How Long Before Hormone Therapy Works?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can take as little as a few weeks and as much as few months for you to start feeling and/or seeing initial results. Hormone therapy works best when combined with proper nutrition, a personalized exercise program and additional lifestyle changes.
The Initial Impact of Hormone Replacement Therapy
As with any medical treatment, your initial HRT experience may involve more side effects than results. Side effects vary by therapy, but can involve weight gain, leg cramps and nausea. Once you get over the initial side effects, you will begin to see some improvement. The most noticeable of improvements in those first few months include:
- Fewer hot flashes
- Fewer muscle / leg aches
- Improved sleep patterns
- Increased energy
The 5 Best Things You Can Do to Help Maximize Your Hormone Therapy
- Be patient: Your body’s hormones have taken a long time to reach the changes they are experiencing now. It will also take time to adjust to a new hormone therapy program. Allow yourself and your treatment team some grace in knowing that immediate results are not likely.
- Be vocal: Your HRT doctor needs to know how you’re feeling, what you’re experiencing, whether you’re taking your meds on time and more. Be open, honest and forthright with your doctor at all times so they can adjust your HRT doses as necessary.
- Eat healthier: Your changing body needs a different diet to help it along its journey. Make smarter dietary choices, including limiting alcohol, caffeine and sugar. Focus on a more well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.
- Start exercising: A regular exercise routine will help keep the rest of your body in proper shape, which helps you tremendously as you move through your HRT program. If you already exercise on a routine basis, ask your doctor if you are pursuing the right exercises for your body’s needs.
- Take your medication on time: Your HRT meds are dosed specifically for your body. You need to take those meds on schedule and keep taking them as prescribed until your doctor tells you otherwise. One caveat—never take a missed dose. Just continue on with your schedule as per usual.
Curious to Know How Long Before Hormone Replacement Therapy Works for You?
While the above provides some general ideas of how long it takes certain hormone replacement therapy programs to work, the fact of the matter is that this often comes down to each individual’s body. If you’d like to know more specifically how bioidentical hormone therapy will work for you and how long it will take for you to see and feel results, we encourage you to call our skilled medical team at Balance Hormone Center. Reach out to us online or call us today at 480-718-9960 for more information.
