Guest guest Posted April 27, 2001 Report Share Posted April 27, 2001 Personally, I'd get off the HRT. Your fibroid will probably shrink. I think a hysterectomy is far too drastic and a solution just so you can stay on HRT and make the drug companies rich and make a new car payment for your doctor. There is some evidence that HRT only prevents bone loss for about 5 years and then looses it's effectiveness. After five years of HRT, your risk of breast cancer also goes up. Why do something so permanent for just 5 years of benifits. What will happen if you develop cancer? You will be advised to stop the HRT. If you have your ovaries removed with the hysterectomy, then you may not feel well from then on from the total loss of hormones. You might like to read Dr. Lee's book, " What your Doctor May not Tell You About Menopause " for more about this. There are many reasons to try and keep your uterus. Dr. Stanley West, in his book " The Hysterectomy Hoax " argues against hysterectomy very convincingly. Hysterectomy, especially with the removal of the ovaries, can lead to many quite negative long-term health consequences. Some of these are: Depression for up to five years following surgery development of bladder and bowel dysfunction, development of heart trouble, development of joint pain and arthritis, loss of libido and sexual dysfunction (25 to 75% of women), weight gain and water balance problems, loss of empathy and flattening of emotions, chronic fatigue, reduced ability to heal from injuries, development of thyroid dysfunction, future liver and gallbladder damage from long-term HRT use, and premature aging and graying. I could go on with more. The many hormones produced by your reproductive organs play important roles in endocrine and metabolic function. Hormones like pregnalone, and DHEA, produced by the ovaries have big impacts on mental health and well being. Your uterus itself produces hormones that regulate blood pressure. After menopause, your reproductive organs continue to produce health benefiting hormones at lower and proportionately different levels. They don't just stop. Estrogen drops to about 40% of premenopause levels. HRT is not an adequate substitute for all the hormones lost. Long term HRT exposes women to increased cancer risks. For women who retain their ovaries, ovaraian failure occurs about 20% of the time post hyst. Either due to the loss of the shared blood flow or because of some other unknown reason. According to a recent Rand report, hysterectomy is not recommended for benign conditions. The preponderance of data showed that the negative long term consequences of hysterectomy outweighed it's benefits. You can go to these websites for more info. http://www.hystersisters.com/ (Hyster Sisters) http://www.ccon.com/hers/ HERS-Hysterectomy Education and Research Services. They provide physician referrals, counseling and educational materials to help women save their uteruses and to help women deal with the consequences of hysterectomy. http://www.angelfire.com/fl/endohystnhrt (Hysterectomy awareness) I urge you to read, " The Ultimate Rape " by Plourde. http://www.newvoice.net/why.html It contains extensively researched information on hormones and hysterectomy. She wrote the book after her total hysterectomy and her long search to be well again. You might also want to check out these books on Natural hormone replacement. Standard HRT contains compounds that are chemically different than human hormones resulting in it's many side effects and cancer risk. NHRT uses hormones that exactly match human hormones. Drug companies have little interest in the naturals, because they are not patentable and thus not profitable. NHRT is more extensively used in Europe. These books give information on finding an experienced NHRT doctor. One of the natural estrogens that you might be able to use is estriol. It is the weakest to the three major estrogens your ovaries produce. It tends to have a tumor growth inhibiting effect. You could consult with a NHRT experinced doc on this. " Natural Woman, Natural Menopause " Marcus Laux, Conrad; Paperback; @ $11.70 each from amazon.com " Natural Hormone Replacement For Women Over 45 " V. , Morgenthaler (Contributor); Paperback; @ $8.95 each from amazon.com You might like to check out this page. It discusses plant based phytoestrogens for preventing bone loss. http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-085.shtml This page compares plant phytoestrogens and HRT. http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-133.shtml Why not consider going off the HRT and increasing your load bearing exercise and adding plant phytoestrogens to your diet? Why not go off the HRT and have your hormones tested to see if you really need additional estrogen? My mother has fairly high estrogen even though she is 74. She had fibroids in her 40's and after menopause they shrunk up and have never caused her problems since. Dr. Lee contends that it is progesterone that prevents bone loss over our lifetimes, not estrogen. Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2001 Report Share Posted April 27, 2001 Personally, I'd get off the HRT. Your fibroid will probably shrink. I think a hysterectomy is far too drastic and a solution just so you can stay on HRT and make the drug companies rich and make a new car payment for your doctor. There is some evidence that HRT only prevents bone loss for about 5 years and then looses it's effectiveness. After five years of HRT, your risk of breast cancer also goes up. Why do something so permanent for just 5 years of benifits. What will happen if you develop cancer? You will be advised to stop the HRT. If you have your ovaries removed with the hysterectomy, then you may not feel well from then on from the total loss of hormones. You might like to read Dr. Lee's book, " What your Doctor May not Tell You About Menopause " for more about this. There are many reasons to try and keep your uterus. Dr. Stanley West, in his book " The Hysterectomy Hoax " argues against hysterectomy very convincingly. Hysterectomy, especially with the removal of the ovaries, can lead to many quite negative long-term health consequences. Some of these are: Depression for up to five years following surgery development of bladder and bowel dysfunction, development of heart trouble, development of joint pain and arthritis, loss of libido and sexual dysfunction (25 to 75% of women), weight gain and water balance problems, loss of empathy and flattening of emotions, chronic fatigue, reduced ability to heal from injuries, development of thyroid dysfunction, future liver and gallbladder damage from long-term HRT use, and premature aging and graying. I could go on with more. The many hormones produced by your reproductive organs play important roles in endocrine and metabolic function. Hormones like pregnalone, and DHEA, produced by the ovaries have big impacts on mental health and well being. Your uterus itself produces hormones that regulate blood pressure. After menopause, your reproductive organs continue to produce health benefiting hormones at lower and proportionately different levels. They don't just stop. Estrogen drops to about 40% of premenopause levels. HRT is not an adequate substitute for all the hormones lost. Long term HRT exposes women to increased cancer risks. For women who retain their ovaries, ovaraian failure occurs about 20% of the time post hyst. Either due to the loss of the shared blood flow or because of some other unknown reason. According to a recent Rand report, hysterectomy is not recommended for benign conditions. The preponderance of data showed that the negative long term consequences of hysterectomy outweighed it's benefits. You can go to these websites for more info. http://www.hystersisters.com/ (Hyster Sisters) http://www.ccon.com/hers/ HERS-Hysterectomy Education and Research Services. They provide physician referrals, counseling and educational materials to help women save their uteruses and to help women deal with the consequences of hysterectomy. http://www.angelfire.com/fl/endohystnhrt (Hysterectomy awareness) I urge you to read, " The Ultimate Rape " by Plourde. http://www.newvoice.net/why.html It contains extensively researched information on hormones and hysterectomy. She wrote the book after her total hysterectomy and her long search to be well again. You might also want to check out these books on Natural hormone replacement. Standard HRT contains compounds that are chemically different than human hormones resulting in it's many side effects and cancer risk. NHRT uses hormones that exactly match human hormones. Drug companies have little interest in the naturals, because they are not patentable and thus not profitable. NHRT is more extensively used in Europe. These books give information on finding an experienced NHRT doctor. One of the natural estrogens that you might be able to use is estriol. It is the weakest to the three major estrogens your ovaries produce. It tends to have a tumor growth inhibiting effect. You could consult with a NHRT experinced doc on this. " Natural Woman, Natural Menopause " Marcus Laux, Conrad; Paperback; @ $11.70 each from amazon.com " Natural Hormone Replacement For Women Over 45 " V. , Morgenthaler (Contributor); Paperback; @ $8.95 each from amazon.com You might like to check out this page. It discusses plant based phytoestrogens for preventing bone loss. http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-085.shtml This page compares plant phytoestrogens and HRT. http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-133.shtml Why not consider going off the HRT and increasing your load bearing exercise and adding plant phytoestrogens to your diet? Why not go off the HRT and have your hormones tested to see if you really need additional estrogen? My mother has fairly high estrogen even though she is 74. She had fibroids in her 40's and after menopause they shrunk up and have never caused her problems since. Dr. Lee contends that it is progesterone that prevents bone loss over our lifetimes, not estrogen. Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2001 Report Share Posted April 27, 2001 > I am 56 years old in the middle of menopause and on HRT and just > diagnosed with a 6 cm fibroid. My doctor gave me two choices - do > nothing or hysterectomy. Will getting off HRT help shrink the > fibroids? I have some discomfort now- slight lower back pain, > painful; intercourse, which is manageable. HRT also causes breast > pain, too, and is another reason I'd like to quit. > I am very active and have no osteoporosis in my background and > generally live a healthy life style. Any advice would be welcome. > Thanks. Why did your doctor put you on HRT? Generally having fibroids is a contra-indication for HRT post menopause because, yes, it does cause the fibroids to grow, sometimes rapidly. So unless there was some really compelling reason to be taking them, you probably shouldn't. Stopping the hormones almost always makes the growth stop and most of the time they shrink so that would be my