“Menopause management is not a one-size-fits-all proposition,” says Christine Stabler, MD, a family practice physician with Lancaster General Hospital Family & Community Medicine. “A woman should meet with her physician and outline her health risks, symptoms and lifestyle. Hormones are not the only solution, but may play a valuable role in symptom management, especially for women who experience menopause at a younger age.”

Close to 10 million women in the United States use HT to counterbalance menopausal side effects such as hot flashes. Combination HT can also help prevent osteoporosis and colon cancer in women over the age of 50, according to the 2002 National Heart Lung & Blood Institute’s Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. However, the same study also links HT to small increases in the risks of developing heart disease, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots. In May 2003, the WHI Memory Study (WHIMS) reported that in women age 65 and older, the combined use of estrogen and progestin can increase the risk of developing dementia.

The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) says that combined estrogen and progestin therapy works well in treating some side effects related to menopause.

However, the agency advises women to talk to their doctors about whether the combination therapy is the most appropriate choice for treating their concerns. When the answer is “yes,” women should use the lowest dosage for the shortest amount of time until they reach the desired outcome.

Some women take only estrogen to help manage their transition through menopause. The WHI study on this therapy is continuing until 2005, when the results will be released.

While medical therapies and hormones can help women cope with menopause, there are other ways women can successfully manage this important change.

For women interested in learning more about preparing for and managing menopause, Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital offers individual and group counseling programs, including a Menopause Discussion Group. The discussion group gives women a chance to share information and concerns while they learn about aspects of midlife change. A certified menopause educator leads all the programs.

Recommended Reading:

• Dr. Susan Love’s Menopause & Hormone Book: Making Informed Choices. Susan Love, MD