Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them: Health care screwups are one of the leading causes of death in America, killing as many as 750,000 people annually. That’s more than heart attacks or cancer. And yet most people don’t know this, including most physicians. From diagnostic disasters to deadly drug interactions, the bestselling authors of The People’s Pharmacy expose the alarming epidemic of medical mistakes in America—and offer a lifesaving prescription to make the healthcare system safe again. Only $26.00 +s/h
Was this information helpful? Average rating: 3.9/5 (7 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Q. I took bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to handle my horrible hot flashes. After taking it for three months, I started having pains in my breasts. A mammogram did not show any problems, but the recommendation was made that I stop taking the compounded HRT. The pain went away when I did so.
I did feel better while on BHRT. My doctor told me, though, that even compounded bio-identical HRT still counts as hormone treatment. Any thoughts?
A. For more than 50 years, physicians prescribed traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms with the expectation that it would protect the cardiovascular system and the bones as well. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 2002 revealed that HRT could increase the risk for heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer.
Bio-identical hormone therapy has not been subjected to the same careful scrutiny as the WHI, so its long-term safety is still a question. We believe that, in your case, stopping the BHRT was smart. Data from the WHI show that women who experienced breast pain or tenderness while taking HRT were at substantially higher risk for invasive breast cancer (Archives of Internal Medicine, October 12, 2009).
In general, women having a difficult time with menopausal symptoms are urged to use the lowest effective dose of hormones for the shortest time that they are needed. For more information on hormone pros and cons and other ways to deal with hot flashes, we offer our Guide to Menopause.
Was this information helpful? Average rating: 3.9/5 (7 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Thanks to my use of Emerita, a natural (made from yams) progesterone cream, I never had a hot flash in my entire menopause experience. I still use it, 10 years after menopause because there are proponents who maintain that it helps keep bone density. I have no proof of that, but I definitely know that I have never experienced a hot flash.
I am 60 years old and I put up with hot flashes, but without the Estring, a vaginal ring inserted into the vagina for three months at a time, I have such vaginal dryness that relations with my husband is not possible. Estring is a slow release estrogen that is released into the vagina and is supposed to stay within the vagina after the initial first three months of use. It took over two months before the dryness went away and I feel great, but I'd like to know if there are any dangers to be aware of? My doctor seems to think I can wear the ring indefinitely.
When using bio identical hormones, it's very important to find the right balance of estrogen and progesterone. Everyone is different and the doctor should work with you to fine tune your hormone regimen. I had the same problem which was solved by simply using more progesterone and less estrogen. I feel much better now that the hormones are balanced and my breast tenderness is gone.
I took ERT when going thru the menopause and developed cancer of the endometrium. No one else in my family has had cancer. I'm convinced the ERT caused the cancer. This was the regime with progesterone also.
I am post menopausal, no uterus or ovaries. I was on hrt for years. Been off for several months. I started having severe breast pain, and hot flashes, head aches. I feel like I am going through menopause again except the breast pain is worse, makes me very tired. Mammo and ultra sound shows only dilated milk ducts. I can't take soy due to allergies.
After reading about this article I really got scared, I've been taking Estroven for 2 months (without consulting my doctor) and it really helped me with my hot flashes and night sweats, but I've been noticing breast tenderness and pain for 2 weeks in a row, but I did not related to taking Estroven until now. 10 years ago they found calcifications on my left breast and 4 years ago they found a few more at a different spot in the same breast, I will schedule an appointment asap. Thank you very much.
"women having a difficult time with menopausal symptoms are urged to use the lowest effective dose of hormones for the shortest time that they are needed." I will give you the part about using the lowest effective dose of hormones but "for the shortest time that they are needed"?
No, I had a hysterectomy in my 20's (everything was removed) and I took hormones for years. I am 54 now. A few years ago a doctor told me to stop taking them. I stopped and started having all kinds of issues. I am now back on BHRT and I will NEVER stop taking them!
I started having some hair loss about 7 months ago. I am 54 and was trying to avoid HRT but my Dr. thought a low dose Climara Pro patch might help. I had constant, (rather heavy at times- like a period) bleeding, breast tenderness and the hair loss after a while seemed to be getting worse.
