PS: Before I tackle this week’s topic, if you have questions about menopause and want a safe and fun environment to learn and ask, then come along to our half day workshop in Alexandra this Saturday! See below for info and tickets:
Without further ado, here’s this week’s newsletter:
One FAQ I get is “What are the risks of taking MHT?”
These days many women are well aware of the benefits of taking MHT.
Making the decision to try MHT, though, is not always straightforward.
I’ve come across women who’ve had their script, patches or tablets at home for a while but been too scared to start it.
These women are lacking in confidence because they’ve not been able to have a thorough conversation about the risks of MHT with their own doctor, and have heard previously about the possibility of having problems like high blood pressure, a heart attack or stroke.
They feel miserable with their menopausal symptoms, but the MHT is left sitting on the bench because they don’t know if it will make a difference for them. Or they are concerned it might make the symptoms worse.
I’ve had women ask me if it will make them put on weight.
Other women have people in their family who have had breast cancer, and they worry that might happen to them too if they take MHT.
I think there are three important strategies to deal with this problem:
Have a clear understanding of the ACTUAL risks of taking MHT.
Many doctors are not up to date on the recent research around MHT risks: there is still information floating around about the Women’s Health Initiative study in 2002 which showed increased rates of breast cancer, heart attack and stroke. Soon after publication, his study was shown to have significant flaws in how it was run, and more recent research has found the original study’s findings were incorrect.
If you want reliable information about the risks, see this Australasian Menopause Society info sheet: https://www.menopause.org.au/images/factsheets/What_is_MHT_and_is_it_safe_V7.pdf
Have a discussion around your own personal risk profile with a trusted professional, based on your medical history. This might include reviewing previous and current medical conditions, and checking your cholesterol levels and blood pressure for example.
Have a discussion around your family medical history and any risks associated with this.
My experience has been that when women have access to good information and accurate data about the risks, personalised to their individual medical and family history, they feel much more relaxed about the decision to take (or not take) MHT.
💡Tip: Remember no one size fits all for MHT….if in doubt, don’t worry in silence, ask for support.
If you want to discuss any concerns about menopause, MHT and health risks, you can contact me via email [email protected] or visit my website at www.liferenomedic.com
Stay happy and healthy!
Erika.
PS: “For the majority of symptomatic women, the benefits of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) outweigh the risks” - Australasian Menopause Society
