The treatment of menopause is not limited to hormone therapy. A well-balanced, low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, adequate weight bearing exercise, 1,200 milligrams of calcium with 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D a day are currently recommended. If you have underlying heart disease, consult your physician before taking calcium. Many physicians recommend estrogen as well, because it relieves menopausal symptoms and decreases the risk of osteoporosis. However, if you decide to initiate hormonal therapy, it is best to do this early in menopause. Some providers even recommend starting treatment in the perimenopausal years with low dose birth control pills. The latest data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study indicate that if estrogen is started at 59 years of age or less, and there is no underlying heart disease, there is not an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There is also a small decrease in the risk of colon cancer and macular degeneration of the eye with estrogen therapy. On the downside, estrogen increases slightly the risk of blood clots, and women who already have underlying heart disease are placed at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, especially during their first year of estrogen use. While many physicians had previously recommended hormone therapy as a means of protecting women against cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association now recommends that estrogen not be used for this purpose. In addition, there is a slight risk of gall bladder disease in women who take estrogen.
The greatest concern of estrogen therapy is related to breast cancer. Some experts feel there is an increased risk, and others feel there is no increased risk among women who take estrogen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a summary of several studies in which they found no increased risk in the first five years of estrogen therapy, but a 30-percent increase after 15 years. This risk of breast cancer appears to begin after 4 to 5 years of consecutive use. Interestingly, women who develop breast cancer while on estrogen have a lower risk of dying from their cancer than women who develop breast cancer when not on estrogen.
The WHI study, was a large study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, that demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer among menopausal women after four consecutive years of estrogen plus progesterone use. While the increased risk was statistically significant, the increased number of breast cancer cases was rather small. For menopausal women who undertook no hormone therapy the risk of developing breast cancer was 30 out of 10,000. For menopausal women who took estrogen plus progesterone daily for a year, the risk of developing breast cancer increased to only 38 women out of 10,000. Thus, continuous estrogen plus progesterone hormone therapy resulted in a 0.08% annual increased risk of breast cancer.
Many now believe that it is the combined use of estrogen and progesterone that increases the risk of breast cancer rather than the use of estrogen alone. Among women in the WHI study who took estrogen alone there was not an increased risk of breast cancer. However, estrogen alone increases the risk of endometrial cancer. Unless a woman has had a hysterectomy, it is recommended that she take progesterone to counteract the effects of estrogen on the lining of the uterus. With the addition of progesterone, the risk of endometrial cancer is greatly decreased.
For most women, the benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks, considering the relief of menopausal discomfort as well as the complications following hip or spinal compression fractures, especially after 65 years of age. Research shows that, on average, women taking estrogen live longer and healthier lives than women who don’t take estrogen replacement. Like any medical therapy, hormone replacement must be customized to the individual woman. Hormone therapy is not a “one size fits all” formula. The risks and benefits, as well as the dosage and duration of treatment, must be discussed with your physician. Because each woman is unique, there are several methods of hormone therapy options available. Estrogen can be taken in pill form, delivered transdermally (across the skin) via a patch or cutaneous gel, cream, or mist, or administered by using a vaginal ring (Femring¬Æ). The skin patch allows the estrogen into the body without passing through the liver to be metabolized, as is the case when it is taken orally. This is especially beneficial for women who have liver disease or who cannot tolerate oral medications due to gastroesophageal reflux. Some women don’t like patches because they can loosen with sweating or bathing, and because some patients develop a skin rash. Other methods of providing estrogen without it being metabolized by the liver are injections or pellets that can be implanted under the skin.
