HRT

Menopause Oasis
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The topic of whether a woman should use some form of HRT is frought with controversy. We cannot tell you what you should do.  But on this page we provide links to some information that may help you make up your mind about your options.  Read on.....

The Third Age website, offers a lengthy explanation of the various HRTs available.  Hormone Replacement Therapy.
 
'The Hormone Connection' provides a list of the pros and cons of using various supplements to ease the symptoms of perimenopause.  You can view that list here.
 
*Which* HRT might be best for you?  Visit this Website to see comparative information about each of the HRTs that are currently being prescribed. 

Progesterone only?  For those considering using a progesterone only therapy, please take a look at "Progesterone - Its Uses and Effects" written by Frederick R. Jelovsek MD.  I would provide the information here myself, but why "re-invent the wheel"?!  This article discusses the whys, hows, what forms, whens and much more about the use of progesterone in an extremely competent and easily understood manner.

Are you considering the use of the new 'bioidentical' hormones?  You may want to read what the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has to say about them before you make up your mind. The panel there that reviewed these producst basically recommends that "use of these products in the absence of regulatory oversight of quality, purity, and batch-to-batch consistency of ingredients." Read about their study at length here.

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has a very interesting on-line booklet that discusses the various changes our bodies undergo and the various methodologies of dealing with those changes titled The Changing Body.

 
The HRT Controversy issue!

In the past couple of years we have seen numerous reports regarding HRTs. Are we pro- or con- ? Well, we try to be neutral in voicing our opinion, since we are not doctors or scientists. But we do ask that you read for yourselves all that you can find on the topic and then, with the help of a 'good' doctor, make your own determination.
 
Remember, please, that there are those who have an 'agenda' concerning these reports. The manufacturers of the various products and the Media do make money from what they say!! Don't necessarily trust what they tell you 100%!
 
Following are some links to other sources of information about HRTs and the studies surrounding their use.

Press release of the NIH (November 1996):
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov96/nhlbi_05.htm

Interesting...the article published by the NIH about how "bad" HRT is for women has disappeared from their files!  As you can see, if you follow the link that used to take us to that article, it now is all about how HRT effects Bone Density!

That article (as published in the Jouranl of the American Medical Association) can still be found here:  http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/288/3/321

A scientific explanation of and rebuttal to the NHI report. Written by Phillip J. Clapham, Ph.D.:  https://cl-klrambo-ivil.tripod.com/menopauseoasis/NHI-HRT-rebuttal.pdf

An article publihed by the University of Kentucky (Jeff Worley)(Spring 2002)
http://www.research.uky.edu/odyssey/spring03/hrt.html

Article from the Sydney Morning Herald
written by: Anne Summers on July 15, 2002 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/14/1026185140320.html

 
Following are related reports from dates considerably after the WHI/NIH study that caused the mass controversy in 2002.

This is a 'Participant Website' from the Woman's Health Initiative at which many of the issues are discussed.  http://www.whi.org/
 
An April 2006 article released at Stanford University reports that there is "No link between estrogen therapy, breast cancer" !
 
 
Time Magazine's 2006 article regarding the continued Estrogen alone research titled, "Estrogen Again" discusses the confusion caused by the WHI published report.
 
An article titled "Ultra-low dose estrogen patch improves bone, appears safe for the uterus" in Harvard Health Publications indicates that ultra low dose estrogen may indeed be the drug of choice for older post-menopausal women concerned with bone health! 
 
EurekaAlert.org published an article in July of 2006 that is titled "Ultra low-dose estrogen shown safe for post-menopausal women" that discusses an ultra low-dose estrogen patch.
 
In March of 2007 the North American Menopause Society (NAMS)released a "position statement" on the use of estrogen replacement for menopausal women. The stated objective of this statement was "To update the evidence-based position statement published by  (NAMS) in 2004 regarding recommendations for estrogen and progestogen use in peri- and postmenopausal women." You may find that position statement here.
  
An article published by HealthDay News in July 2007 titled "Reevaluating Hormone Replacement Therapy" discusses the flaws of the original WHI study and further findings.
 
In February 2009 Women to Women (a Website about women's health and other concerns) re-addressed this topic.  They agree with what we have been saying all along....it is an individual issue! The decision must be based on the needs and desires and other health issues that the particular individual has.  Read the entire article here.