Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book : Making Informed Choices About Menopause

by Susan M. Love, Karen Lindsey

"We're the baby boomers," writes renowned women's health advocate Dr. Susan Love. "We wanted to change the world in the sixties. During the sexual revolution we claimed the right to enjoy our bodies. We wanted more knowledge about how our bodies worked. We read books about menstruation and childbirth. Now we're approaching menopause, and we want to decide for ourselves how we'll experience this process as well. But how do we do that? We're faced with all kinds of options, and with them all kinds of questions."

With Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book , Dr. Love will help you decide for yourself how you want to move through this stage of life. Here's the information you really want to know to answer your most pressing


You've been having symptoms -- hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings. What are your options for coping with them?

You've read in the newspapers that after menopause women are in danger of heart disease or osteoporosis, and you don't want to wind up like that hunched-up elderly woman you saw in the supermarket checkout line. How likely is it?

Your doctor thinks taking hormone replacement therapy might be the answer, but you're not How does it work? What can and can't it do? Is it safe?

Your mother sailed through menopause and your symptoms don't bother you. Do you need to do anything at all?

You've had breast cancer or heart disease. What choices will work for you?

You don't like the idea of medication. Are there any life-style changes or alternative approaches worth exploring?


With clarity and compassion, Dr. Love will help you sort through the answers to these and other confusing questions. She emphasizes that menopause is not a disease that needs to be cured; it's a natural life stage. She tells you what you need to know about coping with symptoms and addressing concerns about osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and more. And she walks you through every option for the short and long lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and stress management), alternatives (including herbs and homeopathic remedies), other medications, and a thorough discussion of the pros and cons of hormones. An in-depth questionnaire on your personal health risks and lifestyle preferences will help you put it all together to make choices to fit your unique needs--choices Dr. Love encourages you to reconsider as your life situation changes. Also included are guidelines for finding the right health care professional, a resource guide of helpful books, newsletters, and organizations, and more.

You know your body better than any doctor, and you're in the best position to assess your individual needs, risks, and lifestyle choices and to decide how you want to more through menopause. With Dr. Love's authoritative, comprehensive new book, you'll have the information you need to make the decisions that work best for you.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Kathrynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource book that needs to be updated because more studies have come out--and the author refers to anticipating the analysis in 2006 from a Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study that was going on during the time this book was written.

I found the book to be well laid out, some humor, and very frank to all sides of HRT. I liked that! The author used a "tell like it is" approach and didn't try to sway--in any way. She presented the facts and encouraged women to be more informed of their options and take responsibility of their health, if they so desired. For some, she says, it is perfectly fine to go to the doctor, get prescriptions for various pills and move along. If that's what works for you, go for it. For others, we want to know why we "need" this or that. Some women do not "need" anything to help ease the transition between perimenopause and menopause, others feel so lost they need help.

The author stresses--many times--the importance of only taking HRTs for 3 to 5 years. None of the HRT methods were designed for long-term use and THAT isn't natural. The body continues to produce estrogen after menopause and will regulate itself after things settle down. Taking HRTs (FDA approved, herbal or bioidentical) is a personal choice and only an individual can decide what is best for them.

Chapter 15 gets down to the nitty gritty of HRTs. I liked that the author lumped herbs, FDA approved, and bioidentical (none FDA approved) HRTs all in the DRUG chapter. They are all drugs. She breaks down each method and what can be used to treat particular symptoms. She is clear that at the time of this writing we need more data on the bioidentical HRTs. She is also clear that we have data--numerous--on FDA approved HRTs and we do know that while they help one thing they harm something else. Fact.

The author explains how we still don't fully understand how our bodies react to hormones. For a hormone to work it needs a receptor to get into the cell. This receptor acts like a lock and the hormone is the key that fits it and opens the door. What we learned is that not all women react the same to the same key. And--OMGoodness--some hormones fit a receptor without opening the lock--they block it and stop the hormone from getting in.

On page 286, the author explains Tamoxifen which is used to treat breast cancer. Tamoxifen does work to block estrogen to the breast, acts like estrogen for the uterus, bones and liver, BUT it also CAUSES uterine cancer. Fact.

