Social media is overselling HRT - not every woman needs it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Jen Gunter but she’s not the effing Messiah. Don’t just read her thoughts and no one else’s.

It’s one thing to disagree with how she goes about her analysis. It’s quite another to take issue because you don’t like her conclusions.

Right. and also - Dr Gunter has been involved in social media for a long time on lots of aspects of women’s health. So in addition to her views on HRT, I think she’s a pretty good observer of the role social media is playing in the discourse right now. I mean she says she’s getting more vitriol for her posts on HRT than on abortion posts!

[Anonymous]

I don't take them, I take Black Cohosh which works pretty good. I did look into thyroid meds as I lost all my hair, other than the head and face and my metabolism slowed down. Turns out those meds too are directly linked to increased cancers, by a legit study. No, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Yes, did you *just* realize this? Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't take them, I take Black Cohosh which works pretty good. I did look into thyroid meds as I lost all my hair, other than the head and face and my metabolism slowed down. Turns out those meds too are directly linked to increased cancers, by a legit study. No, thank you.

Thyroid meds are linked to cancer? Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Jen Gunter but she’s not the effing Messiah. Don’t just read her thoughts and no one else’s.

It’s one thing to disagree with how she goes about her analysis. It’s quite another to take issue because you don’t like her conclusions.

What I’m saying is read other sources than her. Everyone, even she, has a slant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't take them, I take Black Cohosh which works pretty good. I did look into thyroid meds as I lost all my hair, other than the head and face and my metabolism slowed down. Turns out those meds too are directly linked to increased cancers, by a legit study. No, thank you.

Thyroid meds are linked to cancer? Huh?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8177794/#:~:text=Our%20study%20results%20showed%20that,pancreatic%2C%20and%20female%20breast%20cancers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Jen Gunter but she’s not the effing Messiah. Don’t just read her thoughts and no one else’s.

It’s one thing to disagree with how she goes about her analysis. It’s quite another to take issue because you don’t like her conclusions.

Right. and also - Dr Gunter has been involved in social media for a long time on lots of aspects of women’s health. So in addition to her views on HRT, I think she’s a pretty good observer of the role social media is playing in the discourse right now. I mean she says she’s getting more vitriol for her posts on HRT than on abortion posts!

Just showing how irrational these women are.

[Anonymous]

I was waking up 4-5 times a night and my plantar fasciitis was awful. The hot flashed during the day were no fun either. My energy dropped within a single year to where I wasn’t myself. My moods was all over the place. Went on HRT and all of the above resolved within 3-4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was waking up 4-5 times a night and my plantar fasciitis was awful. The hot flashed during the day were no fun either. My energy dropped within a single year to where I wasn’t myself. My moods was all over the place. Went on HRT and all of the above resolved within 3-4 weeks.

But aren’t hot flashes an approved indication and therefore not what she is complaining about?

[Anonymous]

What about people who legitimately have issues from menopause? If anything, there’s not enough support for women who want to use HRT.

I couldn’t sleep for years, and now HRT helps immensely. I guess I should just take sleeping pills?

HRT has allowed me to continue to function at work and in my family. I had awful hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog, and mood swings. That is great that some women don't need HRT - but many of us do, and telling women to suffer for 5-10 years isn't the answer. If this were men, there would be a multitude of options, and no one would say, just gut it out, your symptoms are minor and just a part of life.

And yes, there is a higher risk of breast cancer - but HRT also lower the risk of other cancers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't take them, I take Black Cohosh which works pretty good. I did look into thyroid meds as I lost all my hair, other than the head and face and my metabolism slowed down. Turns out those meds too are directly linked to increased cancers, by a legit study. No, thank you.

Thyroid meds are linked to cancer? Huh?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8177794/#:~:text=Our%20study%20results%20showed%20that,pancreatic%2C%20and%20female%20breast%20cancers.

