Why Do You Have Uterine Fibroids After Menopause?

Uterine fibroid tumors affect millions of women and in many cases cause symptoms so severe that many will relent and undergo one of the surgical procedures to have them removed.

Most women are told that they can avoid surgery if they are willing to live with the fibroids until they go through menopause. There is a direct relationship between hormones and fibroid growth. Since reproductive hormone levels drop after menopause, this assertion makes sense. Many women do experience diminished symptoms. However, some women do not.

Why is this so? To better understand the condition it is important to recognize the role estrogen plays in the fibroid story. Excessive fibrotic tissue is the result of only two causes: trauma (such as scar tissue build up from an injury) and unopposed estrogen dominance.

This is the all-too-common situation found in most middle aged adults today. High levels of estrogen dominate the receptor sites of cells and do not allow "parking spaces" for other hormones. In men this means a reduction in free testosterone. This can lead to among other things, prostate problems. In women progesterone levels fall off (as well as testosterone too) because the parking spaces are filled by the over abundant level of estrogen. This causes fibrotic diseases such as fibroid tumors and fibrocystic breast disease. Progesterone acts as a natural antagonist to estrogen.

It is true that for post menopausal women, levels of estrogen have dropped. However, the hormone levels are less important than the ratio of estrogen to progesterone. Even if the estrogen level is one third of what it used to be, if the ratio of estrogen to progesterone continues to be out of balance, one can remain estrogen dominant after menopause and continue to grow uterine fibroid tumors and have fibrocystic breasts.

Nature demands that all things remain balanced. The problem is that there are many sources of estrogen in our lives that place us at risk for becoming estrogen dominant. Here are some of the culprits for post-menopausal women with fibroids:

1) Estrogen replacement drugs. Estrogen dominance is also strongly associated with cancer. Most women are warned about the increased risk of breast cancer when they seek estrogen replacement. Estrogen replacement is safe when the bioidentical form of estrogen (estriol) is used in place of the synthetic forms of estrogen found in most pharmaceutical formulations.

2) Estrogen rich foods. The top two foods to avoid are flax and soy products.

3) Corticosteroid medications. These cortisone meds are steroids used as anti-inflammatories, but they play havoc with hormone levels.

4) Herbicides, pesticides, the fumes of auto exhaust as well as many chemical solvents. These compounds are known xenoestrogens. They mimic the activity of natural estrogen.

The best natural treatment approach focuses on addressing both the cause and the symptoms of uterine fibroids. Specific supplements metabolize excess estrogen and potent systemic enzymes lyse away the fibroid tumors -- essentially digesting them.

Since fibroids are composed of fibrin, the same material of scar tissue, taking a professional strength systemic enzyme formula will dissolve the fibroid and remove this tissue altogether over time. When combined with the hormone balancing strategy this protocol offers the most rapid natural approach to defeating uterine fibroids once and for all.

And to learn more and locate the proven products, visit http://www.ShrinkFibroidsFast.com and receive a free 55 min. audio recording. Stuart Spangenberg, LCSW, P.A. is a licensed psychotherapist, wellness coach and host of the weekly radio show, "Solutions to Aging" on http://www.HTHRadio.net.

Hormone Balance Through BHRT After a Hysterectomy

By the age of 60 one out of every three women will have had a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus. Hysterectomy surgery is the number two major surgery for women, second only to a cesarean section. About half of hysterectomies also include removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy).

Ovaries are the "factory" which manufactures the hormones estrogen and progesterone in a woman's body. Removal of the ovaries will result in a sudden drop in estrogen. A hysterectomy, even without removal of the ovaries, can result in a gradual drop in estrogen levels over time leading to the same symptoms, but in a less abrupt manner.

The estrogens (estradiol, estriol and estrone) control the development and release of eggs in the ovaries and are important in maintaining the health of a woman's reproductive system, breasts, skin and brain. An insufficient supply of estrogen in the body can lead to:

o hot flashes

o vaginal dryness

o rapid aging of the skin

o urinary tract problems

o excessive bone loss

o possible acceleration of dementia

Hormone replacement therapy is a method of treatment in which a patient is given hormones to replace hormones missing from a patient's body. For women with symptoms of menopause these may include estrogens, progesterone or progestins, and sometimes testosterone. A popular formulation produced by pharmaceutical companies for a number of years has included a mixture of conjugated horse-derived estrogens with progestins. The horse-derived estrogens are produced from the urine of pregnant horses. The resultant compound is a synthetic estrogen; one which is not bioidentical to human female estrogens.

