Do most women go on Hormone Replacement Therapy?

[Anonymous]

A lot of old, bad science on here. The connection to cancer has been found when people start HRT long after menopause, like 5 to 10 years later. If you start in peri, or just after your last period, it seems to have significant protective effects against dementia, and that is why I am taking it. If you feel that you have brain fog, aphasia, less short term recall, etc. that’s for a reason...your brain is significantly altered without estrogen, and studies seem to show that a rapid decline from estrogen to no estrogen can actually cause irreversible damage. There’s a reason rates of Alzheimer’s are so much higher among women, but most science in general focuses in men, not in the unique role that hormones play in a woman’s body.

There are definitely serious health risks associated with hormone therapy. For example, anyone already at increased risk of clotting should never consider it (and no reputable doctor would prescribe it to someone in that situation).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, most women are not on HRT. Long term use has been proven to cause breast cancer, blood clots/MIs/strokes. If you have a hysterectomy with ovaries removed prior to menopause, then HRT may be necessary to lessen the initial shock of instant menopause, but even then it should be closely monitored by a physician. Once natural menopause would have occurred , the HRT should be tapered off.

This is just not true.

Yes, it is true. Also, just to preempt your next comment, bioidentical hormones are neither different, more effective, or safer than any other type of hormone.

[Anonymous]

If you aren’t having problems that are enough to majorly disrupt your life, then you probably don’t need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it is a thing of the past unless you have severe symptoms. In fact, the whole idea of it being "replacement" therapy sounds like it is a deficit, so it is now referred to as HT- hormone therapy. Women at menopause have what is for them a normal level of hormones at that time of life, and nothing needs to be "replaced" -so that language is even out of favor. -an MD mom.

And this is a shame, because you can feel better even with mild symptoms. Why suffer through menopause?

Why? Menopause is annoying, not sufferable. Chemo and surgery is "suffering."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of old, bad science on here. The connection to cancer has been found when people start HRT long after menopause, like 5 to 10 years later. If you start in peri, or just after your last period, it seems to have significant protective effects against dementia, and that is why I am taking it. If you feel that you have brain fog, aphasia, less short term recall, etc. that’s for a reason...your brain is significantly altered without estrogen, and studies seem to show that a rapid decline from estrogen to no estrogen can actually cause irreversible damage. There’s a reason rates of Alzheimer’s are so much higher among women, but most science in general focuses in men, not in the unique role that hormones play in a woman’s body.

And there is still evidence of cancer. So, no.

[Anonymous]

I tried without but I had problems doing math equations required for my job.

Once I used hormones I was once again able to do math equations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 49 and having hot flashes daily. I will be talking about it with my doctor. Does anyone have a website or resource to learn more about it. This is new to me but intense so I’m hopeful for some relief!

https://www.nih.gov/health-information/menopausal-hormone-therapy-information

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/womens-health/the-menopause-years

It has risks of course, as well as benefits.

Therefore, I personally did not seek it, because my symptoms were very tolerable.

[Anonymous]

Not for me. Strokes run in the family.

[Anonymous]

What about pellet therapy? Anyone taking those BIOTE pellets?

[Anonymous]

I did not take it -- but then I was diagnosed with premenopausal breast cancer. Chemo put me straight into menopause and it was awful. I ended up going on a low-dose of Effexor, since HRT is off-limits for breast cancer patients, and the Effexor helped a lot.

I know women who take HRT and women who do not. Sadly, if you want to learn more about managing menopause -- however you choose to do it -- you will probably need to raise the issue with your doc. Physicians could be so much more helpful and proactive about menopause than they are ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of old, bad science on here. The connection to cancer has been found when people start HRT long after menopause, like 5 to 10 years later. If you start in peri, or just after your last period, it seems to have significant protective effects against dementia, and that is why I am taking it. If you feel that you have brain fog, aphasia, less short term recall, etc. that’s for a reason...your brain is significantly altered without estrogen, and studies seem to show that a rapid decline from estrogen to no estrogen can actually cause irreversible damage. There’s a reason rates of Alzheimer’s are so much higher among women, but most science in general focuses in men, not in the unique role that hormones play in a woman’s body.

And there is still evidence of cancer. So, no.

There is also evidence that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of Alzheimer's so if menopause is making it harder for you to sleep, that has its own risks (beyond just alzheimer's).

[Anonymous]

Only the vaginal estrogen does not have the cancer risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, most women are not on HRT. Long term use has been proven to cause breast cancer, blood clots/MIs/strokes. If you have a hysterectomy with ovaries removed prior to menopause, then HRT may be necessary to lessen the initial shock of instant menopause, but even then it should be closely monitored by a physician. Once natural menopause would have occurred , the HRT should be tapered off.

This is just not true.

Please explain how this is untrue.

NP here. I have the so called “breast cancer” gene — though no breast cancer yet — and my gynecological oncologist, who specializes in working with people who are BRCA+ (with or without cancer), is fine with her patients doing HRT, so long as they have not already had a particular kind of breast cancer that is estrogen positive. (Ideally, she says, a few years of it, not decades, mind you.)

NB: She’s at one of the major research universities you and everyone else knows. She helped write national guidelines for women at high risk of breast cancer due to genetic factors. She’s a pretty sterling source on whether or not HRT raises your breast cancer risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of old, bad science on here. The connection to cancer has been found when people start HRT long after menopause, like 5 to 10 years later. If you start in peri, or just after your last period, it seems to have significant protective effects against dementia, and that is why I am taking it. If you feel that you have brain fog, aphasia, less short term recall, etc. that’s for a reason...your brain is significantly altered without estrogen, and studies seem to show that a rapid decline from estrogen to no estrogen can actually cause irreversible damage. There’s a reason rates of Alzheimer’s are so much higher among women, but most science in general focuses in men, not in the unique role that hormones play in a woman’s body.

And there is still evidence of cancer. So, no.

There is also evidence that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of Alzheimer's so if menopause is making it harder for you to sleep, that has its own risks (beyond just alzheimer's).

This says HRT increases or has no effect on Alzheimer

https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-alzheimers-risk

[Anonymous]

Look into the abuse of horses involved in producing Premarin.