first option. At 6cm it's not too big yet so unless it's causing unmanageable problems, I wouldn't rush to a hysterectomy until you've given it some time off the hormones because it is very likely to shrink and resolve your symptoms. Good luck, DeAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Thank you all for responding. It's great to know I am not alone and the information coming in is phenomenal. I have decided to stop all HRT. I was also taking and have stopped Glucosamine (off the shelf Schiff). Maybe there is a link there, too, for fibroids. Has anyone heard? My doctor did admit that he stops HRT when fibroids grow. I've decided not to wait for more growth and stop HRT now. I'm 56 years old and hope shrinkage will happen soon. Pain is very manageable, I've increased weight bearing activities and bicycle over 50 miles per week. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again. Leesburg, VA At 09:50 PM 4/27/01, you wrote: >Avionics and , > >I too have been on HRT for the last 4 years. I had terrible >menopausal symptoms, including 30 days of migraines before starting >them. It took several years to get the dosage right. Now along comes >horrible lower back pain, shooting pain, bleeding, clots all the >goodies with fibroids. With all I read estrogen is thought to be the >link to the growth of them, yet here I was taking these pills every >day. I learned early on that if I went cold turkey my body went it to >free fall and I had terrible symptoms. So I didn't dare go off of >them totally. I'm in that wait and see mode, hoping mine will shrink >since I'm 47 years old. >So after consulting with my nurse and pharmacist we are trying to >bring down my dosage. I'm taking my stronger pills ever other day >until I run out and a lower dose on the other day. So far so good. >Then I will try and bring it down lower. There is no guarantee that >going off of them will cause them to shrink. But in the long run it >is much easier on you than a hysterectomy. And as for your doctor >giving you only two choices, I'd move on to another doctor. Keep >reading the posts on this list and you will understand just how many >doctors some have to go through to get one to listen to them. Even at >your age why take out everything because of fibroids if there are >other things to try first? > >Best of luck, > >Pams > > > > > >attention: avionics > >I had the same identical situation! I continued HRT for 5 years > >more and fibroid grew from 6 cm to 10 cm - I stopped a month back > >and am > >waiting for it to shrink - I have short warm spells at night but > >otherwise no hot flashes > > > >avionics wrote: > > > >> I am 56 years old in the middle of menopause and on HRT and just > diagnosed > >> with a 6 cm fibroid. My doctor gave me two choices - do nothing or > >> hysterectomy. Will getting off HRT help shrink the fibroids? I have > some > >> discomfort now- slight lower back pain, painful; intercourse, which is > >> manageable. HRT also causes breast pain, too, and is another reason I'd > >> like to quit. > >> I am very active and have no osteoporosis in my background and > generally > > > live a healthy life style. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks. > >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Thank you all for responding. It's great to know I am not alone and the information coming in is phenomenal. I have decided to stop all HRT. I was also taking and have stopped Glucosamine (off the shelf Schiff). Maybe there is a link there, too, for fibroids. Has anyone heard? My doctor did admit that he stops HRT when fibroids grow. I've decided not to wait for more growth and stop HRT now. I'm 56 years old and hope shrinkage will happen soon. Pain is very manageable, I've increased weight bearing activities and bicycle over 50 miles per week. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again. Leesburg, VA At 09:50 PM 4/27/01, you wrote: >Avionics and , > >I too have been on HRT for the last 4 years. I had terrible >menopausal symptoms, including 30 days of migraines before starting >them. It took several years to get the dosage right. Now along comes >horrible lower back pain, shooting pain, bleeding, clots all the >goodies with fibroids. With all I read estrogen is thought to be the >link to the growth of them, yet here I was taking these pills every >day. I learned early on that if I went cold turkey my body went it to >free fall and I had terrible symptoms. So I didn't dare go off of >them totally. I'm in that wait and see mode, hoping mine will shrink >since I'm 47 years old. >So after consulting with my nurse and pharmacist we are trying to >bring down my dosage. I'm taking my stronger pills ever other day >until I run out and a lower dose on the other day. So far so good. >Then I will try and bring it down lower. There is no guarantee that >going off of them will cause them to shrink. But in the long run it >is much easier on you than a hysterectomy. And as for your doctor >giving you only two choices, I'd move on to another doctor. Keep >reading the posts on this list and you will understand just how many >doctors some have to go through to get one to listen to them. Even at >your age why take out everything because of fibroids if there are >other things to try first? > >Best of luck, > >Pams > > > > > >attention: avionics > >I had the same identical situation! I continued HRT for 5 years > >more and fibroid grew from 6 cm to 10 cm - I stopped a month back > >and am > >waiting for it to shrink - I have short warm spells at night but > >otherwise no hot flashes > > > >avionics wrote: > > > >> I am 56 years old in the middle of menopause and on HRT and just > diagnosed > >> with a 6 cm fibroid. My doctor gave me two choices - do nothing or > >> hysterectomy. Will getting off HRT help shrink the fibroids? I have > some > >> discomfort now- slight lower back pain, painful; intercourse, which is > >> manageable. HRT also causes breast pain, too, and is another reason I'd > >> like to quit. > >> I am very active and have no osteoporosis in my background and > generally > > > live a healthy life style. