I had to surrender to my hot flashes around age 52. After trying all of the available over the counter “natural” solutions, and even the specially compounded bioidentical cream, I went in to my doctor and said, “HELP ME NOW!!!” The lack of decent sleep, the constant brain fog, the unpredictable flashes and sweating. What’s a girl to do? I decided that I would either need to start killing people or get some serious medical help. How did the pioneer women deal? Oh, that’s right, they usually died before they got hot flashes…
It helps that I have the most amazing gynecologist. She has all the facts at her fingertips and reads all the lastest studies. I know, because I do too. She doubled my estrogen level (no need for progesterone because I have no uterus) with an estradiol transdermal system (Vivelle Dot). A few days later, I felt like I was slowly emerging from the biggest brain fog in my personal history. My temperature moderated and I could think again! YES!
We discussed how that old study on women who took Premarin for decades on end was not a fair measure of all hormone replacement therapies. A study summary that came out in the October 2007 issue of Scientific American called “Easing Hormone Anxiety”, stated that, “taking hormones soon after menopause-within about 10 years-is safe for most women.” The trick is in taking bio-identical hormones at the lowest level needed, get annual mammograms, and then get off of it when the worst is over.
This Scientific American report added, “The data even suggest that hormone therapy for less than 10 years may improve some womens’ health more than doing nothing.” This article quotes studies that have shown that estrogen taken at the worst part of early menopause has been shown to improve heart health and decrease cases of breast cancer in women age 50 to 59.
So let’s hear it for better living through chemistry!
Now, past age 54, I’m needing the estrogen boast less and less, and hope to get off of it all together in the next year or so.
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