The best drugs for menopause: herbal, homeopathic, new generation

Menopause is an uncomfortable and rather long period in a woman's life, associated with the natural fading of the body's reproductive capacity. Hormonal imbalance and a sharp decrease in the amount of estrogens negatively affect well-being and general condition, causing a lot of unpleasant sensations and exacerbation of some chronic diseases. It is for this reason that doctors often prescribe various drugs for menopause to alleviate symptoms and improve a woman's quality of life during this difficult period.

Of course, climacteric symptoms are not a disease or any kind of disorder. However, menopause can sometimes be so severe that it can be difficult for a woman to lead a normal life and do her daily chores. In such situations, taking certain medications can help.

Indications menopause medications

The main sign of the initial stage of the climacteric period is considered to be the lengthening and change of the monthly cycle. If this symptom is the only one, then taking medications during menopause is not necessary. Their use becomes advisable when other unpleasant symptoms appear:

• excessive irritability;
• mental instability;
• sleep disorders;
• phobias and unjustified fears;
• depressive state;
• appetite disorders;
• headaches, with nausea and dizziness;
• tides;
• vascular spasms;
• increased sweating;
• high blood pressure;
• disorders of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
• joint diseases.

Sometimes experts advise taking herbal or homeopathic remedies to prevent negative effects. However, you should not use any medications during menopause without a doctor's prescription.

Release form

Medicines for menopause can be selected taking into account not only their mechanism of action, but also the form of release. Thus, you can choose the most convenient remedy for use.

Thus, drugs for menopause are available in the following dosage forms:

• injections (shots);
• pills;
• capsules;
• external preparations – gels, ointments;
• vaginal suppositories;
• drops, tinctures;
• sublingual tablets;
• herbal preparations for making infusions, tinctures and decoctions.

Names of drugs for menopause

In order to be able to choose the best drugs for menopause, it is necessary to know what types of such drugs exist and how they differ. To begin with, let's divide all drugs for menopause into two types:

1. Hormonal drugs for menopause are the most effective means of replenishing the amount of missing hormones - estrogens and progesterone (the so-called replacement therapy). At the same time, they also have a large number of side effects;
2. Non-hormonal drugs for menopause are alternative means that are used in mild and moderate menopause, or in cases where taking hormonal medications is contraindicated. Among non-hormonal drugs, homeopathic remedies and herbal remedies are the most popular.

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Hormonal drugs for menopause

• Hormonal drugs during menopause "work" similarly to natural human sex hormones. Thus, hormone replacement therapy is the introduction of hormones to a woman to replace those that are lacking in the body.

The most common and effective hormonal drugs for menopause are:

1. Angelique is a tablet based on estradiol and drospirenone, which is prescribed as hormone replacement therapy. It is recommended to take one Angelique tablet daily for 28 days.
2. Femoston is a combined German drug, represented by estradiol and dihydrotestosterone - hormonal synthesized substances that allow to imitate the natural monthly cycle as much as possible. Femoston is recommended to be taken 1 tablet for 28 days, continuously.
3. Ovestin is a hormonal agent with estriol, a natural female hormone that can restore the elasticity of mucous tissues. Ovestin is suitable for long-term use, and its effect is felt already on the 6th-7th day.

Ovestin can be purchased in pharmacies in the form of suppositories, tablets and vaginal cream.

1. Livial is an anti-climacteric drug based on the synthetic hormone Tibolone, which has a complex estrogenic-gestagenic effect. The package contains 28 tablets, which are recommended to be taken 1 pc. daily, after the same period of time. The effect of the intake can be observed after a few weeks.
2. Norcolut is a gestagen drug, represented by the active component Norethisterone. Norcolut is taken orally, 5 mg per day, usually in the second phase of the monthly cycle, or at the discretion of the doctor.

Taking hormonal drugs during menopause should always be supervised by a doctor: such medications are taken only according to a certain regimen, and, in addition, have a large number of side effects.

New drugs for menopause have a milder effect - that is, the so-called new generation drugs: Klimonorm, Divina, Trisequens, Klimen, Klimodien. The listed medications are used continuously or cyclically, depending on the doctor's prescription.

Non-hormonal drugs for menopause

• Non-hormonal drugs for menopause can be no less effective than hormones. Such medications are represented by herbal preparations, homeopathic remedies and biologically active additives (BAA).

