Estrogen how long does it take to work

Rather, it is designed to bring your hormones back into their natural alignment—and this can take some time. According to the NHS , typical timelines for improvement are:. In the meantime, you may experience side effects , most of which are mild. Depending on the hormone s you are taking, this could include breast tenderness, bloating, increased aggression, irritability, and acne.

However, these effects generally resolve as your hormone levels get back into balance. Some patients report meaningful improvements only shortly after treatment initiation. Others take longer to see the effects of HRT. Dosage may need to be fine-tuned to ensure optimal efficacy and tolerability.

As with many other medical treatments, your experience is deeply personal and influenced by a variety of physiological and environmental factors. But there are other ways to enhance the impact of your treatment and improve your well-being. Hormonal balance and overall health are driven in part by how we care for ourselves on a daily basis. Eating well, exercising regularly, getting quality sleep, and finding effective ways to manage stress are all instrumental in protecting both your immediate and long-term health.

For example, one of the most common symptoms of hormone imbalance and age-related hormone changes is fatigue. Use this medicine only as directed. Do not use more of it and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. It can take up to 4 months to see the full effect of the estrogens.

Your doctor may reconsider continuing your estrogen treatment or may lower your dose several times within the first one or two months, and every 3 to 6 months after that. Sometimes a switch to oral estrogens may be required for added benefits or for higher doses.

When using the estradiol vaginal insert or ring, you will need to replace it every 3 months or remove it after 3 months. The dose medicines in this class will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of these medicines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. That can cause several vaginal health issues, including:. The ovaries are responsible for producing estrogen. If they fail to produce the hormone or if they are affected by any other condition, hormone therapy may be necessary.

Sometimes, both the uterus and ovaries are removed. This is called a total hysterectomy. Estrogen may help decrease bone loss after menopause. However, new medications are better able to stop and reverse bone loss, so most doctors rely on those now. In those cases, your doctor may recommend using estrogen to treat bone loss, or osteoporosis. Learn more about osteoporosis treatments ». Hormone therapy is not without its risks. In fact, hormone therapy is not used as widely as it once was because research began revealing complications with long-term use, such as cancer and heart risks.

However, thanks to these studies, doctors and medical researchers have a better understanding of who will benefit most from estrogen therapy and who should try other treatments. Doctors typically prescribe estrogen-only medication to women who have had a hysterectomy but still have their ovaries.

Women who have not had a hysterectomy usually receive a combination estrogen-progesterone medicine. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus. Removing the uterus during a hysterectomy removes the risk of endometrial cancer. The U. They are available without a prescription, and they are not held to the same safety standards as prescription medications. Despite marketing claims, these hormones are also not more natural than the FDA-approved treatments.

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication? Brand names Other names. Talk to your doctor regularly about the risks and benefits of using estrogen injection. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient. Other uses for this medicine. What special precautions should I follow? Before using estrogen injection, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to estrogen injection, any other estrogen products, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in estrogen injection.

Ask your pharmacist or check the manufacturer's patient information for a list of the ingredients in the brand of estrogen injection you plan to use. Be sure to mention any of the following: amiodarone Cordarone, Pacerone ; certain antifungals such as itraconazole Sporanox and ketoconazole Nizoral ;aprepitant Emend ; carbamazepine Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol ;cimetidine Tagamet ; clarithromycin Biaxin ; cyclosporine Neoral, Sandimmune ; dexamethasone Decadron, Dexpak ; diltiazem Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others ; erythromycin E.

Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. John's wort. If you become pregnant while using estrogen injection, call your doctor. Estrogen injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: breast pain or tenderness upset stomach vomiting weight gain or loss dizziness nervousness depression irritability changes in sexual desire hair loss unwanted hair growth spotty darkening of the skin on the face difficulty wearing contact lenses leg cramps swelling, redness, burning, itching, or irritation of the vagina vaginal discharge Some side effects can be serious.

If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately: bulging eyes pain, swelling, or tenderness in the stomach loss of appetite weakness yellowing of the skin or eyes joint pain movements that are difficult to control rash or blisters hives itching swelling of the eyes, face, tongue, throat, hands, arms, feet, ankles, or lower legs hoarseness difficulty breathing or swallowing Estrogen may increase your risk of developing cancer of the ovaries or gallbladder disease that may need to be treated with surgery.

Your doctor will store the medication in his or her office. Symptoms of overdose may include: upset stomach vomiting vaginal bleeding. What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor. Brand names.