Why does my doctor say HRT for women under 50 is not safe but everyone around me is taking it and feeling good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the doctors are relying on an old poorly designed study from over 20 years ago. The more recent studies show that IF YOU START HRT BEFORE you are fully through menopause it has significant benefits in protecting your heart and brain. If you wait until you are in your 60s, it’s too late because those receptors have turned off and so your body isn’t able to make appropriate use of the hormones and the effect is negative.

This contradicts 14:24.

From my mother's abysmal experience with HRT, I'm not touching it. Also, it doesn't make sense to me for "normal" menopause. And the constantly changing medical recommendations do not inspire me to change my mind.

+1 my mom had a horrific 18 months on hrt and died of ovarian cancer 15 years later.

Most women do not have a horrific experience with HRT. It has also changed a lot over the years. In the WHI study, they were taking synthetic oral estrogen and progestin. Now it’s often given as a bioidentical estrogen transdermal patch with bioidentical oral progesterone, which has lower risks of side effects. There is always a small risk of breast cancer, of course, but often the benefits outweigh the risk. My mother and grandmother both had osteoporosis, and I am in almost in menopause at age 45, so I am taking HRT for now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which is more estrogen, a low-dose BCP or HRT? Also has anyone with a hysterectomy been told to take progesterone for any beneficial effects? (I know it is prescribed so women don't get endometrial cancer while on estrogen.)

Generally BCP has more estrogen. It suppresses your own natural cycle. HRT usually is not strong enough to suppress natural estrogen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think HRT is awful. Just start doing yoga, stop eating processed junk foods and MEAT, and drink lots of water. I'm older than all my neighbors/most friends and I look better than all of them so far. Some are on HRT, some not. It really comes down to diet, stress levels, and exercise. I don't work so I am able to focus more on these things.

Why don't you shove it where the sun don't shine, poster?

You clearly have mild symptoms of perimenopause/menopause - millions of women suffer debilitating symptoms, even when they eat clean, exercise and drink water. Millions of women would be suffering chronic sleep deprivation and all the associated health implications if they didn't take HRT to manage hot flashes and night sweats and insomnia, the very worst of perimenopause/menopause symptoms. Those women aren't obsessing about how they look, they are trying to FUNCTION without sleeping while being responsible for careers, kids, husbands, elder parents, etc.

I mean seriously, you are so disgustingly condescending with this self righteous post.

You can't seem to grasp that many of us don't have trust funds or rich husbands to allow us to not work and to focus on ourselves the way you clearly do - mostly it sounds like by developing your overinflated ego and your nasty judgments of your neighbors and friends. I hope they know who you really are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it is SO FRUSTRATING.
I dont want to be an old twisted hag when i could have had magical youth potion. But my dr says evidence still strongly points to cancer risk. who is right? what to believe? halp.

Have you reached the official 12 month mark? If you have not, take it from my experience - DO NOT DO IT. The estrogen was enough to kick start some horrendous, 2-3 week periods. After 3 months, my normal GYN (not the person who gave me the HRT), put me on low-dose BCP and it worked quite well, actually.

Wow, this has not been my experience at all. 49, was having more frequent periods. HRT has evened everything out. BCPs have higher hormone doses than I am on. Everyone wins!

[Anonymous]

No drug is a magic potion.

Grow up.

It takes decades to get cancer, so your friends would not be showing signs yet, of course.
And, I hate to tell you but you and they will grow old. It is inevitable (unless you die).

So be clear eyed about things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because your dr doesn't get kickbacks from HRT companies.

HRT companies?! 😂 Estridol costs almost nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think HRT is awful. Just start doing yoga, stop eating processed junk foods and MEAT, and drink lots of water. I'm older than all my neighbors/most friends and I look better than all of them so far. Some are on HRT, some not. It really comes down to diet, stress levels, and exercise. I don't work so I am able to focus more on these things.

Why don't you shove it where the sun don't shine, poster?