I have never had a problem with hot flashes, but the hair loss, sleeping problems, dryness are. Has anyone else experienced this type of thing? People are telling me to take Biotin, skin and hair vitamins etc.
Thanks
I have had vaginal atrophy for approximately 1 and 1/2 years. I have tried Vagifem 10 mcg once per week for 4 months, but even though it helped the vaginal symptoms, the breast soreness never improved with use. I decided to stop using it, but the vulvar burning and stinging returned. I am now trying a very low dose estriol vaginal cream dosage of 50 mcg per gram twice per week. Once again, the breast soreness returned.
After reading the question of November 7, 2009, "Beware Breast Tenderness with HRT", I am wondering if I am also at risk. I have been to six different physicians and none of them have an answer and seem to think I am fine to use the vaginal products. I don't want to suffer, but I am very scared regarding the breast soreness. I don't think the physicians understand this. They say most women don't get breast soreness from vaginal products. May I have your opinion on this? Thank you.
It's interesting to read about the various supplements and meds that some women have gotten relief from. I take virtually all of them, so I often wonder how much worse I'd be if I didn't -- and my hot flashes are HORRENDOUS.
I've been using bio-identical estradiol and progesterone since about 8 months before I reached menopause (after the natural yam product stopped helping). Still, no change in the hot flashes (a huge understatement: as one woman wrote, most of the time, every day and night, I feel like I'm cooking inside). Recent blood work indicated I needed to again dramatically increase the amount of natural estrogen (my progesterone level was good).
When I (again) told my Dr. of the painful, swollen breasts I get with estrogen, he suggested a couple of supplements that can help the body get rid of the "bad" estrogen metabolites that cause this problem. I've been using the supplements ("DIM" and D-glucarate) for about a month, and I've gotten a little relief.
For a couple of weeks after I increased the amount of estrogen and started on these supps, I was miserable. More hot flashes than ever, I was so cranky I couldn't stand myself, and had even more difficulty sleeping (which is why I'm on synthetic gabapentin, AKA Neurontin; had already been using the natural GABA for insomnia) ...
Like one other woman wrote, whenever I go up on the estrogen cream, I get a sharp pain, although only in one breast (the larger one). It feels like tissue is ripping as, I guess, the fat cells are flooding with fluid and expanding. I'm taking triple and quadruple the label-listed amounts of all my supps for hot flashes: evening primrose oil, vitamin e, black cohosh, pycnogenol, ashwaganda, and now the DIM and D-glucarate. I may have left out a few others.
I'm on Effexor now and previously was on Paxil, neither of which seems to have helped. If anything, they increased my already too-quick sweating. About 5 days after I increased the DIM and D-glucarate, I felt like a had a mild case of the flu; I realized it was probably the de-toxing effect of the supps, and started drinking lots of water. This did, in fact, help.
Now, about two weeks later, I am having a lot of body pains and aches. I have fibromyalgia, but usually, it's at such a low level that I rarely notice. The inside of my elbow joints seem puffy and sometimes, if I even barely brush that part of either arm across my body, the pain is excruciating. I'm starting to have trouble lifting somewhat heavy things, such as my 15-pound dog because of the pain.
My feet seem to always hurt when I walk now. The pain dies down after I've walked a little bit, but every time I've been sitting awhile or sleeping, initially I hobble, whether in shoes or barefoot.
So, I'm wondering if, in addition to increased fluid retention from the estrogen, am I not yet excreting the "bad" metabolites sufficiently? Could they be causing the body aches and pains, and the joint problems? The D-glucarate is 200mng; I take two (400 mg total) several times a day. The DIM contains 100 mg DIM and 100 mg broccoli seed extract with guaranteed 10 mg suloraphane, and I take two of these capsules several times a day as well.
If this is in fact, failure to excrete the metabolites despite the supplements, what else can I do? Even more water? If so, how much? Would sweating in a sauna facilitate the detoxing?
I started with soaking night sweats in my late 30's, and I'll be 57 next month. The thought of another few decades feeling this miserable really disturbs me. After years of holding my healthy weight steady, I put on 40 pounds in the first 18 months post-menopause, and I know at least half of it is from the estrogen effects.
Help, please!