Estrogen and progesterone (two of the hormones used in some forms of HRT) may increase a woman's risk for developing breast cancer. Patients should be aware that these hormones affect many tissues in the body and therefore before a patient considers HRT, it is prudent to discuss all the risks, benefits, and limitations of pursuing HRT with a medical doctor.

Don't wait if you are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance. In general, hormones begin to decline after the mid-20s and hormonal imbalance symptoms are frequently present by the mid-30s. A good time to start replacing hormones is between 35 and 40.

Several studies show there is no harm in taking contraceptive pills continuously. The pills thin the endometrium (the inside layer of the uterus), so there is no area from which to bleed. Taking the pill continuously is perfectly safe and does not affect a woman’s ability to have children when she stops the pill.

For over a decade, Women to Women has been cautioning women about the risks of synthetic HRT. We believe it should be a last resort, not a first choice. In general, we recommend that everyone first try a natural approach such as the Personal Program. Weaning off HRT should be gradual, however - NOT "cold turkey." We include detailed instructions in your New Member package. You may also be interested in our Library article on what to expect when you're stopping HRT.

Restoring hormone balance will not only greatly improve your vigor and vitality, but also your interest in sex.

During menopause, a woman's body significantly reduces the production of estrogen. This decrease in estrogen may cause hot flashes, bone loss, vaginal dryness, and mood swings. To lessen the side effects, doctors may prescribe HRT. Recent use of combination hormone replacement therapy has been shown to increase breast cancer risk, with higher risk associated with longer use.

Hormone replacement therapy, commonly known as HRT, is the standard pharmaceutical treatment for menopausal symptoms. It is usually made up of two kinds of hormones — oestrogens and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone). Levels of these hormones fall after menopause, and hormone replacement therapy helps relieve symptoms and has some long-term health benefits, such as osteoporosis prevention.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is replacing hormones–usually estrogen and progesterone–which a woman’s body once made in sufficient amounts, but because of age or medical reasons, is no longer able to produce. Replacing these hormones back to physiological levels can restore normal hormonal cycles. By doing this, women will not only begin to feel younger and more vivacious, but will also reduce their risks of cardiovascular problems and osteroporosis.

Many women now taking estrogen or estrogen combined with progestins are able to discontinue their HRT. Please consult with a medical professional before doing so. It is possible that if adequate natural progesterone levels were present, any needed estrogen could be made from it. Because progesterone sensitizes estrogen receptors, it makes sense to supplement with progesterone rather than estrogen.

No. The results of conclusive research prove that hormone replacement therapy is not safe. The use of synthetic estrogen and progestin is linked to increased risks of heart disease, breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer, strokes and blood clots. Women should thoroughly investigate these risks and discuss all concerns with her physician before deciding to use a synthetic hormone replacement therapy.

For years, women going through menopause have been prescribed hormones to reduce hot flashes, vaginal dryness and other perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. In many cases women continued to take the hormone supplements for the rest of their lives in the belief they also reduced the risk of heart disease. A recent large scale study (11,000 plus women) showed dangerous side effects for a significant percentage of the women in the study.

No. Hormonal treatment for breast cancer is used to block the effect of estrogen or reduce estrogen levels. The goal is to keep estrogen from reaching cancer cells. Hormone replacement therapy (also called HRT), however, supplies estrogen to women to help with the symptoms of menopause. You should not take HRT if you have breast cancer.

Hormone Replacement Therapy can be a lifetime commitment. Most studies have been done involving a minimum of six months therapy. Many have been and are conducted over longer periods of time. Benefits gained from HRT will gradually diminish if the therapy program is not continued. Many individuals on HRT obtain excellent results with a rotating or cyclical protocol of six months on HRT and four to eight weeks off. - (1*, 2*)

ANSWER: The core of the program is using bio-identical or natural hormones. “Hormone replacements” used in HRT are synthetic chemical drugs that have hormone-like effects but have different molecular structures and thus are foreign to your body. Traditional HRT that you might have been on in the past is full of nasty and dangerous side effects and may have actually worsened your condition.

One of the most difficult decisions for menopausal women is to decide whether or not hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is for them. To help you decide, check off all of the descriptions that apply to you, and take this with you when you visit your physician. Numerous factors, such as medical history and behavioral and environmental health risks, can play a part in reproductive health for both women and men. Fertility specialist, Dr.

Until fairly recently, women of menopausal age were advised to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy: a combination of estrogen and synthetic progesterone) or, if they had had a hysterectomy, ERT (estrogen therapy). Both were considered useful to relieve hot flashes and to reduce the risks of a number of diseases, including heart disease and Alzheimer's.

Many women worry about using HRT and that is especially true for DES Daughters who have already been exposed to unnatural levels of estrogen. Given recent findings that HRT use carries greater risks than benefits, DES Action discourages its use for DES Daughters. Provocative animal research indicates third generation mice (offspring of DES Daughter mice) exposed to DES have a higher rate of reproductive organ tumors later in life.

Hormones are chemical messengers that control bodily functions. Aging depletes the body's hormonal levels. We measure a patient's level of hormones and prescribe balanced hormone replacement to restore hormone levels to where they were in the patient's early 30s. In many cases, this can be done naturally with secretogogues, which release the hormones already made by the body.

Hormone replacement therapy carries an increase risk of breast cancer with risk increasing with the duration of treatment. Short periods of HRT for relief of menopausal symptoms increase risk only slightly and the increase reverses after HRT is stopped.

The risks are increased incidence of breast cancer and uterine cancer while using estrogen. However, when estrogen and progesterone are administered together and in the correct doses, the risk of cancer of the uterus or endometrium is reduced.

As previously stated, Hormone Replacement Therapy is used to restore your hormone levels to their optimum youthful levels. You need a blood test to determine your existing hormone levels, to see whether or not you qualify for HRT and what your replacement dosages should be. Since most of the hormones used in HRT are dispensed by prescription only, you cannot obtain them without a physician's prescription.

If you are taking Premarin, Provera, or Prempro, the drugs used in the Women's Health Initiative Study that has been so widely publicized in the last year, the answer is YES! Does that mean you should stop other hormone replacement regimes? NO! It means you should switch to non-oral human estradiol and human progesterone in a cream, gel, patch, or pellet form and monitor "free" estradiol and progesterone levels in the blood to assure correct dosage.

Puberty is a particularly sensitive time for the developing young adult, their families and community. Here is information designed to make the transition smooth for all involved. Before you agree to an operation you need to ask some questions. Find out if surgery is really necessary and learn about the risks, benefits, and any alternative treatments.

It is very common to gain some weight when starting BCPs. Some of the weight is bloating (3-5 lbs.) and some is hormonal (3-5 lbs.) The bloating will resolve over two to three months. There is no evidence to suggest weight gain occurs on HRT. Many women believe they do gain weight. This weight gain is more likely related to a changes in diet, activity, or simply the reduced caloric needs of the menopausal woman.

Menopause is a natural occurrence in a woman's reproductive life. So why not treat it in a natural way? Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the standard treatment for menopause among healthcare providers; however there remains considerable controversy about the benefits and risks associated with standard HRT drugs. For the past several decades, conventional medicine has treated hot flashes and other menopausal discomforts with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).