On the other hand, bioidentical hormones are chemically identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Many professionals in the anti-aging field are convinced that problems with synthetic hormones used in HRT result from a different chemical structure than what is produced naturally in the human body.

For instance, recent studies have indicated that the usual combination of progestins and horse-derived estrogens may contribute to the development of blood clots, may exacerbate problems with the gall bladder or liver, and may increase the risk of breast cancer. The results of one clinical study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2004 found evidence that a conjugated horse-derived estrogen caused clotting, but a bioidentical esterified estrogen did not.

So what is the process involved in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)? First it is necessary to test the patient to determine what the level of various hormones is in the body. For women, tests normally include current levels of:

o total testosterone and free testosterone

o estradiol

o thyroid stimulating hormone

o follicle stimulating hormone level (for women)

A hormone formulation, tailored to the specific patient and his or her individual needs can then be developed. This will include the specific hormones to be provided and the dosage level of each hormone based upon the laboratory analysis, severity of symptoms, age, gender, and body size.

Various hormone replacement methods are available for the delivery of the tailored formulation to the patient. These include:

o pills

o skin patches

o creams

o injections

o pellets inserted under the skin

While any form of BHRT is a step in the right direction when your hormones are imbalanced, certain methods may work better for you than others. Be aware, a woman's hormonal needs can change over time and treatment methods may need to be modified.

Bioidentical hormone pellet therapy is the most advanced and progressive approach to the relief of menopausal symtoms. Pellet therapy offers around-the-clock hormone release based on what each individual body needs. If a woman is exercising and needs more hormones released to work-out optimally, the body has a built-in regulation system that will find them. Similarly, if she is resting, the body will release less hormones into the body. Pellet therapy is as close as it comes to replicating how the body releases it's own hormones.

Hormone pellets are about the size of granules of rice. A minor surgical procedure, which takes only a few minutes, is used to insert the pellets under the skin of the buttocks, hip or bikini area. Only a band-aid is necessary to cover the incision and the hormone replacement pellets last for 3 to 6 months.

The hormone pellet method has several advantages. First, you don't have to remember to do anything - take pills, apply creams or change skin patches. This method is also most efficient in delivering the lowest dose of hormones to your body because it releases only the amount the body needs. Because of this efficient delivery the dosage level required is lower than with other methods. And you can't lose your medicine or forget to take it on a trip, which can cause fluctuations with your hormones.

For patients who prefer a more conventional treatment using pills, the formulations can be made available in this form also. However, these normally must be taken twice a day. They also require higher total dosages and the level of hormones in the blood vary more than using the pellet method.

Creams are also available but have similar disadvantages. They normally have to be applied twice a day. As with pills, creams also require higher dosage levels than pellets and have the added complication of where to apply them relative to clothing contact areas. Like pills they also result in variations in the hormone levels in the blood.

Skin patches have been in use for some time to relieve hot flashes. They have their own particular problems. They sometimes come loose from the skin prematurely, and generally cannot be successfully reapplied to the skin. This can result in a reduced dosage being received. Also, some people find they develop some skin irritation from the patch.

You don't have to simply live and suffer with the symptoms that will develop after menopause or a hysterectomy. There are treatment options available that will relieve your symptoms, improve your health, and greatly improve your quality of life. Find a qualified physician practicing BHRT and discover there really is life beyond a hysterectomy.

Disclaimer: The information provided should not be construed as medical advice but as general information. Anyone interested in BHRT should consult a physician about their specific needs.

Dr. Lucey has been called "The Hormone Wizard" by many because of his uncanny ability to diagnose, analyze and treat hormone imbalances in men and women. Dr. Richard Lucey is a specialist in Family Practice focused on (BHRT) Bioidentical Hormone Replacement therapy. He has been practicing medicine in Pensacola, FL for more than 30 years. Dr. Lucey has been especially devoted to helping women regain their hormonal vigor through hormone replacement therapy. His experience in treating menopausal women has led to his use of natural hormonal replacement therapy for both women and men. He is committed to making this hormone therapy available to every woman and man who wants and needs it. Diplomat American Board of Family Practice 1975- Present Fellow American Academy, Disability Evaluation Physicians Member U.S. Olympic Sports Medicine Society, Member Medical Advisory Board - Retired Boxers Foundation. More information on Hormone Replacement Therapycan be found via http://www.hormonewizard.com