I learned long ago that most >people >are still against HRT - they view it as artificial, unnecessary, and >counterproductive. Of course it is artificial. Would YOU seek to put pregnant mare's urine into your body? Of course, I should also stipulate that most >programs >currently being used to treat menopausal women are the wrong types of >programs, IMO. Absolutely. I think it's important to take that into account when you advocate HRT. > >I find your comment about die-hard HRT pushing practitioners to be >misleading. Most of the docs prescribing hormones aren't "pushing" these >hormones on anyone. To use this type of language is to imply that patients >somehow don't have a choice to use HRT. If you don't like the fact that >longevity enthusiasts are flocking to HRT programs, then that's fine, but >don't start slinging around misleading jargon. I worked for several years as a pharmacy technician, in two different states. I saw too many Rxs for Premarin ("standard" dose, 0.625) which 50 year old women recieved practically as a birthday card from their GYNs. I would say that about 2% of these women were armed with the proper information and warnings regarding HRT...AND many of these women had NO menopause-related complaints prior to being prescribed Premarin anyway. My mother-in-law is one of these women: her doc refused to authorize the bone scan until she agrees to take the Premarin. The doc told her this in those words exactly. I'd call her a pusher, wouldn't you? >Moreover, your comment about physicians advocating HRT as being >ill-informed >is laughable. Your knowledge of HRT is probably 1/10th of the average >hollistic doc writing scripts for hormones. I did not mean to suggest that these docs are ill-informed about HRT studies, etc. I mean to say that most docs are ill-informed about *menopause* as a natural part of a woman's life. Consider women in primitive H/G societies who are not receiving HRT. I recommend Dr. Northrup's books because she takes this into account. I do not dispute the fact that some women feel better on HRT. HRT may be appropriate and beneficial in some cases. I do suggest that anything produced by Wyeth and advocated by it's stock holders holds their pocketbooks in higher regard than our longterm health. (Wyeth is also one of the biggest baby formula manufacturers, consider their marketing strategies.) You do the math, ladies. Stacie _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com