1. Energy is a preparation made from the rhizome of Pueraria and is a fairly strong plant estrogen. Energy gives a "second life" to the ovaries and restores their function. In addition, the preparation contains vitamins and lactobacilli, which help improve immunity and overall well-being of a woman.
2. Estrovel is a complex product, the composition of which is represented by extracts of soy and wild yam, indole-3-carbinol, sodium tetraborate, vitex fruits, tocopherol, folic acid, vitamin B6, amino acids. Estrovel is recommended to be taken 1-2 tablets daily for 2 months. It is advisable to take the tablets with food.
3. Remens is a homeopathic medicinal product that significantly alleviates climacteric symptoms. Remens can be used for a long time, as it is well accepted by the female body, does not exhibit the effect of addiction and is practically devoid of contraindications and side effects. In the pharmacy network, the drug is presented as drops or tablets.
4. Feminal is a biologically active drug that is a quality alternative to hormonal treatment. The main component of the drug is red clover extract. Feminal is taken 1 capsule daily for a month.
5. Stella is a biologically active supplement based on cruciferous extract, green tea extract and soy. The package contains three blister plates with 15 capsules each, which are taken sequentially one after another, according to the instructions. Stella is a drug that does not have permits for sale in our country, so it is recommended to refrain from purchasing this drug.
6. Menoril (Menarik) is a dietary supplement containing vitamins K and D, genistein and resveratrol, which have an effect similar to that of estrogens. The standard dosage is 1 capsule twice a day, or 2 capsules once a day, with food. The course of therapy is 1 month.

Biologically active supplements often act as a preventive rather than a therapeutic agent. Therefore, you should not rely on their effect. However, homeopathic and herbal complex drugs for menopause are considered more effective.

Comparison of drugs for menopause

Currently, the pharmaceutical market is literally overflowing with various drugs that can be used to alleviate the condition during menopause. Many of these medications are really effective, but they should be selected not by trial and error, but based on qualified medical advice.

It is not uncommon for the same drug to be suitable for one woman and completely unsuitable for another patient. The fact is that no two organisms are alike, and the reaction to a particular drug may differ.

A competent doctor will prescribe exactly the drug for menopause that is suitable for a specific person, after all the tests have been taken and the research results have been received.

Various drugs for menopause have different mechanisms of action, which allows them to be used depending on the predominant climacteric symptoms.

Below we provide a comparative description of medications that can be prescribed to improve well-being during menopause.

• Medicines for hot flashes during menopause can be both hormonal and herbal. But, given the fact that hormonal medicines are not indicated for everyone, homeopathic and herbal remedies are most often in demand.

For example, medications such as Klimamaksan and Klimalanin successfully cope with hot flashes after the first dose. This cannot be said about a similar drug Remens, which eliminates irritability well, but "fights" hot flashes at a "C".

• Antiperspirant medications during menopause are usually prescribed in combination. For example, hormonal medications in the form of replacement therapy should be combined with phytoestrogens - in this case, success in treatment can be guaranteed. In the absence of contraindications, the doctor may recommend taking such common medications for menopause as Clemara, Divina, Femoston, Estrofer, etc.
• Hemostatic drugs for menopause may belong to various pharmaceutical groups, for example:

1. oral contraceptives and progestins (hormonal drugs);
2. antifibrinolytics (drugs that directly affect the coagulation of blood clots);
3. calcium-containing drugs (calcium chloride, calcium gluconate);
4. herbal remedies (tincture of water pepper, nettle, viburnum).

However, in case of heavy or prolonged bleeding, self-medication is strictly prohibited! In such a situation, urgent medical assistance is required.

• Sedatives for menopause can be represented by drugs of complex action - such as Remens, Klimaktoplan, etc., or by means of exclusively calming action (Persen, Novopassit, valerian extract, Tenoten, Sedistress, etc.). The choice of drug in this case depends on whether there are other symptoms of menopause, in addition to nervousness and irritability.
• Medicines that cause menstruation during menopause are actually the same drugs that are used to normalize the level of sex hormones in the blood. Most often, hormonal therapy is used for this purpose. In general, the process of stopping menstruation is considered irreversible: after all, it is impossible to restore the functionality of the ovaries if their functional capabilities are completely exhausted. Unfortunately, the aging of the body cannot be stopped - it can only be slowed down.
• Medicines for artificial menopause are used to prevent the appearance of the same symptoms that abound in natural menopause. Artificial blocking of reproductive processes is used in some gynecological operations, in endometriosis, etc. The use of hormonal drugs in such a case is practically inappropriate, so experts recommend taking herbal and homeopathic remedies, which are also indicated for natural menopause.
• Blood pressure medications during menopause are recommended to be used only when blood pressure readings reach high numbers, and this condition is observed regularly. If a woman did not suffer from high blood pressure before menopause, then taking standard medications during menopause often leads to stabilization of blood pressure readings.
• Chinese drugs for menopause are biologically active additives and are not certified in our country. Therefore, each woman decides on the advisability of their use independently. We are inclined to believe that the domestic pharmaceutical market offers a lot of effective and high-quality products - drugs for menopause, and it is not worth turning to products with a dubious reputation.
• Vitamin preparations during menopause are a great way to support the body during such a difficult period. Sometimes taking vitamin complexes allows you to achieve an easy course of menopause without using hormonal drugs. If you feel uncomfortable, such complex products as Vitrum, Elevit, Complivit can help.
• In case of pressure fluctuations, the doctor may prescribe medications for dizziness during menopause. If the results of hormone tests show that the imbalance is critical, then hormonal therapy (for example, Femoston) may be prescribed. In mild cases, regular Zelenin drops, motherwort tincture, peony or valerian root may help with dizziness.
• Silicon-containing preparations are prescribed for menopause as a preventive measure against osteoporosis. Silicon stops destructive processes in bone tissue, makes bones more flexible and strong. Perhaps one of the most effective preparations in this group is Filvel, which contains silicon in a special form that is easily absorbed by the body. In addition to silicon, Filvel also contains other substances that strengthen and support the body (for example, L-carnitine).