You clearly have mild symptoms of perimenopause/menopause - millions of women suffer debilitating symptoms, even when they eat clean, exercise and drink water. Millions of women would be suffering chronic sleep deprivation and all the associated health implications if they didn't take HRT to manage hot flashes and night sweats and insomnia, the very worst of perimenopause/menopause symptoms. Those women aren't obsessing about how they look, they are trying to FUNCTION without sleeping while being responsible for careers, kids, husbands, elder parents, etc.

I mean seriously, you are so disgustingly condescending with this self righteous post.

You can't seem to grasp that many of us don't have trust funds or rich husbands to allow us to not work and to focus on ourselves the way you clearly do - mostly it sounds like by developing your overinflated ego and your nasty judgments of your neighbors and friends. I hope they know who you really are.

More importantly, she is totally wrong. Completely ignorant comment. Stupid women should be ignored.

[Anonymous]

I'm on hrt, 55, estrogen patch, oral progesterone at night, a bit of testosterone cream. It has made my moods stable, my sleep restorative and consistent and kept my marriage and career in tact, no joke. And I can be a good, stable mother. (my skin, hair and body composition has also been good but that's not why I do it). And I feel less rickety, muscles feel looser and more flexible.

It's easy to forget that our estrogen that we had in high levels during our reproductive years also posed breast cancer risks. And always did. Hrt does not bring you close to what those levels were btw. It's still much lower. Do your research, risks rise slightly after 60 and 5 plus years but many still do well staying on it. You have to speak to a specialist.

I have a great relationship with my thorough, boy scout like 40 something general practitioner. He wasn't thrilled about it either but he doesn't scold me about it and respects that I see another physician about my gynecology and hrt needs. So we agree to disagree but obviously he's glad it's working for me over the past few years.

[Anonymous]

Talk to another doctor to get additional opinions based on your specific situation.

[Anonymous]

Your doctor is not up to date on the research and looking at outdated, poorly crafted studies.

Look at the information being put out by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Dr. Sara Gottleib to start, there are quite a few others.

Then, if your doctor still says no, find another doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the doctors are relying on an old poorly designed study from over 20 years ago. The more recent studies show that IF YOU START HRT BEFORE you are fully through menopause it has significant benefits in protecting your heart and brain. If you wait until you are in your 60s, it’s too late because those receptors have turned off and so your body isn’t able to make appropriate use of the hormones and the effect is negative.

This contradicts 14:24.

From my mother's abysmal experience with HRT, I'm not touching it. Also, it doesn't make sense to me for "normal" menopause. And the constantly changing medical recommendations do not inspire me to change my mind.

Your mother?? Birth control was usually in higher doses back then. Not like what they use now.

Are you comparing an apple to an orange?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think HRT is awful. Just start doing yoga, stop eating processed junk foods and MEAT, and drink lots of water. I'm older than all my neighbors/most friends and I look better than all of them so far. Some are on HRT, some not. It really comes down to diet, stress levels, and exercise. I don't work so I am able to focus more on these things.

Most of us have to work so…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think HRT is awful. Just start doing yoga, stop eating processed junk foods and MEAT, and drink lots of water. I'm older than all my neighbors/most friends and I look better than all of them so far. Some are on HRT, some not. It really comes down to diet, stress levels, and exercise. I don't work so I am able to focus more on these things.

The ignorant AF just-do-yoga poster has entered the chat.

[Anonymous]

I tried it initially a few years back and it made me very short-tempered and target - kinda like taking prednisone. Roid rage. I have pretty bad symptoms. Maybe I should try again? I’m only 48 and have been in full menopause for 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tried it initially a few years back and it made me very short-tempered and target - kinda like taking prednisone. Roid rage. I have pretty bad symptoms. Maybe I should try again? I’m only 48 and have been in full menopause for 5 years.

Were you taking prometrium? You might have progesterone intolerance.