Guest guest Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 I have treated some people with surgery-induced menopause and I have found the herbs to be very effective, particularly when started very soon after the surgery. I don't make a distinction between this type of menopause and any other type such as natural or early menopause but I obviously do treat each patient individually. I advise anyone coming off HRT to do it slowly and to start introducing the herbs beforehand. I frequently use oestrogenic herbs such as Cimicifuga and Dioscorea, 20-30mL per week of Cimicifuga 1:3 and 30mL+ per week of Dioscorea 1:3. I sometimes use Vitex as well, particularly if there are still cyclical symptoms despite the absence of menses. Humulus is very for good sleep disturbance and for calming down LH surges which helps with flushes. I use Salvia for sweating and find that 30-40mL per week of 1:3 works best. Good liver support is essential. Nervines such as Passiflora or also form an integral part of treatment. Diet advice is based on eating foods containing phytoestrogens three times a day and avoiding any heating influences such as coffee, spicy foods etc. In terms of pros and cons of HRT I feel that the cons really outweigh the pros at this stage, particularly since the herbal treatment can be so incredibly effective. There are so many serious health risks associated with HRT, and any benefits (such as decreased risk of osteoporosis or heart disease) are quickly lost once HRT is stopped. Anyway, there are other much safer ways to reduce the risks of osteoporosis and heart disease. Anyone I have encountered who has had HRT has found that it only delayed the symptoms for a few years (often until they were older and less able to cope with them). Most people found that the withdrawal symptoms of HRT were much worse than a natural menopause. Ãine > Dear Niamh, > > Your patient may be taking LIVIAL, an oestrogen gonadomimetic, > generic name Tibolone. I have taken it myself short-term as add-back > therapy when taking Zoladex (GnRH analogue) for endometriosis. > > I'm presuming this patient has already had a hysterectomy, otherwise > it would seem unusual to be taking HRT with her family history of > endometrial cancer. > > But like you I have some of the same questions about how to advise > about dropping HRT in favour of herbal/nutritional regimes. > > best wishes, > Isobel > > best wishes, > Isobel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Re: HRT It's so good to here someone have such justified faith in herbal medicine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Hi Isobels!! Thanks for the information on Livial, will look it up now. That lady still has her uterus... Hi Aine, thanks for the advice and reminder on how well herbs treat menopause. I didn't see one from , although I saw your reply to him, maybe you could post it again . The trouble I am having is that I want to be able to present the facts. If an intelligent woman with such a strong family history of endometrial and breast cancer (who has herself faced skin cancer twice) still chooses HRT despite having no other " troubling " climacteric complaints, then Osteoporosis is clearly an important issue to her. She deserves to make an informed choice. The lady on steroids has come off HRT quite successfully in terms of menopausal symptom control, but she will always be on steroids and if she loses bone it is irreplacable. Osteoporosis is not pleasant. I'm sure her doctors won't be very happy that I've assisted her in this. Does anybody have advice on this please? Even if it's just opinion. Níamh > I have treated some people with surgery-induced menopause and I have > found the herbs to be very effective, particularly when started very > soon after the surgery. I don't make a distinction between this type > of menopause and any other type such as natural or early menopause but > I obviously do treat each patient individually. I advise anyone coming > off HRT to do it slowly and to start introducing the herbs beforehand. > > I frequently use oestrogenic herbs such as Cimicifuga and Dioscorea, > 20-30mL per week of Cimicifuga 1:3 and 30mL+ per week of Dioscorea 1:3. > I sometimes use Vitex as well, particularly if there are still cyclical > symptoms despite the absence of menses. > > Humulus is very for good sleep disturbance and for calming down LH > surges which helps with flushes. I use Salvia for sweating and find > that 30-40mL per week of 1:3 works best. Good liver support is > essential. Nervines such as Passiflora or also form an integral > part of treatment. > > Diet advice is based on eating foods containing phytoestrogens three > times a day and avoiding any heating influences such as coffee, spicy > foods etc. > > In terms of pros and cons of HRT I feel that the cons really outweigh > the pros at this stage, particularly