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Pharmacodynamics

Hormonal drugs during menopause compensate for the lack of estrogens and progestogens in a woman’s body and contribute to the successful elimination of psychoemotional and vegetative disorders:

• tides;
• hyperhidrosis;
• insomnia or drowsiness;
• irritability;
• dizziness and headaches;
• dryness and atrophy of the skin and mucous membranes.

In addition, hormone-containing drugs prevent bone loss in postmenopause.

Non-hormonal drugs for menopause work due to the plant components and phytohormones they contain. Such drugs effectively reduce the frequency of hot flashes, normalize the function of sweat glands, restore emotional stability, improve sleep, help maintain libido, and even out the course of metabolic processes in the body.

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Pharmacokinetics

Medicines for menopause usually have good bioavailability. Active components are qualitatively absorbed into the systemic circulation, as indicated by a rapid increase in the hormone content in the bloodstream.

Synthetic hormones act and are distributed similarly to natural sex hormones.

The kinetic properties of herbal and homeopathic preparations have not been studied to date.

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Dosing and administration

Medicines for menopause that contain hormones are taken according to an individual regimen, taking into account the phase of the menstrual cycle (if one is still present).

Non-hormonal agents can be taken from once a day to twice a week, depending on the specific drug.

Before starting treatment, please read the instructions carefully.

It is advisable to take all medications during menopause at the same time, without interruption, regardless of food intake.

For women with preserved menstrual function, it is advisable to begin treatment with estrogens from the first day of the monthly cycle. In case of irregular menstruation, treatment with Protestagen is carried out first (approximately 2 weeks), after which they switch to taking estrogen-containing drugs.

Women who have not had their periods (the period is more than 12 months) start taking hormonal drugs on any convenient day.

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Contraindications

Medicines are not prescribed for menopause:

• if you are prone to allergies to the components of the drug;
• if an oncological disease has been diagnosed or is suspected;
• in case of vaginal bleeding of unknown origin;
• in case of existing endometrial hyperplasia;
• in case of excessive thrombus formation;
• in case of serious liver diseases;
• in case of diagnosed or suspected pregnancy;
• during the lactation period.

In some cases, medications are prescribed for menopause, but with extreme caution. Such cases include:

• severe kidney disease;
• the presence of risk factors for malignant pathologies of the reproductive system;
• severe hypertension;
• endometriosis;
• epilepsy;
• diabetes mellitus.

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Side effects menopause medications

Hormonal agents are the leaders among drugs for menopause in terms of the number of side effects. Thus, when taking hormones, the following may develop:

• uterine bleeding;
• abdominal pain, dyspepsia;
• migraines;
• depressive states;
• venous thromboembolism;
• hemolytic anemia;
• dermatological reactions;
• allergic reactions;
• weight fluctuations;
• thrush.

Herbal preparations are much better and easier to tolerate, only causing allergic reactions in some cases.

Overdose

Overdosing on medications during menopause usually results in increased side effects. Therefore, it is not recommended to deviate from the medication regimen prescribed by the doctor.

Alcohol-based medications for menopause (mainly tinctures) can cause symptoms of alcohol intoxication when taken in large quantities. This condition is treated with gastric lavage and symptomatic medications.

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Interactions with other drugs

It is not advisable to use estrogen-containing drugs simultaneously with sleeping pills, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampicin, since the listed medications weaken the effect of estrogens.

Estriol may enhance the effects of corticosteroid hormones, theophyllines, succinylcholine and oleandomycin.

There are currently no data on interactions between herbal preparations.

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Storage conditions

Most medications for menopause are stored at normal temperature, excluding freezing. Children should never be allowed near places where medications are stored.

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Shelf life

The shelf life can vary from 2 to 3 years, depending on the specific drug.

The onset of menopause is not a reason to despair and fall into depression. After all, no one has canceled a woman's normal life during this period. On the contrary, doctors recommend that with the onset of menopause, more time be devoted to rest and active pastime, a healthy lifestyle. If necessary, you can start taking medications for menopause - they will help get rid of the main negative symptoms that darken the course of this physiological period.

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