Hello,

I am a 53 years old woman. It's almost one year I am taking hormone therapy for menopause. Ten days ago I decided to follow the Zone programme; as a result I have already lost 1000 gramss and I feel a lot better!

But now, I would like to ask a question: have I to go on taking hormones or not?
Here in Belgium, where I live, nobody seems to know the Zone diet, so, what can I say to my physician in case I want to try to stop taking hormones?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Whether you should go off hormones, I do not know, but I have heard the following:

to go off hormones you must take the number of years you have been on them, in your case one, and take that many months to go off them, again one. Meaning for one month reduce the amount you're taking day by day or week by week. Ask your doctor to help you go off hormones.
The hormonal balance of the zone diet may not relate to the hormones you speak of.

Understanding there are many types of hormones, that hormonal balance is the goal, and that synthetic hormones are deemed by many to be dangerous ...understanding these things is important.

When you learn about which hormones are involved in the menopause process and what their functions are beyond the reproductive system, you may question whther the hormones you are on are the right hormones. They may be the right or the wrong ones. Here I'm supposed to say "ask your doctor", but I am more inclined to say "take responsibility for your own health and learn enough to make you own decisions about whether your doctor's advice is on cue".

My older sister and I both had the same gynocologist. She started the change at age 39 and he put her on Premarin. I had, for the first time in my life, very erratic cycles at age 39, but he said I was too young to consider it might be the change. Actually, some sources say there is strong likelihood that family members will begin the change at similar ages.

My choripractor noticed changes in my health and sent me for blood tests to check my hormones --wouldn't you think my gyno would have thought of that? I went and blood tests showed that the change had begun. My Chiro loaned a book to me about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). After reading the book, I chose to avoid the use of synthetic hormones, I use a creme derived from natural sources and my change was completed without much incident or discomfort within about 8 years. My older sister continued use of Premerin, and is now also on Prozac, for clinical depression, has had a hip replacement and has also had some sort of immune problem with her eyes. I don't know if the eye problem is related to the Premerin or not, but I believe the depression is related. My sister is a short three years older than I and most of our lives, she has been more active and slimmer.

Today, I'm 53 and continue use of the creme, which does not require a prescription, to protect bone density and preserve skin tone. The one symtom I still have from the time my 'change' began is, I still have a considerable weight gain. My daughter told me about The Zone and what made the most sense to me was the relationship of inflamation to the hormonal imbalance.

Good luck!

Where do you get this creme, and what is it made of, if you happen to know?

Thanks!

Alexy

Another question. Would the zone diet plus fish oil substitute for hormonal therapy, like the creme? Anyone know?

Alexy

Hi Alexy!

You can read more about the topic in the Anti-Aging Zone. I can tell you that I sailed through peri-menopause and menopause hardly noticing a thing. I’ve never had a real hot flash in my life. I had been in the Zone for about 8 or 9 years prior to the actual onset of menopause, and I attribute my years of insulin control and inflammation control to the relatively easy time I had. For my entire life prior to the Zone, I'd had yucky PMS, and irregular periods with a lot of negative symptoms (severe cramping, pain, nausea, fatigue, almost passing out many times, etc.) By 6 months after I began the Zone (I was then about your age\ now), my periods had become regular almost to the hour, and I was suddenly symptom free for the first time in my life. It remained this way, for another 8 years, very regular and symptom free, until the last period I ever had. No question it was due to the Zone.

Hi Sue,

I think I have that book somewhere around here, I'll dig it up. It's been a while.

But, your story is very inspiring ... it's great to know that the zone diet can actually control perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

Those are VERY BAD symptoms you were suffering from. My sister fainted one time in high school from the severity of her periods. Must have been hell for you. Luckily the zone diet rescued you from those symptoms!!

I have reasonably regular periods, but I'm having brownish bleeding at the start and end of the period, which my assorted doctors told me is "just old blood," however I wonder about the implications of having old blood ... would the zone diet help with that too?

Most importantly, though, a big reason I'm trying to zone full-time is to be able to sleep more deeply at nighttime. I can go for a long time without more than 5 hours of sleep, and it affects my productivity.

Alexy

Just to double-check. You never had to take anything to help you manage the hormones as you underwent the changes, right?

Alexy

Hi Alexy!

No, I've never taken anything for it unless you count fish oil, and I've always taken a very low dose.

Hi Sue,

Thanks, it sounded like it initially.

I read the parts of the Anti-Aging Zone book on menopause. It's interesting. Seems like even though the estrogen et al decline once one starts menopause (and men have their own version of menopause too, by the way!), it's how the different sex hormones relate to each other--the ratio or their levels to each other--that really matter. Because estrogen and another hormone (can't spell it--prostrerine?) must balance each other out, basically; too much estrogen compared with progresterine will lead to breast cancer, etc. (Estrogen is responsible for breast tissue proliferation, so too much estrogen will cause too many cells to grow in the breast.

Barry's saying to start with the zone diet first, get insulin under control, then the absolute minimum amount of NATURAL hormone supplements as necessary.

It's an interesting read ...

Alexy

You're welcome Alexy!

I have already tried to go to different doctors and my opinion is that medicine is still far behind here in Belgium. I’ve asked my physician how to stop the hormonal treatment and he answered to me just to stop it. Moreover, I have some vein problems at my left leg and I asked him to prescribe some blood tests for me. He has not even included a prothrombin test in the prescription. Could you please explain to me how can I gradually stop the hormone therapy?
Thank you for your help.

Hi Francia!

We wouldn't be able to give you that kind of advice because we are not doctors. It's always best to work with your own doctor regarding decisions about prescriptions.

Hi Francia,

It might be helpful for you to read up on menopause, etc., in the Anti-Aging Zone book. There's one chapter on estrogen.

It might give you ideas for the next few steps to take ... perhaps you could share with your doctor if you think s/he might be receptive to this type of new information? Also, can you find another doctor there that might be more familiar with this type of information?

Alexy

Francia, all I can contribute is that you would taper it off, you would not stop the treatment abruptly. You should probably get some guidance from your doctor on how to wean off.

Hello,

I am very confused!
Some weeks ago I went to a new doctor. He suggested to me to stop with the hormones and start with Bio-Climal (Cimicifuga racemosa L.)and Estro-Fyt soy isoflavones). As soon as I finished a blister of Femoston, I started with the new treatment. But after 3 days I felt so badly (flushes of warmth, swollen face and eyes, sweating, etc)that I had to take Femoston again.
Last Friday I went to a new gynegologue. She told me that Femoston is a good remedy. When I told her about my fears, she prescribed to me another hormonal treatment: Estrogel 0,06% (a transdermic gel containig natural estrogen) and Utrogestan (micronized progesterone) 100 mg. When I asked to her about soy isoflavones and how to take them, I had the feeling she did not anything at all about them.

Now, here is my question: what do you think about all this? What is the best choice not to have health problems? But I would also like to stop the time for a little while and still feel young and attractive. Maybe I am a little depressed.....

Thank you in advance for your help.
Francia

Hi Francia!

"Now, here is my question: what do you think about all this? What is the best choice not to have health problems? But I would also like to stop the time for a little while and still feel young and attractive."

The Zone diet and fish oil has done all of that for me.

Francia,

Sorry, but we can't really give you any medical advice.

It is my opinion that the best way to go is without hormonal therapy, but that is a personal choice that we all make when it comes time.