>Stacie wrote: >I might be missing some key information here, but I think that it is >foolish to advocate HRT for *all* menopausal women in general. I also > >think that it is totally ridiculous that my Mother-I-L's >HRT-advocating >G.P. will NOT authorize a bone density scan (despite >the GYN's repeated >requests) unless my MIL agrees to take HRT. In my >experience, die-hard HRT >pushing practitioners should be avoided. >They are obviosly ill-informed. It seems obvious to me that, in general, 99% of postmenopausal women will benefit from an effective HRT program. I learned long ago that most people are still against HRT - they view it as artificial, unnecessary, and counterproductive. Of course, I should also stipulate that most programs currently being used to treat menopausal women are the wrong types of programs, IMO. In other words, if the majority of physicians are prescribing the wrong hormones, in the wrong dosages, and the wrong frequency of injection, then obviously the patient is going to have problems. Also, many of the more informed docs on HRT are in error of relying too much on the bloodwork rather than believing the patient right in front of them. How the patient feels while on HRT is just as important as the bloodwork. 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. 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. The best docs are the ones who have not only a scientific understanding of HRT (looking at the bloodwork, choosing the right hormone(s), injection frequency, dosage frequency, etc), but also an anecdotal level of understanding. In the trenches of longevity, it is well known that HRT expands not only lifespan, but more importantly the quality of life. Test, progesterone, estrogen, etc should be viewed not as sex hormones, but rather total body hormones. Eventually, all of our bodies reach a point where our hormone production is no longer optimum. Many accept this as normal aging; others desire a higher quality of life and pursue some form of HRT. It may be something as simple as DHEA pills... or it could even extend into injections of hGH, T, and/or nandrolone decanoate. I don't plan on getting into another long post explaining my views on HRT. You can believe HRT is over-rated, but I believe it is a god-send for a healthy, fully functional, long life. I have met dozens of people on HRT, and not one of them hasn't benefited greatly. The exception is those who weren't doing their HRT program correctly. Justin "Each progressive spirit is opposed by a thousand mediocre minds appointed to guard the past." ~Maurice Maeterlinck _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com