Are You Having HRT Side Effects?

The side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fall into two categories. First are the immediate side effects, such as headaches, nausea and vomiting and many others. Not all women will experience such side effects, and generally speaking these side effects resolve themselves once 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 cases are lethal. We'll start by answering the question "What is hormone replacement therapy?" Then we'll look at the advantages of bioidentical hormones, and finally at the side effects and risks associated with hormone replacement therapy.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

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

For a long time, doctor's thought that HRT was a cure all. Then some major studies, particularly the Women's Health Initiative revealed the risks associated with HRT. But before looking at the risks of HRT, let's make sure 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 same hormones that our body makes. So its not replacing apples with apples. It's more like replacing apples with watermelons, and that's the main reason for the risks associated with HRT.

The economics of bioidentical hormones

Why doesn't modern 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 money in it.

Pharmaceutical companies can only patent what they invent in a laboratory. They are not able to patent what Nature makes. And its only through holding a patent on a drug that they can mark up the price enough to make a good profit.

(The mark up on drugs like Premarin and Prempro is very high, with mark up on many 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. Price variations for Prempro are $5.75/28 in Europe, $14.33/28 in Canada and $31.09/28 in the United States). These price variations begin to reveal the profit margins pharmaceutical companies have with these drugs. They are really a cash cow for these companies.

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

Why bother with bioidentical hormones? Wouldn't they have the same 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. While most women are already aware of the risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, it may be helpful to look at the issue quickly.

Risks of HRT

Many studies have underscored the risks of HRT. The biggest is The Women's Health Initiative. The study followed 160,000 women between 1993 and 1998. It compared the health of women on different combinations of HRT with women who were not.

The study reported that the women on HRT had greater risk for a variety of health problems. The study showed that the women 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 Health Initiative showed that not only did it increase the risk of breast cancer, but that the type of breast cancer was 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

While the press has spoken more about the risks of HRT recently, one doesn't hear much about side effects. Shorter term complaints or side effects that women 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 very rosy picture. The majority of women 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 rich foods.