16th July 2024
Knowing the history of HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) and why it has a bad reputation is important. I think if women understood it before jumping to conclusions about it then they could possibly improve their own quality of life.
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study was conducted in the 1991.
It was a large-scale study, initially conducted on post-menopausal (this is after they have been through menopause) women to see if HRT could prevent heart disease. The average age was around 63 years old!
In 2002, the study was halted due to safety concerns. The study found a slight increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer in women taking combined HRT (a mix of estrogen and progestin). The exact percentage increase is debated, but estimates suggest it could be around 7-8% increased risk over several years of use, to be clear this is in post-menopausal women.
This was sensationalised in the press with headlines like “HRT causes Breast Cancer” all across the world. This caused everyone to panic, including the GP’s and they pulled everyone off it.
Women were plunged back into night sweats, painful vagina symptoms and deep depression and told to put up with it and it will pass.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where the vast majority of us believe everything we read.
Once you have a belief, it’s very hard to un-learn it.
The whole study was misinterpreted.
There was a placebo group and a group on combined HRT.
The placebo group – 30 women out of 10,000 got breast cancer
The HRT group – 38 women out of 10,000 got breast cancer
The increase in the HRT group of developing breast cancer is 8 women per 10,000. This is still totally relevant BUT other factors were not taken into account. In the HRT group the average age was higher than in the placebo group. The older we get the higher the increase of developing any cancer. Lifestyle wasn’t taken into account either.
1-7 of Australian women will get breast cancer. HRT or not.
The main factors of breast cancer are
Alcohol consumption
Being overweight
Being inactive
Could this increase in number in the HRT be because these factors were not controlled in the study?
To put this into perspective. You have more chance of developing breast cancer drinking a glass of wine each night than taking HRT. You have more chance developing breast cancer being in-active. Yet we are so scared of taking HRT which can actually bring lots of health benefits but not scared of that glass of wine which brings us zero benefits.
Isn’t that crazy! How we have been conditioned to think like this due to clever marketing and scare mongering in the press.
Another thing to note is that we do not use the HRT they used in the study anymore.
If you have had a hysterectomy and are on oestrogen only HRT you have zero increased risk of getting breast cancer, ZERO!!
There is risk with everything we do.
Every time we get on a plane, in a car, smoke a cigarette or just cross the road.
I think perspective is important here.
After doing my research into the side effects of HRT I have figured that the benefits of going on HRT, for me, outweigh the negatives.
Here is why I personally want to go on HRT.
This is what I hope it helps me with
1. My increased anxiety
Including heart palpitations, my mind thinking crazy thoughts, a heaviness on my chest and worrying about things I never ever worried about previously.
2. My strength
In the gym. I feel weaker and I can’t figure out why. Some days I am considerably weaker, it’s new for me. Everything just feels harder.
3. Sleep
I am tired and I shouldn’t be. I am due to have my bloods done which I will do very soon but based on my lifestyle I shouldn’t be this tired. I’m sick of saying I’m tired. I have a good diet, I am active but not to active, I don’t have high stress, I take my supplements. I fall asleep fine but it’s broken and can be very tossy turny.
4. My mood
I do get mild depression days. I have researched that if you do get this and the depression is linked to your cycle and not something else then HRT could help.
5. Bring back my spark
I’m losing it. My zest for life. My optimism. Sometime I just feel lost and could burst out crying. I want my spark back the most.
It’s important for me not to set my expectations to high and expect HRT to change my life. I have heard stories where it has and I’ve heard stores on the contrary. I know it can be a process getting prescribed the right dose and I have to be patient. I know people who felt better after 1 day and others who are still waiting 3 months in.
I have a niggle in my mind wondering if my symptoms are even bad enough, other’s have it so much worse than me. Am I being soft? Am I being dramatic?
So what, I’m doing it!!
Emma x
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