Estrogen and progesterone can be taken together daily in a single pill, or combined in a patch or cream. With this combination, most women eventually stop having periods. Unfortunately, some women have continuous spotting for a number of months before their periods stop completely. Estrogen and progesterone can also be administered cyclically: The estrogen is taken daily, either in pill, patch, cream, gel or mist, and the progesterone is taken for 12 days a month. With this regimen, most women will have periods. When menses become very light, conversion to daily estrogen and progesterone usually results in no periods.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer in a primary relative (mother or sister), you may want to consider the benefits and risks of hormone therapy more carefully. There does not appear to be a significant increased risk of breast cancer above the general population with a diagnosis in a secondary relative (aunt, cousin, or grandmother). On the other hand, if you have a family history of osteoporosis, hormone therapy should be strongly considered. However, women who already have heart disease are not good candidates to start estrogen. It is recommended that women take the lowest dose of hormonal medication that will relieve symptoms, so the dose should be progressively decreased to find this level. In some situations, you may want to talk with your medical care provider about weaning off hormone therapy after five years of use.
Because the rate of bone loss is greatest during the early years of menopause, women who choose hormone therapy should begin early. In any event, be sure to discuss all the ramifications and the potential risks and benefits with your health-care provider. A woman’s ovaries also naturally produce testosterone. After menopause, this hormone (which affects energy and the sex drive) can fall. Blood tests can be performed to see if replacement is needed.
Some women prefer “natural methods” of hormone delivery, using botanical or other homeopathic preparations. Although these forms of medication can relieve the symptoms of menopause, they are not as closely scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their potency and effectiveness can vary widely. There is little documentation of the effectiveness of these preparations on the risk of heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, colon cancer, macular degeneration, or Alzheimer’s disease.
The decision about whether to undergo hormone therapy (and if so, in what form) should be determined after a discussion with your health care provider—and prayer with the Master Physician.
Other Medications
For women who cannot take estrogen or who do not wish to take estrogen, there are now other medications that can be utilized to maintain or improve bone density. New drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as raloxifene and tamoxifen, can block the effect of estrogen on breast tissue and mimic estrogen’s beneficial effects in other body systems. The benefits may include a decrease in osteoporosis and cholesterol. Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness are not relieved however.
Raloxifene (sold under the trade name Evista®) does lower cholesterol levels and appears to have some effect in preventing osteoporosis. Raloxifene may be beneficial for women who fear estrogen or who have breast cancer and need osteoporosis prevention. In the properly screened women, these medications offer many benefits. However, there are some potential side effects associated with SERMs to consider. For example, there is an increased risk of blood clots (thrombosis) with raloxifene, and if a woman is going to be inactive she should discontinue taking it. Additionally, tamoxifen can stimulate abnormal changes in the endometrium; thus if there is any abnormal bleeding it must be evaluated by a physician.
For women with elevated total cholesterol and LDL, a class of drugs called statins may be used. For those with osteoporosis or osteopenia (a condition in which bone mineral density is lower than normal but not low enough to be defined as osteoporosis) another class of drugs known as bisphosphonates may be used. Bisphosphonates decrease the loss of calcium from the bone and slow or prevent deterioration of the bone architecture. Commonly prescribed bisphosphonates include Fosamax® (alendronate), Boniva® (ibandronate), and Actonel® (risedronate), as well as the injectable drug Reclast® (zoledronic acid). Another drug, Prolia® (denosumab), which inhibits the formation of cells that break down bone, may also be used to treat osteoporosis.
Treatment: Benefits and Risks
The treatment of menopause is not limited to hormone therapy. A well-balanced, low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, adequate weight bearing exercise, 1,200 milligrams of calcium with 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D a day are currently recommended. If you have underlying heart disease, consult your physician before taking calcium. Many physicians recommend estrogen as well, because it relieves menopausal symptoms and decreases the risk of osteoporosis. However, if you decide to initiate hormonal therapy, it is best to do this early in menopause. Some providers even recommend starting treatment in the perimenopausal years with low dose birth control pills. The latest data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study indicate that if estrogen is started at 59 years of age or less, and there is no underlying heart disease, there is not an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There is also a small decrease in the risk of colon cancer and macular degeneration of the eye with estrogen therapy. On the downside, estrogen increases slightly the risk of blood clots, and women who already have underlying heart disease are placed at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, especially during their first year of estrogen use. While many physicians had previously recommended hormone therapy as a means of protecting women against cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association now recommends that estrogen not be used for this purpose. In addition, there is a slight risk of gall bladder disease in women who take estrogen.
