Should post-menopausal women take estrogen?

Results so far:

Yes		38%	93 votes	Total: 244 votes
No		62%	151 votes	Total: 244 votes

Yes

1 of 6

Estrogen is not for every post-menopausal woman, for various reasons, some women who want to take estrogen for their symptoms can't. Claiming the pills make them nausea's, they don't like the patches, or the shots. But for those women, after going over their medical history, and the pro's and con's of taking estrogen with their doctor, are healthy, and not at a high risk, meaning, there's no family history of breast cancer should be allowed to try estrogen.
But for those who try taking estrogen and find it makes them sick, there are over the counter herbs that they can try, some women claim they work, while others show no signs of relief after taking the over the counter products to ease menopausal symptoms.

Since every female is different when it comes to menopausal symptoms, some may not experience any symptoms at all, but for some, the symptoms can be mild and of short duration, and for others, intense and long. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sweating, headache, fatigue, frequent urination, giddiness, a slight puffiness, palpitations, insomnia, dyspepsia, nervous irritability, periods of depression and anxiety. Any combination of the above symptoms can occur and interfere with a woman's lifestyle depending on how severe her symptoms are.

Since we hear so much about estrogen causing different cancers, a lot of women decide to suffer menopausal symptoms then take estrogen replacement. The risk of breast cancer and endometrial cancer increases only if a woman takes both progesterone and estrogen, the benefits of taking estrogen are, not just to relieve menopausal symptoms but also lowering the risk of colon cancer, preventing bone loss that leads to osteoporosis, and lowering the risk of macular degeneration, a vision loss that occurs when the macula, the part of the retina at the back of the eye that provides sharp, central vision, deteriorates with age.

But for me, after having a total hysterectomy, and thrown into menopause with severe symptoms, freezing one minute and burning up and sweating the next, it was impossible to get comfortable, I developed insomnia which I was put on a sleep aid to help, but still, I was waking up all through the night either kicking covers off or putting them back on top of me the next minute. Not getting enough rest I became miserable, had mood swings, developed anxiety and stayed tired all the time. After several months of this, I couldn't handle it anymore, I was put on estrogen replacement. Within a few days the symptoms started to vanish and once again I was able to sleep at night and felt great again. I've tried several times to quit taking estrogen but the symptoms kept coming back, so it's something I'll probably be on for the rest of my life but, being on estrogen replacement now for seventeen years, the benefits have out weighed the risk, at sixty years old, I'm still the same height I was at the age of eighteen, five feet,six inches. My mother and I were the same height back then, today, she stands at five feet, never took estrogen, so I know it is helping my bones, it was the right choice for me.

Learn more about this author, Carolyn Lanier.
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No

1 of 15

by Barbara Kasey Smith

I'm a victim of taking estrogen's for several years for post-menopausal symptoms. I felt since my doctor prescribed them for me that they were safe. After I had been on them for several years, my doctor recommended I go off of them because a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that post-menopausal women taking estrogen's with progestin have an higher risk of heart attack, stroke, breast cancer, and blood clots. An ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) called the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) released more results showing that the combination of estrogen and progestin (Prempro) increased the risk of dementia in women 65 and older and failed to prevent memory loss.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to encourage all manufacturers of estrogen and estrogen with progestin drug products indicated for use by post-menopausal women to update the labeling for their products. The WHI trial about estrogens and progestins continues to have significant public health implications for post menopausal women. As new study results from WHI become available, FDA is strongly recommending that sponsors update the labeling for their estrogen-and progestin-containing drug products to include new information from these studies. Easy access of current information pertaining to post-menopausal women is important and health care providers and these women should be aware of the risks of taking estrogen-and progestin-containing drug products.

Estrogen is a hormone. It is given either alone to a women without a uterus, or is given in combination with progestin to a woman with a uterus. Estrogen is used to:

* reduce hot flashes in menopause
* treat vaginal dryness, itching, and burning due to menopause
* help reduce chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones) in menopause
* treat certain conditions in women before menopause if their ovaries do not
make enough estrogen
* ease symptoms of certain cancers that have spread through the body,
in men and women.

Estrogen with progestin drug products contain two kinds of hormones: estrogen's and progestin. Adding progestin reduces the risk of endometrial cancer in a woman with a uterus.

Estrogen with progestin drug products are given to post-menopausal women with a uterus to:

* reduce hot flashes
* treat vaginal dryness, itching, and burning
* help reduce chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones)

Menopause is when the ovaries normally stop making estrogen's when a woman is between 45 and 55 years old. A drop in body estrogen levels causes menopause (the end of monthly menstrual periods) or the "change of life." Every woman experiences menopause differently. Some women may not experience any noticeable effects at all. When estrogen levels commence to drop, women may experience changes such as:

* Hot flashes
* Vaginal changes/vaginal atrophy - the tissues lining the vagina may become drier,
thinner and less elastic.
* Irregular menstruation - the menstrual cycle may become lighter, heavier, or stop.
* Sleep disturbances or night sweats
* Emotional changes - mood swings, irritability

A study by WHI and WHIMS found that of every 10,000 women per year taking estrogen with progestin, there would be:

* 8 more cases of breast cancer
* 7 more cases of heart attacks
* 8 more cases of stroke
* 18 more cases of blood clots in the lungs and legs
* 23 more cases of dementia in women over 65 years of age

The WHI study found the risks that were lowered in women taking estrogen with progestin - results showed that of every 10,000 women per year taking estrogen with progestin drug products, there would be:

* 6 fewer cases of colon cancer
* 5 fewer cases of hip fracture

The FDA is not thinking of taking estrogen's or estrogen with progestin drug products off the market at this time. Currently, FDA is seeking to minimize risks and maximize benefits of estrogen and estrogen with progestin drug products by ensuring that women and health care providers fully understand these risks and benefits.

After reading and reviewing all the information that is available about the use of estrogen in the post-menopausal stage, I concluded for me, myself, that I would rather fore-go the use of hormone treatment because I felt the risks were too enormous. Each woman has to make their own decisions as to if they want to use or not use the hormone treatment.

More information is available through the Food and Drug Administration's Web Site.

References Used & Studied:
www.fda.gov/CDER/Dru g/infopage/estrogens _progestins

Learn more about this author, Barbara Kasey Smith.
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