Let’s Start The Conversation...
Preventing Menopause
For ourselves… for our daughters… for our granddaughters
Let’s start by learning
how to work with your doctor who wants to treat ovarian failure (menopause) effectively This may not be easy because many doctors were trained that hypogonadism (the medical term for menopause) should only be treated in younger women. By definition, hypogonadism is not normal during the entire adult life span. If you wish to seek treatment for hypogonadism (menopause) and your doctor agrees with you that effective treatment of hypogonadism (menopause) should be an option for you, then this is a conversation you want to start.
Effective treatment of ovarian failure (menopause) begins with Ovarian Replacement Therapy (ORT)
The goal of ORT is to regain the health benefits that were lost when the ovaries failed or were removed (menopause). What you are trying to do with ORT is enjoy the health benefits you enjoyed before ovarian failure occurred. Your goals with ORT would then include reduced risk of breast cancer, osteoporosis, maintaining cognitive functioning and very
importantly maintain sexual response. The purpose of ORT is to replace as closely as possible the hormonal environment that existed before the ovaries failed (menopause). Just like any other treatment for any other organ failure, the goal of ORT is to give back to the body what it no longer produces on its own.
Unlike other forms of replacement
ORT, by definition uses bio-identical hormones, is monitored by blood tests and is physiologic replacement. The primary form of replacement since 1942 has been Premarin™ and since its introduction there has never been a way to test the levels of any of the 17 identified horse estrogens in Premarin™. Furthermore, there has never been any studies to measure how high the levels of these estrogens reach only studies to document that levels can accumulate on a daily basis.
But there are no studies to support the use of ORT
and it is unlikely that any will be developed anytime soon. The National Institutes of
Health (NIH) has never had a clinical trial of Ovarian Replacement Therapy nor are there any current plans to start one. Instead the NIH has primarily tested only Premarin™ which is only loosely based on ovarian function and in no way represents the hormonal environment the ovaries once provided even though it is called HRT. Remember Premarin™ is called HRT because it is easy and sounds good, not because it is.
Your doctor may not want to treat ovarian failure (menopause)
because culturally it is considered normal even though there is not one medical textbook that says hypogonadism is. Culturally, menopause (ovarian failure) is normal, medically it is not.
Is this the right healthcare provider for you?
If you and your healthcare provider agree that your ovaries were more than just reproductive organs and wants to help you by prescribing ORT than this is the first step in getting the healthcare you want and deserve. For more information on ORT see my newsletter, October 2006.