The greatest concern of estrogen therapy is related to breast cancer. Some experts feel there is an increased risk, and others feel there is no increased risk among women who take estrogen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a summary of several studies in which they found no increased risk in the first five years of estrogen therapy, but a 30-percent increase after 15 years. This risk of breast cancer appears to begin after 4 to 5 years of consecutive use. Interestingly, women who develop breast cancer while on estrogen have a lower risk of dying from their cancer than women who develop breast cancer when not on estrogen.
The WHI study, was a large study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, that demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer among menopausal women after four consecutive years of estrogen plus progesterone use. While the increased risk was statistically significant, the increased number of breast cancer cases was rather small. For menopausal women who undertook no hormone therapy the risk of developing breast cancer was 30 out of 10,000. For menopausal women who took estrogen plus progesterone daily for a year, the risk of developing breast cancer increased to only 38 women out of 10,000. Thus, continuous estrogen plus progesterone hormone therapy resulted in a 0.08% annual increased risk of breast cancer.
Many now believe that it is the combined use of estrogen and progesterone that increases the risk of breast cancer rather than the use of estrogen alone. Among women in the WHI study who took estrogen alone there was not an increased risk of breast cancer. However, estrogen alone increases the risk of endometrial cancer. Unless a woman has had a hysterectomy, it is recommended that she take progesterone to counteract the effects of estrogen on the lining of the uterus. With the addition of progesterone, the risk of endometrial cancer is greatly decreased.
For most women, the benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks, considering the relief of menopausal discomfort as well as the complications following hip or spinal compression fractures, especially after 65 years of age. Research shows that, on average, women taking estrogen live longer and healthier lives than women who don’t take estrogen replacement. Like any medical therapy, hormone replacement must be customized to the individual woman. Hormone therapy is not a “one size fits all” formula. The risks and benefits, as well as the dosage and duration of treatment, must be discussed with your physician. Because each woman is unique, there are several methods of hormone therapy options available. Estrogen can be taken in pill form, delivered transdermally (across the skin) via a patch or cutaneous gel, cream, or mist, or administered by using a vaginal ring (Femring¬Æ). The skin patch allows the estrogen into the body without passing through the liver to be metabolized, as is the case when it is taken orally. This is especially beneficial for women who have liver disease or who cannot tolerate oral medications due to gastroesophageal reflux. Some women don’t like patches because they can loosen with sweating or bathing, and because some patients develop a skin rash. Other methods of providing estrogen without it being metabolized by the liver are injections or pellets that can be implanted under the skin.
Estrogen and progesterone can be taken together daily in a single pill, or combined in a patch or cream. With this combination, most women eventually stop having periods. Unfortunately, some women have continuous spotting for a number of months before their periods stop completely. Estrogen and progesterone can also be administered cyclically: The estrogen is taken daily, either in pill, patch, cream, gel or mist, and the progesterone is taken for 12 days a month. With this regimen, most women will have periods. When menses become very light, conversion to daily estrogen and progesterone usually results in no periods.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer in a primary relative (mother or sister), you may want to consider the benefits and risks of hormone therapy more carefully. There does not appear to be a significant increased risk of breast cancer above the general population with a diagnosis in a secondary relative (aunt, cousin, or grandmother). On the other hand, if you have a family history of osteoporosis, hormone therapy should be strongly considered. However, women who already have heart disease are not good candidates to start estrogen. It is recommended that women take the lowest dose of hormonal medication that will relieve symptoms, so the dose should be progressively decreased to find this level. In some situations, you may want to talk with your medical care provider about weaning off hormone therapy after five years of use.
