Menopause Home > Nonmedication Substitutes for CombiPatch
Medications are not always the answer to all menopause symptoms. If you cannot take CombiPatch or other estrogen medications (or if you desire to avoid such medications), you may want to try other, non-drug ways to deal with the symptoms. Getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet can work wonders for some menopause symptoms. Any measures to improve your overall health will likely help to improve your menopause symptoms as well. Also, there are a variety of vaginal lubricants and moisturizers currently available that can help provide relief from vaginal dryness and irritation. Some are even designed especially for menopausal women.
(For more ideas on ways to cope with menopause symptoms, see Menopause Relief.)
Many women choose to use natural remedies as alternatives to prescription medications for menopause treatment. These remedies include:
- Acupuncture
- Herbal supplements
- Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (also known as natural hormone replacement therapy)
- Phytoestrogens (so-called plant estrogens).
At this time, there isn't enough scientific evidence to determine whether these therapies are beneficial. In addition, there is insufficient information available to prove whether these therapies are as safe as (or safer than) the conventional drugs used for menopause symptoms, osteoporosis, or heart disease.
There are several alternatives to CombiPatch, including other medications and natural or non-drug treatments. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider if CombiPatch is not working for you or if you are experiencing bothersome side effects. You may need to try one of the other menopause treatments.