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Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Menopause and Midlife Health
The end of your menstrual cycle is a natural time of transition, and may bring on side effects like hot flashes, insomnia, or mood changes. In addition to finding solutions to these side effects, midlife is an important time to focus on total health, an active lifestyle, and regular health screenings.
Pros And Cons Of Hormone Therapy: Findings From The Women’s Health Initiative Study
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)
For almost 40 years hormone therapy was the treatment recommended for most women with symptoms of menopause. But in the 1990s, the findings of a major government-sponsored study called the Women’s Health Initiative changed the direction of treatment.
Results of the WHI study showed that long-term use of hormone therapy poses serious risks and may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The WHI study continues to be a major influence as women try to decide whether hormone therapy could help them, and if its benefits outweigh its risks.
History of hormone therapy
Drugs for hormone therapy became available in the 1950s. A number of studies had shown that hormones prevented major medical conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis. Hormone therapy was promoted as a way for women to maintain their youth and vitality, and a way to relieve minor symptoms of aging and menopause, including hot flashes, difficulty with intercourse because of lack of lubrication, moodiness, skin sagging, and urinary incontinence.
Studies from the 1960s to the early 1990s continued to support the use of hormone therapy. However, along with the positive study results, some researchers questioned the quality of the studies that found that hormone therapy had mainly positive effects. They asked questions like:
- Does hormone therapy increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer?
- Could different types of hormones or different combinations of hormones have different risks?
- Do hormones really prevent dementia?
- Can some of the symptoms of menopause and aging be treated with complementary and alternative treatments?
The WHI Study began in 1991
In a major effort to answer questions about health and hormones for postmenopausal women, the National Institutes of Health began a large, long-term study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The study investigated the most common causes of death, disability, frailty, and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women.
Begun in 1991, the WHI was a 15-year, multi-million dollar endeavor with over 100,000 initial participants. It was one of the largest U.S. disease prevention studies of its kind.
Results of the WHI study
In July 2002, results from the WHI study showed that long-term use of hormone therapy poses serious risks and may increase a woman’s risk of heart attack and stroke. It is important to note that the WHI study participants were an average of 63 years old and 15 years beyond menopause.
Participants in the WHI study used specific hormone products at set doses. Most women now on hormone therapy are taking lower doses and/or different products. And despite some claims to the contrary, no specific product (plant-based or synthetic) has been proven to be safer than another.
Ongoing studies
Scientists continue to analyze and release data from these studies. These findings are only one piece of a complex, still incomplete puzzle and cannot be considered in isolation. New WHI data for women age 50 to 59 appears to break down like this:
Women who took only estrogen or both estrogen and progesterone showed:
- No increased risk of stroke or death from all causes for women 50 to 59.
- No increased risk of coronary heart disease and possibly even a slightly decreased risk.
Women who took only estrogen following a hysterectomy showed:
- No increased risk of breast cancer after 7 years of follow-up, with a possible decreased risk.
- A decreased risk of coronary artery calcification (a condition associated with heart disease) if they started therapy 10 years after menopause or earlier.
Women who took both estrogen and progesterone showed:
- A small increased risk of breast cancer beginning after 3 to 5 years of hormone use, which appeared to rise over time.
- An increased risk of developing denser breast tissue, which makes mammograms more difficult to read and leads to more breast biopsies.
There were many studies nested within the overall Women’s Health Initiative. Get more information on the study.
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.