My experience with hormonal therapy

One of the women who underwent hormone therapy stated that this treatment helped her greatly improve the quality of her daily life, as she was able to return to her normal activities without feeling constant fatigue.

On the other hand, there are experiences for people suffering from hormonal disorders such as hypogonadism, where hormone therapy is an effective solution to improve hormone levels in the body.

One of the patients who underwent this treatment indicated that hormonal therapy helped him restore the balance of his hormones, which significantly improved his psychological and physical condition.

However, we must mention that hormone therapy is not without challenges and risks. Some people may experience side effects such as weight gain or mood changes.

One woman who started hormone therapy to treat thyroid problems reported that she had difficulty adjusting to the initial doses, as she felt an increase in weight and changes in her psychological state. But after adjusting the doses in consultation with her doctor, she was able to achieve a better balance and improve her health.

Mechanism of action of hormonal therapy

There are many forms of hormonal therapy, which vary in the ways they affect the body, and are divided into two main parts:

First: a type of treatment that blocks the body's ability to manufacture some hormones.

Second: Another type that interferes with how the body uses the hormones it already produces.

Benefits and uses of hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is often applied to achieve two primary goals:

1. Contributing to the prevention of cancer

Hormone therapy can provide effective support in combating cancerous tumors, as it contributes in several ways:

It reduces the possibility of cancer returning after recovery.

It attacks and works to eliminate cancer cells that may have begun to spread from the site of the original tumor to other parts of the body, or cells that appear again after recovery.

It helps in shrinking the cancerous tumor, making radiotherapy sessions more effective.

It reduces the severity of symptoms associated with the disease, especially in cases of prostate cancer in men who cannot undergo surgery or radiotherapy.

This type of treatment is often recommended to deal with diseases such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

2. Reducing menopause symptoms

Hormone therapy can help alleviate the severity of symptoms that appear during menopause. These symptoms may include a sudden feeling of heat, dryness in the genital area, weak hair density, mood changes, problems sleeping or falling asleep, profuse sweating at night, problems with the urinary system, in addition to difficulties with concentration and memory.

This treatment increases the levels of female hormones, such as estrogen, in the body to compensate for the deficiency of these hormones that occurs during this period, which helps reduce these annoying symptoms.

Forms of hormonal therapy

There are many options available for receiving hormone therapy. These options vary to suit different needs and include:

– Tablets taken orally.

– Needles used for injection.

-Patches that are stuck to the skin.

– Gel applied directly to the skin.

– Preparations inserted into the vagina to deliver hormones.

– Surgical interventions to remove specific organs, such as the testicle or ovary, that secrete certain hormones.

These methods offer patients flexibility of choice that suits their health condition and desires.

Complications and risks related to hormone therapy

Hormone therapy can be associated with the emergence of multiple complications and side effects. These complications are divided into two main categories:

The first includes mild to moderate symptoms that often go away within a few weeks after stopping treatment.

These symptoms include feeling cramps in the feet, headache, acne, digestive problems, pain and tenderness in the breasts, feeling nauseous, vaginal bleeding, pain in the abdominal area, and suffering from depression.

The second category includes more serious complications that may increase the risk of exposure to serious diseases, such as the formation of blood clots, and an increased possibility of developing ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and breast cancer. These diseases require careful follow-up and extreme care during the period of hormonal treatment.