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Mon 27 Jun, 2005 06:00 am
A gynecologist I have chosen believes it is fine to continue estrogen replacement throughout life, if there is no evidence of frequent malignancies in close family members/ and especially if the person has had radical hysterectomy- and has no signs of breast lumps or changes.
She believes that if a person suffers a cancer easily, it will come- from one free radical or another, in spite of hormone replacement, and that women who are helped enormously by this hormone should not suffer the effects of total hormone withdrawal because of low risk, for that too... shortens life in ways, and affects quality of life.
(I, personally have more fear of this monitor I am in front of, of the cell phone I sometime use, and the microwave which 'sings' all day long- than I do from hormone replacement. But I wonder if we bundle all these in large packages and merge them with our body, if we are being wise? Oh- for the days when we hollered over the hill... )
How do you ladies feel about this? Will you risk a threat of abnormal tissue cropping up somewhere from hormone therapy?
I used to be all for hormone therapy, I'd think - Whatever keeps me sane.
Then, what was it?...A year or two ago when HRT was re-evaluated, I really became confused and unsure.
On top of that, at that particular time, my periods started being "weird", I got a cyst on an ovary (damn talcum powder) and a new doctor I just started seeing, who hadn't seen my baseline mamogram, didn't like the looks of one of my breasts.
All of this turned out to be nothing - and although non of it was related to hormones - once you pass the mid-forties mark you realize you're not Wonder Woman.
You know lady, you're right - sitting in front of a monitor - cell phones - It all adds up.
At least you're showing concerns about the right things.
I heard or read something once and opened my eyes. If you ask people what they're afraid of, they're apt to say something like "Sharks" - well, stay out of the ocean (which you probably don't even live near) and your problem is solved. Statisically being attacked by a shark is a non issue.
But few of us say - a home intruder, cancer, heart disease - and all of these are to a lesser or greater extent can be controlled by you.
So - bottom line - I don't know what to think........
Medical research advances SO quickly - I guess the best course of action is do take care of ourselves - and keep abreast of the latest information, so if the time comes we need to consider hormones - at least we can make the most intelligent choice for the time.
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