THE SECRETARY REPORTS
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Many women have walked into my clinic seeking advice on whether they should or should not opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). And, those who are already on HRT are not sure whether they should continue or discontinue. Since the headlines hit the news some years back that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer and heart disease, women started to have nagging doubts on their belief in HRT despite
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some having benefited from the efficacy of these drugs for their relief of menopausal symptoms and for prevention of osteoporosis. While the protagonists and the antagonists of HRT dish out conflicting advices based on numerous individual studies, more and more women have turned to natural remedies and alternative therapies. As a medical practitioner myself, while I do believe in HRT, I also respect remedies outside my discipline. There is no denying that there is an increasing public awareness and acceptance of alternative therapies which focus on wellness and natural remedies, which include dietary modifications, vitamins, exercise, and attitudinal adaptation.
If you are one of those women who have reservations about the side-effects of HRT, feel reassured that you do have options. There is a smorgasbord of natural remedies – vitamins, herbs, and foods – that may work to help you counteract, control or alleviate your menopausal symptoms (A word of caution here: always do this in consultation with a qualified practitioner). Unfortunately, there are women for whom supplements, diet, herbs, and exercise do not work for them. If your symptoms are intolerable and interfere with your work, relationships, and enjoyment of life, by all means get medical intervention. With consultation from your doctor or health-care provider, you may elect to have non-hormonal or hormonal therapy. For some women, hormone replacement therapy may be the best choice. Even then, it does not mean that the treatment has to last forever. You take them only as long as necessary.
According to studies done (although the evidence is not conclusive, but it is still a point worth noting), certain personality types actually find it more traumatic to adjust to changes during the menopausal years. Women with a history of emotional problems seemed to have the hardest time. Women with professional interests, intellectual and creative outlets, and challenging responsibilities have an easier time during menopause. It is not clear exactly why this is so, but some theories pose that the latter group of women have less time to focus on their symptoms, are generally more knowledgeable about the physiological details of menopause and about their own bodies, and have higher self-esteem.
Menopause, like menarche (beginning of menstruation), is a natural process. We experience hormonal changes at menopause, just as we did in our adolescence when we first start to menstruate. During these processes, our body undergoes changes. It is only natural that we may have some degree of uneasiness and disequilibrium. This is normal and it will pass. How smoothly a woman adapts to any transition depends largely on her overall health – that of her body, her mind, and her spirit.
Warm regards,
Dr Ho Choon Moy
Honorary Secretary
Malaysian Menopause Society
Berita Menopos - September 2006
