Posts Tagged ‘Provera’
For over 50 years women have been receiving estrogen replacement therapy for treatment during menopause. Researchers looking for the clues to aging have documented the decline of other important hormones as well, though less abrupt and universal than with menopause. In the next few sections we will discuss two such hormones, their effects and the rationale behind their use as anti-aging therapies.
The most common hormone recognized to decline in menopause and the years preceding menopause is estrogen, but in fact the most symptoms that women complain about during their peri-menopausal transition is usually from a lack of progesterone.
Choosing to replace estrogen and progesterone is an important decision for any woman. When to start and which preparations to use are just a few of the questions that women today are asking. In addition, the recent results of the Women’s Health Initiative Trial (WHI) have caused women and doctors some anxiety and concern. Doctors are refusing to start Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) on women experiencing the symptoms of menopause because of this trial, and even worse, many women’s medications have been discontinued even though they have been doing well on these medications for years. Despite headlines critical of HRT, physicians who understand the results of the WHI have spoken out against the generalization of the results to woman considering HRT.
The WHI results only apply to the two drugs that were studied, Premarin and Provera and the majority of the women in the trial were 65 years old and had not been treated for the first 10 to 15 years of their menopause. In addition, patients on HRT previously received a variety of doses, preparation and regimens, often raising their hormone levels to concentrations far in excess of normal physiologic levels and without regular monitoring of levels.
Under the proper direction, these problems that are no longer a mystery and should be of little concern for women seeking help and directions from properly trained age management experts. A good clinician can guide you safely through your transition with little risk and great outcomes for a more youthful aging experience.
About the Author
Dr. Ana M. Hernandez, DO, practicing physician is quick to share the latest medical news with her readers. Read more about reducing your menopausal discomfort and sign up for her medical tid-bits newsbriefs at www.YouthfulAgingCenter.com.
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