Because the rate of bone loss is greatest during the early years of menopause, women who choose hormone therapy should begin early. In any event, be sure to discuss all the ramifications and the potential risks and benefits with your health-care provider. A woman’s ovaries also naturally produce testosterone. After menopause, this hormone (which affects energy and the sex drive) can fall. Blood tests can be performed to see if replacement is needed.
Living With Menopause
Menopause does not have to be an unwelcome intrusion into your life. The following suggestions can help minimize the impact of menopause:
- Stay informed, follow a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly.
- Keep your mind engaged by interacting with others, reading, and studying.
- Spend time with God in Bible study, prayer and meditation and reach out to others with visits, letters and prayers.
- Take the vitamins and minerals you need and consider hormonal therapy.
In addition, be sure to schedule the following:
- Regular physical examinations and cervical cancer screening. Guidelines by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state that women should have a wellness visit with their health care professional every year. Women between 30 and 65 years of age should have a Pap test along with an HPV test every five years to check for cervical cancer. Alternatively, they can have just a Pap test every three years. Women who are older than 65 years of age do not need to be screened for cervical cancer if they do not have a history of moderate or severe dysplasia (noncancerous but abnormal cervical cells) or cancer and they have had either three negative Pap tests results in a row or two negative Pap/HPV test results in a row within the past ten years, with the most recent test performed within the past five years.
- A mammogram and clinical breast exam every year after age 40 and a monthly breast self-examination. In 2009 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released guidelines calling for women without increased risk of breast cancer to undergo mammogram screening starting at age 50, and to have them done every other year. However, other professional organizations including the American Cancer Society do not agree with these guidelines and continue to recommend yearly mammograms starting at age 40.
- A test for blood in the stool every year and beginning at age 50, a colonoscopy every 5 to 10 years (more frequently if polyps in the colon have previously been detected or a strong family history of colon cancer exists).
- A check of cholesterol and lipids every one to two years and thyroid function every five years.
Some doctors recommend an ultrasound scan of the pelvis to evaluate the ovaries every one to two years. Beginning at age 65, a bone mineral density (BMD) measurement of the spine and hip is recommended. BMD screening should begin at 50 to 55 if the woman has any of the following risk factors:
- a strong family history of osteoporosis
- steroid use
- smoking
- alcohol use (more than two drinks per day)
- rheumatoid arthritis
- bone fracture unrelated to a trauma
- is menopausal and not taking hormonal therapy
This is especially useful when women are trying to decide if they will take hormones. There is much confusion about menopause and the perimenopause, and the lay literature is saturated with poorly reported information or misinformation. Hormone therapy in not a “one size fits all” for women in menopause. Thus, it is important to share your questions and concerns with your health-care provider and construct a plan that is customized to your needs.
Helpful Tips
Consider these recommendations if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Hot flashes – dress in layers, keep a fan close by, and drink plenty of fluids
- Vaginal dryness – use a vaginal moisturizer; use a water-soluble gel with intercourse; consider vaginal estrogen
- Problems sleeping – remain physically active; avoid caffeine or stimulants in the evening; avoid large meals; avoid napping during the day; try to go to bed near the same time each day
- Forgetfulness – stay active; get adequate sleep; participate in mind-stimulating mental tasks and games
Remember that these can be the best years of your life, the years of a beautiful, mature woman. To paraphrase Proverbs 20:29: “The glory of the young is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” Remember also at this glorious time of life the scriptural admonition to care for yourself. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (I Cor. 6:19-20).
For additional information, you may wish to visit the following websites. Please note that our referral to these websites does not necessarily imply any endorsement by Focus on the Family, nor do we intend to suggest that information found online be used as a substitute for the advice or services of a qualified health care professional.
“Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy” (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/women/index.htm)
“Menopause” (www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/WomensHealthTopics/ucm117978.htm)
