Are You Having HRT Side Effects?

The side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fall into two categories. Initially are the immediate side effects, such as headaches, nausea and vomiting and a lot of others. Not all women will knowledge such side effects, and typically speaking these side effects resolve themselves as soon as the HRT is stopped. Then there are long term risks such as increased risk of breast cancer (and other risks too). These longer term consequences of HRT are not reversible and in some situations are lethal. We'll start off by answering the question "What is hormone replacement therapy?" Then we'll appear at the advantages of bioidentical hormones, and finally at the side effects and risks related with hormone replacement therapy.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Now let's look at hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Really HRT is no longer routinely recommended for relief of menopausal complaints. It is too risky.

For a long time, doctor's believed that HRT was a cure all. Then some main studies, particularly the Women's Wellness Initiative revealed the risks associated with HRT. But prior to looking at the risks of HRT, let's make confident that we understand what it is.

The name "hormone replacement therapy" implies that HRT is replacing the estrogen and progesterone lost. It is, but not with the exact same hormones that our physique makes. So its not replacing apples with apples. It is alot more like replacing apples with watermelons, and that's the main reason for the risks connected with HRT.

The economics of bioidentical hormones

Why does not modern day medicine use bioidentical hormones (hormones identical to what our body makes) to "replace" what is missing? It's sad to say, but the main reason is that there is no revenue in it.

Pharmaceutical organisations can only patent what they invent in a laboratory. They are not able to patent what Nature makes. And its only via holding a patent on a drug that they can mark up the price sufficient to make a beneficial profit.

(The mark up on drugs like Premarin and Prempro is quite high, with mark up on a number of drugs upwards of 10,000%. Premarin is available in Europe for $8.95/100, in Canada for $22.46/100 in the United States for $55.42. Cost variations for Prempro are $five.75/28 in Europe, $14.33/28 in Canada and $31.09/28 in the United States). These cost variations begin to reveal the profit margins pharmaceutical providers have with these drugs. They are really a money cow for these businesses.

So the medical profession insists on employing what it is familiar with, and that is drugs. Bioidentical hormones are becoming much more familiar to physicians, and a lot more and a lot more physicians are willing to prescribe them. But its far from the majority--many will not.

Why bother with bioidentical hormones? Wouldn't they have the identical side effects as what doctors now prescribe. Doctors who use them say no, that they do not have the side effects and risks of drug HRT. Although most ladies are already aware of the risks related with hormone replacement therapy, it may well be useful to appear at the issue swiftly.

Risks of HRT

A large number of studies have underscored the risks of HRT. The greatest is The Women's Wellness Initiative. The study followed 160,000 females among 1993 and 1998. It compared the health of women on distinct combinations of HRT with girls who were not.

The study reported that the females on HRT had higher risk for a wide variety of wellness difficulties. The study showed that the girls on HRT had a significantly increased risk for breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots. The study showed that HRT benefited some conditions, decreasing the risk of colorectal cancer and of hip fractures due to osteoporosis.

A follow up study to the Women's Wellness Initiative showed that not only did it enhance the risk of breast cancer, but that the type of breast cancer was far more deadly. Other studies show that HRT also increases risk for gall stones, kidney stones, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine bleeding.

Side effects of HRT

Even though the press has spoken a great deal more about the risks of HRT recently, 1 doesn't hear significantly about side effects. Shorter term complaints or side effects that females have with HRT include nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding, skin discoloration (particularly patches on the face), headaches, depression, anxiety, nervousness and irritability, fluid retention and bloating, acne and greasy skin.

It's not a pretty rosy picture. The majority of girls are now deciding against hormone replacement therapy for relief of menopausal complaints. Instead they are turning to natural approaches such as herbs that contain estrogen like molecules, and estrogen wealthy foods.