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"Hormone Medicine Intolerance Is Even Worse" | Hormone Therapy Side Effects for Menopausal Women
Blog October 12, 2025

"Hormone Medicine Intolerance Is Even Worse" | Hormone Therapy Side Effects for Menopausal Women

Dr. Yeonseung Choe
Dr. Yeonseung Choe
Chief Director

"Hormone Medicine Intolerance Is Even Worse" | Hormone Therapy Side Effects for Menopausal Women

"Hormone medicine intolerance is even worse" | Hormone therapy side effects for menopausal women

The Two Sides of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can effectively relieve menopause symptoms, but not everyone can tolerate it.

Possible Side Effects:

  • Breast tenderness
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Mood swings
  • Irregular bleeding
  • Weight gain

Why Do Side Effects Occur?

1. Unsuitable Dosage
Everyone has different sensitivity to hormones.

2. Unsuitable Formulation
Oral, patches, gels, and other formulations may cause different reactions.

3. Adaptation Period Reaction
Temporary discomfort when starting use.

4. Individual Differences
Related to personal constitution and health condition.

What to Do When Side Effects Are Significant?

1. Communicate with Your Doctor
Don't stop or adjust dosage on your own.

2. Consider Adjusting the Plan
May need to change formulation or adjust dosage.

3. Evaluate Risk-Benefit
If side effects outweigh benefits, other options may be needed.

Alternatives to Hormone Therapy

1. Phytoestrogens
Soy isoflavones, etc., relatively mild effects.

2. Korean Medicine Therapy
Personalized treatment based on constitution and symptoms.

3. Lifestyle Interventions
Exercise, diet, stress management, etc.

4. Symptomatic Treatment
Non-hormonal medications for specific symptoms.

Advantages of Korean Medicine Therapy

  • Holistic approach, not just addressing symptoms
  • Personalized prescriptions, suitable for different constitutions
  • Relatively fewer side effects
  • Can be combined with Western medicine treatment
  • Provides alternative for those who cannot use hormones

There are many options for menopause management. Finding the method that suits you is key.

Need Consultation?

Get personalized treatment.

Dr. Yeonseung Choe

Dr. Yeonseung Choe Chief Director

I have met many patients who came after visiting multiple medical institutions and departments for persistent or recurrent conditions. Symptoms normally handled by different specialties—such as abdominal pain, headaches, palpitations, dizziness, and insomnia—may overlap in one person. Sometimes there is no clear improvement despite taking medication for each symptom, and being unwell gradually becomes part of daily life. In these cases, I look beyond individual diagnoses and examine how the symptoms connect and change together. Asking only about the most uncomfortable symptom today does not reveal the full course. I look at when the body first began to change and what happened after illness, surgery, childbirth, or starting and stopping medication. I also review changes in weight, diet, and sleep, then trace which symptoms improved with previous treatment and which remained. Test results, diagnoses, and the course of previous treatment are important for understanding the current condition. Clinical research in modern Korean medicine, physiological and pathological research in modern medicine, and observations recorded in classical Korean medicine texts offer different perspectives on the same body. Rather than fitting a patient into one perspective, I consider what each can and cannot explain and look for clues that connect symptoms and treatment histories that were previously considered separately.

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