Hormone Replacement Therapy

[D_Prudence_Admonition_Drightits]

Ladies,
Is anyone here in menopause? I went in November to have a hernia repair and ended up having a total hysterectomy. I was a little devastated at the news as I was trying to have one more child. Anyway I had to make a split decision on getting hormone replacement therapy.

Anyone know the pros and cons of this? Should I be trying to go through the change naturally? Please guys, no jokes about mood swings, this is serious as there are other side effects such as osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, breast cancer risk to be considered.

 

[ZOS23xy]

My mother got one many years back when she was 40; she's still around and active in her 80's. Her main complaint was a touch of weight gain, and a few soft fuzzy lip hairs. She was not so active in her forties to qualify for any kind of athletic medals, and racked up a lot of bowling trophies.

I would assume the time gap between then and now will have solved any number of problems of doseage and side effects.

She sidestepped any number of problems by abandoning alcohol. She worried about oesteoporosis (sp?), and drank milk (lightly) and took chelated calcium.

It should be better for you now. Just read up a bit, as she did.

 

[Trinity]

Ladies,
Is anyone here in menopause? I went in November to have a hernia repair and ended up having a total hysterectomy. I was a little devastated at the news as I was trying to have one more child. Anyway I had to make a split decision on getting hormone replacement therapy.

Anyone know the pros and cons of this? Should I be trying to go through the change naturally? Please guys, no jokes about mood swings, this is serious as there are other side effects such as osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, breast cancer risk to be considered.

Some doctor's are moving away from putting women on HRT if they aren't really suffering from severe symptoms. Studies have shown that remaining on HRT for an extended length of time can increase a woman's risk for breast cancer and heart disease.

Women who have situations where they are in early menopause due to hysterctomy or who are suffering from severe symptoms may need some form of HRT, however there are several options if you need to be on it for awhile. Always work with your doctor to find the best thing for you. Dr. Northrup (Oprah's Gynocologist) has a book with some great information that help you. :smile:

Dr.Northrup.com

Also the women's kit for natural hormone balance :
Soy Isoflavones, Wild Yam, Indole-3-Carbinol, and Flaxseed Oil
Dr. Richard Becker has a great book as well - Foundations for Healthing

 

[D_Prudence_Admonition_Drightits]

Some doctor's are moving away from putting women on HRT if they aren't really suffering from severe symptoms. Studies have shown that remaining on HRT for an extended length of time can increase a woman's risk for breast cancer and heart disease.

Women who have situations where they are in early menopause due to hysterctomy or who are suffering from severe symptoms may need some form of HRT, however there are several options if you need to be on it for awhile. Always work with your doctor to find the best thing for you. Dr. Northrup (Oprah's Gynocologist) has a book with some great information that help you. :smile:

Dr.Northrup.com

Also the women's kit for natural hormone balance :
Soy Isoflavones, Wild Yam, Indole-3-Carbinol, and Flaxseed Oil
Dr. Richard Becker has a great book as well - Foundations for Healthing

Thank you so very much for your information. I have been having difficulty with getting the HRT adjusted. I am now on Climara with part estrogen/progesterone and I am still having problems. I need all the help I can get right now.

 

[achilles07]

cinnamon, i'm not an obgyn, but i am a doctor (can't say the specialty on here). you should get on it...it will make you feel young, plus your skin tone will be more supple, your drive will be hire, you'll feel more feminine. I'm always surprised by the more more mature female patients who come in looking hot and happy...90% of the time, they are on hrt.

 

[FuzzyKen]

Look, this one is absolutely no joke.

Yes, there are females who should not be on HRT. These females have specific medical issues or family medical histories that present substantially increased risks for other medical condidtions IF they were placed on HRT.

Males and Females are no different on this one. Males also suffer from what is called "viropause".

My Mother passed at age 80. She was an RN who knew better and because the estrogen replacement caused a little breast tenderness in her she did not want to continue it. It was too inconvenient. Over time, she developed very severe osteoporosis, this was so severe her teeth were all lost, her back was severely curved and she was in intense pain requiring strong medication as this progressed. A hip was broken because it simply disintigrated, and when the condition progressed enough that the replacement hip would never heal properly, she was placed in a wheelchair for life. That and the pain medications started dementia at about 77 years old. By the time she passed at age 80 there was not a great deal of my Mother left. If she had taken the premarin she might still be here!

The main contraindications (conditions under which it would be a no-no) would be an extensive family history of adenocarcinoma (breast, uterine, ovarian, prostatic, testicular, or cervical cancer) in direct descending bloodlines in the family. She will absolutely need to have pap tests at bi-anual intervals but this is a small price to pay when the beauty, vitality and life extending qualities are compared against the other possibilities.

If you qualify for HRT you should be on it!

Good Luck

 

[QuiteOne]

cinnamon, i'm not an obgyn, but i am a doctor (can't say the specialty on here). you should get on it...it will make you feel young, plus your skin tone will be more supple, your drive will be hire, you'll feel more feminine. I'm always surprised by the more more mature female patients who come in looking hot and happy...90% of the time, they are on hrt.

With all due respect... with that grammar, spelling, and punctuation, I'm scared to know what medical school you went to. "drive will be hire"? WTF?!

 

[hotwetkiss]

If your life becomes unbearable then consider taking it. But think long and hard before just opting for HRT because you think it's the done thing.
You seem a very wise and sensible woman I'm sure you will come to the right conclusion that suits you.

 

[QuiteOne]

If your life becomes unbearable then consider taking it.

Yikes! This can be interpreted to be condoning suicide!