RU486 blocks progesterone to the uterus.

That's how some FDA approved HRTs are being labeled as SELECTIVE Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs). What may help with one or more part of our bodies, may actually harm another and the medical community is not sure why. We have learned that the receptor in the uterus is different from the receptor in the breast. Fact. Hence taking a one size fits all estrogen pill may not be the best choice for all.

Premarin (FDA approved estrogen):
- The pharmaceutical companies label it as "natural." It's natural for a pregnant horse, but not natural for human female. BIG difference.

- The pharmaceutical companies take this "natural" hormone and remix it with other man-made products to put it in pill form that has to be a much higher dose of estrogen than what our bodies need, but because we take the pill form the liver will process out (hopefully) a lot of it and then (in theory) release only what our bodies need. (But one one body needs, someone else may not? This is a one-size fits all approach)

- Can it damage the liver. Yes. Fact.

- Page 290, most of the studies on estrogen have been on Premarin, BUT Premarin and women with hysterectomies. OMGoodness!

- What has been learned about Premarin is: (all facts)
a) decreases bone loss and fractures
b) reduces hot flashes
c) helps women sleep
d) increases the risk for breast cancer
e) definitely increases the risk of endometrial cancer and heart disease

Ouch!

- Page 291, Premarin consists of three major components:
1. estrone sulfate (the majority of the product is this--about 50/60%)
- This hormone is found in both humans and horses.

2. equilin sulfate (20/30%)
- found in horses only

3. alpha dihydroequilin sulfate (15%)
- found in horses only

We know the levels of equilin estrogens in Premarin are many times higher than our bodies' need, but the pharmaceutical companies have not released information on it's affects. They tested it and continue testing it, but have kept the information to themselves. We do know, they are continuing to figure out how to lower the dosage.

**We only "need" the smallest amount that will work for us.** Some women are different and the one-size fits all approach needs to STOP. Premarin mfgs are attempting to offer various dosages...

If that doesn't get your attention, let me share something that got me all bent out of shape about Premarin.

- Page 291, Premarin comes from pregnant horses that are kept in small stalls where they are deprived water (because we need them to pee in higher concentrated levels), have bags hooked to them to catch their urine, cannot lie down, do not get exercised and often given the bare minimum to sustain life until they are no longer useful then sold off to slaughter. Also, their foals, if mares, are then used for the same purpose.

No. Thank. You.

While the final verdict may be out for the long-term bioidential hormones and it's affects the more length of time that goes by we are learning they are:
a) Safer
b) More natural to our bodies
c) Individualized
d) Not harming a living creature to get it

If having options that are not FDA approved when what is FDA approved has proven to be so harmful, then I'm not too thrilled with the FDA and it's approval means little to This Reader.

I'm glad I read this book and will refer back to it for it's data and numerous sources in the rather extensive appendix.

[Shirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup--it's time to read it. A girl going through puberty and a mom going through menopause at the same time in the same house! Contrary to the hype, it's not bad at all. We have a lot in common--"mirror images", as Susan Love says.

I have now finished reading parts and skimming other parts of this book. There is enough biological information to satisfy most lay people. I really like that Dr. Love discusses the whole range of options in preventing and treating the symptoms of menopause--lifestyle choices, natural remedies, meditation, massage, homeopathic medications, Chinese and Indian medicine, and traditional western medicine.

There is a rating scale for getting a rough estimate of your risk for things like breast cancer, osteoporosis, etc.--I'm pretty confused by this scale. You get risk points for exercising! I'm sure there is an explanation for this, but I haven't taken the time to look it up.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 1997; I'm sure it's been extensively updated since then. My 1997 review: A must-read book about menopause. Very common-sense and well-written. She focuses on the way the drug companies and doctors are promoting the idea that menopause is a disease and must be treated with hormones. She says it's a natural process and shouldn't pose major problems to most women. Goes into osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancers; also into lifestyle changes, alternative therapies, and medical options.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say that menopause sucks. But there are things you can do to make it more bearable and this book really goes in depth about those options. It also gives you lots of medical info to help with your decisions. Extremely helpful!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reference book--lots to learn. I'd be willing to loan it out!