since the herbal treatment can be > so incredibly effective. There are so many serious health risks > associated with HRT, and any benefits (such as decreased risk of > osteoporosis or heart disease) are quickly lost once HRT is stopped. > Anyway, there are other much safer ways to reduce the risks of > osteoporosis and heart disease. > > Anyone I have encountered who has had HRT has found that it only > delayed the symptoms for a few years (often until they were older and > less able to cope with them). Most people found that the withdrawal > symptoms of HRT were much worse than a natural menopause. > > Áine > > > > Dear Niamh, > > > > Your patient may be taking LIVIAL, an oestrogen gonadomimetic, > > generic name Tibolone. I have taken it myself short-term as add- back > > therapy when taking Zoladex (GnRH analogue) for endometriosis. > > > > I'm presuming this patient has already had a hysterectomy, otherwise > > it would seem unusual to be taking HRT with her family history of > > endometrial cancer. > > > > But like you I have some of the same questions about how to advise > > about dropping HRT in favour of herbal/nutritional regimes. > > > > best wishes, > > Isobel > > > > best wishes, > > Isobel > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Hi Isobels!! Thanks for the information on Livial, will look it up now. That lady still has her uterus... Hi Aine, thanks for the advice and reminder on how well herbs treat menopause. I didn't see one from , although I saw your reply to him, maybe you could post it again . The trouble I am having is that I want to be able to present the facts. If an intelligent woman with such a strong family history of endometrial and breast cancer (who has herself faced skin cancer twice) still chooses HRT despite having no other " troubling " climacteric complaints, then Osteoporosis is clearly an important issue to her. She deserves to make an informed choice. The lady on steroids has come off HRT quite successfully in terms of menopausal symptom control, but she will always be on steroids and if she loses bone it is irreplacable. Osteoporosis is not pleasant. I'm sure her doctors won't be very happy that I've assisted her in this. Does anybody have advice on this please? Even if it's just opinion. Níamh > I have treated some people with surgery-induced menopause and I have > found the herbs to be very effective, particularly when started very > soon after the surgery. I don't make a distinction between this type > of menopause and any other type such as natural or early menopause but > I obviously do treat each patient individually. I advise anyone coming > off HRT to do it slowly and to start introducing the herbs beforehand. > > I frequently use oestrogenic herbs such as Cimicifuga and Dioscorea, > 20-30mL per week of Cimicifuga 1:3 and 30mL+ per week of Dioscorea 1:3. > I sometimes use Vitex as well, particularly if there are still cyclical > symptoms despite the absence of menses. > > Humulus is very for good sleep disturbance and for calming down LH > surges which helps with flushes. I use Salvia for sweating and find > that 30-40mL per week of 1:3 works best. Good liver support is > essential. Nervines such as Passiflora or also form an integral > part of treatment. > > Diet advice is based on eating foods containing phytoestrogens three > times a day and avoiding any heating influences such as coffee, spicy > foods etc. > > In terms of pros and cons of HRT I feel that the cons really outweigh > the pros at this stage, particularly since the herbal treatment can be > so incredibly effective. There are so many serious health risks > associated with HRT, and any benefits (such as decreased risk of > osteoporosis or heart disease) are quickly lost once HRT is stopped. > Anyway, there are other much safer ways to reduce the risks of > osteoporosis and heart disease. > > Anyone I have encountered who has had HRT has found that it only > delayed the symptoms for a few years (often until they were older and > less able to cope with them). Most people found that the withdrawal > symptoms of HRT were much worse than a natural menopause. > > Áine > > > > Dear Niamh, > > > > Your patient may be taking LIVIAL, an oestrogen gonadomimetic, > > generic name Tibolone. I have taken it myself short-term as add- back > > therapy when taking Zoladex (GnRH analogue) for endometriosis. > > > > I'm presuming this patient has already had a hysterectomy, otherwise > > it would seem unusual to be taking HRT with her family history of > > endometrial cancer. > > > > But like you I have some of the same questions about how to advise > > about dropping HRT in favour of herbal/nutritional regimes. > > > > best wishes, > > Isobel > > > > best wishes, > > Isobel > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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