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks. > >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Thank you all for responding. It's great to know I am not alone and the information coming in is phenomenal. I have decided to stop all HRT. I was also taking and have stopped Glucosamine (off the shelf Schiff). Maybe there is a link there, too, for fibroids. Has anyone heard? My doctor did admit that he stops HRT when fibroids grow. I've decided not to wait for more growth and stop HRT now. I'm 56 years old and hope shrinkage will happen soon. Pain is very manageable, I've increased weight bearing activities and bicycle over 50 miles per week. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again. Leesburg, VA At 09:50 PM 4/27/01, you wrote: >Avionics and , > >I too have been on HRT for the last 4 years. I had terrible >menopausal symptoms, including 30 days of migraines before starting >them. It took several years to get the dosage right. Now along comes >horrible lower back pain, shooting pain, bleeding, clots all the >goodies with fibroids. With all I read estrogen is thought to be the >link to the growth of them, yet here I was taking these pills every >day. I learned early on that if I went cold turkey my body went it to >free fall and I had terrible symptoms. So I didn't dare go off of >them totally. I'm in that wait and see mode, hoping mine will shrink >since I'm 47 years old. >So after consulting with my nurse and pharmacist we are trying to >bring down my dosage. I'm taking my stronger pills ever other day >until I run out and a lower dose on the other day. So far so good. >Then I will try and bring it down lower. There is no guarantee that >going off of them will cause them to shrink. But in the long run it >is much easier on you than a hysterectomy. And as for your doctor >giving you only two choices, I'd move on to another doctor. Keep >reading the posts on this list and you will understand just how many >doctors some have to go through to get one to listen to them. Even at >your age why take out everything because of fibroids if there are >other things to try first? > >Best of luck, > >Pams > > > > > >attention: avionics > >I had the same identical situation! I continued HRT for 5 years > >more and fibroid grew from 6 cm to 10 cm - I stopped a month back > >and am > >waiting for it to shrink - I have short warm spells at night but > >otherwise no hot flashes > > > >avionics wrote: > > > >> I am 56 years old in the middle of menopause and on HRT and just > diagnosed > >> with a 6 cm fibroid. My doctor gave me two choices - do nothing or > >> hysterectomy. Will getting off HRT help shrink the fibroids? I have > some > >> discomfort now- slight lower back pain, painful; intercourse, which is > >> manageable. HRT also causes breast pain, too, and is another reason I'd > >> like to quit. > >> I am very active and have no osteoporosis in my background and > generally > > > live a healthy life style. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks. > >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Dear , Since my last post to you, I have read a really good book that you might be interested in. It is: " Hormonal Health " by Dr. Colgan In it he discusses the finer points of hormone replacement and imbalance and their effect on the rest of the body's metabolism and hormone system. He talks about maintaining bone density and advocates only adding hormones that are needed based on blood tests. He talks about the disruptive effects on the body of the cookie cutter, one HRT pill for everyone has on women and shows how it throws the system out of balance. He also discusses the effects of various fairly common medications on hormone health. There is a chapter on suplements and foods that enhance homone health. As a side issue, he cites studies that found that the uterus regulates women's immune systems keeping it strong by it's production of all sorts of prostaglandins. One prostaglandin, prostacyclin, inhibits blood platelets from clumping protecting women from cardiovascular disease. He also says that the uterus regulates ovarian function via these prostaglandins and if you loose your uterus but save your ovaries, You will still have lost much of your ovarian function. The result is that hysterectomy increases risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 500%. He also cites the loss of memory, intellegence, increased risk of alzheimers, osteoporosis, and rapid skin, hair, eye, and mucus membrane aging as a consequence of hysterectomy. Another thing that he mentioned is that women having severe menopausal symptoms and other hormone related symptoms should have their thyroid function checked to make sure that is not contributing to their problems. Tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Tish: Thanks so much for this valuable information. It's making my decisions easier. At 01:24 PM 4/30/01, you wrote: >Dear , >Since my last post to you, I have