parathyroid injections should be injected on a daily basis for a maximum time period of 2 years. These injections are taken daily at the same time. It should be ensured that none of the injections are skipped without the prior approval of a doctor. The injection, which lasts for 28 days, needs to be stored in a refrigerator. In case a patient is travelling, special bags are available that has space for storing gel packs.
  3. Side effects: Most patients do not report any side effects, but they do exist. Possible side effects include dizziness, arthralgia, depression and headache. These symptoms often suggest that your body is reacting to the parathyroid hormone treatment. A doctor may or may not prescribe any further drugs to address these symptoms.
4030 people found this helpful

How Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Works In Osteoporosis?

DNB - Orthopaedics, MBBS
Orthopedic Doctor, Delhi
How Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Works In Osteoporosis?

What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a medical condition wherein the bone becomes fragile and breaks easily even with a minor fall. The bones of spine, wrists and hips get affected the most. These fractured bones lead to severe pain and can force a person to become immobile. A spine fracture can even lead to a loss of height.

What is parathyroid hormone?
Parathyroid is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates the amount of calcium present in the body. They mitigate the risk of bone breakage in the body for a patient suffering with osteoporosis. These hormones are injected into the body on a daily basis to maintain the normal flow of calcium in the body.

How does the treatment work?
Treatments are available in the form of drugs and injections. A doctor can prescribe drugs, if the patient is at an increased rate of bone breakage. The parathyroid hormone helps to protect the bone from breaking, but have no role when the bone actually breaks. The body has a natural process of breaking a bone and rebuilding it by itself. Osteoporosis sets in motion when this process of bone formation is disturbed.

When does a doctor prescribe hormonal treatment?
If a patient has undergone a number of vertebral compression fractures and the condition has not improved, a doctor might suggest to undergo parathyroid hormone treatment. The treatment requires nursing support due to a patient’s delicate bone condition. A maximum dosage of 20 micro grams of parathyroid can be injected for a time duration not exceeding 2 years.

Things to know about the treatment:

  1. Be informed: It is good to be well informed about the course of the treatment, treatment duration, plausible problems etc. This will help a patient to be on top of the decision making process. The helpline of the 'National Osteoporosis Society' can be reached to understand the preparation required for a patient to undergo the treatment.
  2. Take the right dosage at the right time: Parathyroid injections should be injected on a daily basis for a maximum time period of 2 years. These injections are taken daily at the same time. It should be ensured that none of the injections are skipped without the prior approval of a doctor. The injection, which lasts for 28 days, needs to be stored in a refrigerator. In case a patient is travelling, special bags are available that has space for storing gel packs.
  3. Side effects: Most patients do not report any side effects, but they do exist. Possible side effects include dizziness, arthralgia, depression and headache. These symptoms often suggest that your body is reacting to the parathyroid hormone treatment. A doctor may or may not prescribe any further drugs to address these symptoms.
2732 people found this helpful

Excess Facial Hair - This Is What Happens When You Suffer From Hormonal Imbalances!

Dr. Anurag Bajpai 90% (14 ratings)
MBBS, MD - Paediatrics, FRACP - Pediatrc Endocrinology, SCE, Endocrinology
Endocrinologist, Kanpur
Excess Facial Hair - This Is What Happens When You Suffer From Hormonal Imbalances!

Every woman likes to look into the mirror and find not an extra strand of hair on her face, be it the upper lip or near the ears. While it is not uncommon for women to have hair on these and other areas, most women resort to multiple ways to get rid of this. The pattern of this unnecessary hair growth is very similar to the pattern seen in males normally.

This condition of excessive hair growth is known as hirsutism and can be caused by multiple causes, as listed below.

  1. Genetic or racial: While the European women have a more clean face that is free of hair, the Mediterranean and Indian women are highly likely to have more facial hair growth. There is also a strong family history relation, and it is hereditary.
  2. Androgens (testosterone): This is a male hormone, essential for the development of male sexual characters. Though it is present in very minute amounts in all women, in some, there could be higher than these minimal levels, leading to minor masculine characters, facial hair being one of them.
  3. Hormonal imbalances: There are multiple hormonal issues which can manifest as increased facial hair growth. The two most common ones include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and adrenal conditions including tumours, Cushing's syndrome, and hyperplasia. In all these cases, there is increased amount of androgens, leading to excessive facial hair.
  4. Medication side effect: Some medications like testosterone, cyclosporine, anabolic steroids, and Minoxidil also lead to increased amounts of facial hair in women. Some other medications used to treat migraines, seizures, schizophrenia, and hypertension can also cause hirsutism. This is indirectly due to increased levels of male hormones in the system, producing these effects.
  5. Birth control pills: These also affect the hormone levels and lead to increased facial hair.
  6. Obesity: Most women with facial hair are also on the heavier side, and most people have a reduction in hair once weight is managed.

Treatment: The underlying cause should be treated for controlling hair growth. If there is an inducing medication, an alternative should be looked at. While hormone levels can be altered, in most cases, not much can be done. These need to be dealt with using one of the following methods - depilatory creams, waxing, plucking, shaving, laser reduction, electrolysis, and weight loss.

When reading through the above, it is obvious that a lot of causes for hirsutism point towards hormones. This also helps identify hormonal abnormalities in the earlier stages. This helps to identify hormonal disorders in their earlier stages, which are managed with lesser complications. The next time you feel there is more hair on your chin or cheeks, get your hormone levels checked. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!​

4050 people found this helpful

Are Hormones The Reason For Facial Hair Growth?

 Tender Skin International 91% (755 ratings)
Dermatologist, Mumbai
Are Hormones The Reason For Facial Hair Growth?

Though most may not admit, all women have hair on their face and body. It is often masked by home remedies or clever make up tricks or frequent visits to the beauty salon. If you see a sudden spike in coarse or dark hair, especially on your face, it can be an embarrassing social condition.  Here are some insights into the condition and what you can do to get rid of it.

Blame it on your hormones:

In most cases, you can easily blame this condition on your hormones. Male hormones called androgens are responsible for the development of certain 'manly' features like deepening of voice or production of sperm. And the one hormone behind all this is called testosterone.

But women produce testosterone too- albeit in smaller quantities. If, for some reason, this hormone's level increases in women, it leads to increased sex drive, irregular menstrual cycle and yes, excessive facial and body hair.

One of the main causes of high levels of male sex hormones in premenopausal women is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition which causes cysts to grow around the edge of the ovaries (the organs which produce eggs and sex hormones).  PCOS also results in excessive hair growth, acne and weight gain.

Some women are stuck with this condition in the post menopause stage too, when the hormonal imbalance fails to rectify itself after menopause has passed.

Besides blaming it all on the hormones, here are some other causes you can explore:  
a) Being obese (weight gain is a side effect of PCOS too, so this is a slightly tricky one)
b) Side effects from blood pressure medication
c) Hereditary condition: Blame your genes
d) Cushing's Syndrome or Acromegaly - rare hormonal disorders
e) An Ovarian tumor

Treatment

Usually, cosmetic remedies are enough to get rid of unwanted or excess hair. So you may not have to go out of your way to handle this problem unless you have a special case. Most cases can be treated with

a) Shaving: Not the most womanly thing to do, but it is quick and easy. Mind the stubble between the shaves
b) Waxing: This is a pretty much standard procedure
c) Bleaching: Can work for areas you don't want to shave
d) Hair removal creams: Try and test out to see which one suits you
e) Laser treatment: A powerful beam of single color light is used to destroy the hair from its root

If you are not sure what to do with an excessive facial hair problem, consult our experts today for a quick and easy remedy.

4074 people found this helpful