Wait, I’ve been taking levothyroxine since I was 12 for hypo… am 48 now. Drs have kept me on it… should I try to stop? This is alarming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What about people who legitimately have issues from menopause? If anything, there’s not enough support for women who want to use HRT.

I couldn’t sleep for years, and now HRT helps immensely. I guess I should just take sleeping pills?

HRT has allowed me to continue to function at work and in my family. I had awful hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog, and mood swings. That is great that some women don't need HRT - but many of us do, and telling women to suffer for 5-10 years isn't the answer. If this were men, there would be a multitude of options, and no one would say, just gut it out, your symptoms are minor and just a part of life.

And yes, there is a higher risk of breast cancer - but HRT also lower the risk of other cancers.

I understood Gunther to be saying something different and more nuanced than what you are saying. The trouble though is that in places like DCUM it just seems like it’s pro HRT and anti HRT, rather than looking at the usage and whether that’s appropriate.

She says the evidence is not sufficient that it helps preventive issues like cardiovascular function and dementia. And then people yell about hot flashes. Hot flashes are an approved use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't take them, I take Black Cohosh which works pretty good. I did look into thyroid meds as I lost all my hair, other than the head and face and my metabolism slowed down. Turns out those meds too are directly linked to increased cancers, by a legit study. No, thank you.

Thyroid meds are linked to cancer? Huh?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8177794/#:~:text=Our%20study%20results%20showed%20that,pancreatic%2C%20and%20female%20breast%20cancers.

Wait, I’ve been taking levothyroxine since I was 12 for hypo… am 48 now. Drs have kept me on it… should I try to stop? This is alarming.

I’ve also been on it since 20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What about people who legitimately have issues from menopause? If anything, there’s not enough support for women who want to use HRT.

I couldn’t sleep for years, and now HRT helps immensely. I guess I should just take sleeping pills?

HRT has allowed me to continue to function at work and in my family. I had awful hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog, and mood swings. That is great that some women don't need HRT - but many of us do, and telling women to suffer for 5-10 years isn't the answer. If this were men, there would be a multitude of options, and no one would say, just gut it out, your symptoms are minor and just a part of life.

And yes, there is a higher risk of breast cancer - but HRT also lower the risk of other cancers.

I understood Gunther to be saying something different and more nuanced than what you are saying. The trouble though is that in places like DCUM it just seems like it’s pro HRT and anti HRT, rather than looking at the usage and whether that’s appropriate.

She says the evidence is not sufficient that it helps preventive issues like cardiovascular function and dementia. And then people yell about hot flashes. Hot flashes are an approved use.

Hot flashes are an approved use but really they should be severe enough to impact your life. While I don’t doubt some women have them severely enough to need treatment, it is also possible to treat them with CBT. I’m not that far into perimenopause but I have the “advantage” (ha) of longstanding insomnia issues, so I am well grounded in the techniques to address sleep disruption without meds. So far so good. I also have a close friend who is handling hot flashes without HRT (she had breast cancer so cannot take it) and she’s given me an example of how it can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What about people who legitimately have issues from menopause? If anything, there’s not enough support for women who want to use HRT.

I couldn’t sleep for years, and now HRT helps immensely. I guess I should just take sleeping pills?

HRT has allowed me to continue to function at work and in my family. I had awful hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog, and mood swings. That is great that some women don't need HRT - but many of us do, and telling women to suffer for 5-10 years isn't the answer. If this were men, there would be a multitude of options, and no one would say, just gut it out, your symptoms are minor and just a part of life.

And yes, there is a higher risk of breast cancer - but HRT also lower the risk of other cancers.

I understood Gunther to be saying something different and more nuanced than what you are saying. The trouble though is that in places like DCUM it just seems like it’s pro HRT and anti HRT, rather than looking at the usage and whether that’s appropriate.

She says the evidence is not sufficient that it helps preventive issues like cardiovascular function and dementia. And then people yell about hot flashes. Hot flashes are an approved use.

yes this. And also the problem is people who want to deny HRT has any side effects (even if they are taking it for severe symptoms).