read a really good book that you >might be interested in. It is: > > " Hormonal Health " by Dr. Colgan > >In it he discusses the finer points of hormone replacement and >imbalance and their effect on the rest of the body's metabolism and >hormone system. He talks about maintaining bone density and advocates >only adding hormones that are needed based on blood tests. He talks >about the disruptive effects on the body of the cookie cutter, one >HRT pill for everyone has on women and shows how it throws the system >out of balance. He also discusses the effects of various fairly >common medications on hormone health. There is a chapter on >suplements and foods that enhance homone health. > >As a side issue, he cites studies that found that the uterus >regulates women's immune systems keeping it strong by it's production >of all sorts of prostaglandins. One prostaglandin, prostacyclin, >inhibits blood platelets from clumping protecting women from >cardiovascular disease. > >He also says that the uterus regulates ovarian function via these >prostaglandins and if you loose your uterus but save your ovaries, >You will still have lost much of your ovarian function. The result is >that hysterectomy increases risk of cardiovascular disease by up to >500%. > >He also cites the loss of memory, intellegence, increased risk of >alzheimers, osteoporosis, and rapid skin, hair, eye, and mucus >membrane aging as a consequence of hysterectomy. > >Another thing that he mentioned is that women having severe >menopausal symptoms and other hormone related symptoms should have >their thyroid function checked to make sure that is not contributing >to their problems. > >Tish > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Tish: Thanks so much for this valuable information. It's making my decisions easier. At 01:24 PM 4/30/01, you wrote: >Dear , >Since my last post to you, I have read a really good book that you >might be interested in. It is: > > " Hormonal Health " by Dr. Colgan > >In it he discusses the finer points of hormone replacement and >imbalance and their effect on the rest of the body's metabolism and >hormone system. He talks about maintaining bone density and advocates >only adding hormones that are needed based on blood tests. He talks >about the disruptive effects on the body of the cookie cutter, one >HRT pill for everyone has on women and shows how it throws the system >out of balance. He also discusses the effects of various fairly >common medications on hormone health. There is a chapter on >suplements and foods that enhance homone health. > >As a side issue, he cites studies that found that the uterus >regulates women's immune systems keeping it strong by it's production >of all sorts of prostaglandins. One prostaglandin, prostacyclin, >inhibits blood platelets from clumping protecting women from >cardiovascular disease. > >He also says that the uterus regulates ovarian function via these >prostaglandins and if you loose your uterus but save your ovaries, >You will still have lost much of your ovarian function. The result is >that hysterectomy increases risk of cardiovascular disease by up to >500%. > >He also cites the loss of memory, intellegence, increased risk of >alzheimers, osteoporosis, and rapid skin, hair, eye, and mucus >membrane aging as a consequence of hysterectomy. > >Another thing that he mentioned is that women having severe >menopausal symptoms and other hormone related symptoms should have >their thyroid function checked to make sure that is not contributing >to their problems. > >Tish > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 Tish: Thanks so much for this valuable information. It's making my decisions easier. At 01:24 PM 4/30/01, you wrote: >Dear , >Since my last post to you, I have read a really good book that you >might be interested in. It is: > > " Hormonal Health " by Dr. Colgan > >In it he discusses the finer points of hormone replacement and >imbalance and their effect on the rest of the body's metabolism and >hormone system. He talks about maintaining bone density and advocates >only adding hormones that are needed based on blood tests. He talks >about the disruptive effects on the body of the cookie cutter, one >HRT pill for everyone has on women and shows how it throws the system >out of balance. He also discusses the effects of various fairly >common medications on hormone health. There is a chapter on >suplements and foods that enhance homone health. > >As a side issue, he cites studies that found that the uterus >regulates women's immune systems keeping it strong by it's production >of all sorts of prostaglandins. One prostaglandin, prostacyclin, >inhibits blood platelets from clumping protecting women from >cardiovascular disease. > >He also says that the uterus regulates ovarian function via these >prostaglandins and if you loose your uterus but save your ovaries, >You will still have lost much of your ovarian function. The result is >that hysterectomy increases risk of cardiovascular disease by up to >500%. > >He also cites the loss of memory, intellegence, increased risk of >alzheimers, osteoporosis, and rapid skin, hair, eye, and mucus >membrane aging as a consequence of hysterectomy. > >Another thing that he mentioned is that women having severe >menopausal symptoms and other hormone related symptoms should have >their thyroid function checked to make sure that is not contributing >to their problems. > >Tish > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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