| It has been two years since the Women's Health | | | | to severe hot flushes in hundreds of thousands of |
| Initiative Estrogen plus Progestin (WHI) arm of | | | | women and in virtually all women who had |
| this large trial was stopped early because it | | | | previously experienced them."Because it is well |
| caused harm. The WHI showed the opposite of | | | | known that rapid withdrawal from estrogen |
| what was expected--Estrogen (Premarin) plus | | | | causes night sweats and hot flushes, all physicians |
| Progestin (Provera) caused heart disease and | | | | should have been ready with advice for women |
| breast cancer as well as blood clots and strokes. | | | | wanting to stop estrogen." Says Dr. Prior.For Lack |
| WHI results show that estrogen does not | | | | of helpful information, and because the resulting |
| improve the quality of life for women. WHI | | | | symptoms of night sweats/hot flushes were so |
| estrogen plus progestin results are | | | | miserable, many women, in desperation, |
| "evidence-based." We now have evidence-based | | | | reluctantly restarted unwanted HRT treatment.It |
| proof that "HRT" is harmful to women.But people | | | | seems logical to now say that the WHI results |
| are still taking Hormone Replacement Therapy and | | | | require re-thinking of the concepts on which |
| are concerned about estrogen deficiency. | | | | menopausal "replacement" and "estrogen |
| Why?"Little has changed because the | | | | deficiency" were based. The primary assumption |
| fundamental, negative ideas about women and | | | | that all women needed estrogen because they |
| about menopause have not changed. Universal | | | | were deficient still needs to be addressed. I like |
| menopausal hormone therapy ... (is) based on a | | | | what Dr. Susan Love said, "If estrogen deficiency |
| cultural belief that women are inferior and need | | | | is a disease, all men have it!" Destroying the |
| fixing. For over twenty years I have been saying | | | | concept of estrogen deficiency will be hard and |
| that menopause is a natural part of women's life | | | | may take many years to achieve.In the mean |
| cycle, the low estrogen levels after menopause | | | | time where does that leave you and I?Estrogen |
| are healthy and not abnormal. This made me | | | | Dominance not estrogen deficiency, according to |
| unpopular--I have been labeled as "way-out" or | | | | Dr. John Lee is at the crux of our dilemma and |
| worse. Therefore the WHI results for me were a | | | | bringing our hormones back into balance will be |
| vindication", says Jerilynn C. Prior BA, MD, FRCPC | | | | the key to hormonal health.STEP 1. Become |
| Professor of Endocrinology, Scientific Director, | | | | informed. The "Let's Talk About Hormones" video |
| Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation | | | | provides valuable information on hormone |
| Research, University of British Columbia.And, she | | | | balancing. Dr. Lee's "What Your Doctor May Not |
| is correct. Two years after the WHI study little | | | | Tell You About Menopause" has just been |
| has changed. If you go to your doctor today and | | | | updated. Information is the key to your |
| request HRT most will prescribe it for you. | | | | power!STEP 2. Evaluate your own hormones with |
| Despite the fact that The Women's Health | | | | a saliva test whether you are on hormones |
| Initiative, the largest controlled trial of ovarian | | | | currently or not. Find out if you have adequate |
| hormone therapy ever performed, provided the | | | | hormone levels or are truly deficient.STEP 3. |
| strongest proof that Medicine (which has been | | | | Work with someone who understands the issues. |
| strongly influenced by the Pharmaceutical | | | | Dr. Lee felt that most women can themselves |
| Industry) causes harm for women.The website | | | | oversee their hormonal challenges. If you must |
| for the WHI study said, "Women should stop their | | | | select a healthcare provider choose one who like |
| study drugs immediately." Following that order led | | | | Dr. Prior says, "I will never again prescribe |
| to hot flushes in many women who were on | | | | estrogen as a pill. There is now overwhelming |
| hormone therapy because their body had | | | | controlled trial evidence that pill forms of estrogen |
| adjusted to that higher level of estrogen. Women | | | | cause unacceptably high rates of clots and |
| who heard the news of the study in the media | | | | perhaps, through clotting, also increased strokes |
| also often stopped their therapy abruptly. That led | | | | and heart disease. |