Although you cannot stop menopause, hormone therapy can help relieve the symptoms of menopause. It can replace female hormones no longer made by the ovaries. In some cases, you may begin hormone therapy before menopause. If you are taking birth control pills, they will be stopped when you begin treatment. For women with a uterus, estrogen usually is given along with progestin—a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. This helps reduce the risk of cancer of the lining of the uterus that occurs when estrogen is used alone. The progestin may be taken every day with estrogen, or estrogen may be taken on some days and the progestin added on others. Hormone treatment is most often prescribed in the form of pills, vaginal rings, or patches placed on the skin. Estrogen creams and tablets, used in the vagina, can treat dryness, but do not work as well for other symptoms.
If a woman does not take hormone therapy, there are some other options for preventing bone loss, such as bisphosphonates or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). A medication called calcitonin slows the breaking down of bone. It can be given by injection or nasal spray. Bisphosphonates are used to increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. Parathyroid hormone also is used for this purpose.
Women can take SERMs to help treat or prevent some of the bone problems that can occur during menopause. SERMs are a type of medication that strengthen tissues of the bones. SERMs may be a good choice for women who need protection from osteoporosis, but cannot or do not want to take hormone therapy.
