Newson Health and the menopause industry

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8e5y4e83lo

Keeping an eye on this. Newson makes an awful lot of money out of HRT.

I mean, that's pretty useless without the type and duration of exercise

And so what are those other tools? That's not being talked about enough.

This 100%. There is no one size fits all, as this proves - Newson wanted to have us believe there was and her voice has dominated the space too much. I have found Mindy Pelz and Tania Elfersy more helpful for me personally, but I don't think for a moment that their advice would suit everyone.

It is, granted, but search her other posts for "dementia" and there's lots of other links.

Search for things like "resistance exercise and cognition" esp in "the elderly" and there's a wealth of studies there.

The one I've linked to below that one explains more.

Liz was a consultant breast surgeon.

I take Anastrazole for bc. I suffer with joint pain as a result which is likely to be due to low oestrogen since that’s what Anastrazole does.
However, after some research I discovered that low oestrogen causes water retention in the joint capsule, a study in Scandinavia used diuretics to treat this side effect. I take a diuretic and an antihistamine which make a huge difference.

I have found that post menopause a lot of symptoms have disappeared. The insomnia disappeared overnight once I stopped the HRT. I get the odd hot flushes but usually within an hour of taking my Anastrazole at night. I haven’t had problems with vaginal atrophy but I do use hyaluronic based gel, I can’t use hormone based one.

My bone density is normal, it generally decreases quite quickly in the first two years post menopause but then levels off. Mine has dropped since taking Anastrazole, which was predicted, but it was +1 pretreatment so I had plenty to spare.

HRT has been found to improve bone density by 1-2% so not exactly brilliant. What we should be doing is targeting women from late teens to mid thirties with the osteoporosis message. Bone density is at its optimum during this period of life and weight bearing exercise at this time will have the maximum benefit.

Well theres evidence of both, Im not saying one thing or the other

I also forgot my thinning hair and poor eyesight, that has plummeted like a stone

The thing is, all these 'age related' issues for many of us were overnight so didnt creep up as such. So very much linked to hormonal changes which of course I cant evidence because you'd have to have blood tests virtually every day to check that.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#long-term-benefits-and-risks-of-hormone-replacement-therapy

Just saw this on X and thought it may be of use.

@WarriorN I think you've touched on an important point about osteoporosis and dementia but really we cannot 'prevent' these things, only delay them. The human condition is to wither and die, and most of us will die of one disease or another. Modern medicine influences what disease that will be, but of course luck (genes + environment) is a big factor.

It is worth trying to delay disease (Chris Whitty has spoken about this - this will give you greater years in better health) but there will be a trade-off between diseases. Therefore a decision to take HRT, like any other medicine, is a risk-benefit analysis. What women lack is an environment to make that decision free of 'sway'/culture/peer pressure/ideology but with plenty of high quality information.

What we should be doing is targeting women from late teens to mid thirties with the osteoporosis message. Bone density is at its optimum during this period of life and weight bearing exercise at this time will have the maximum benefit.

100%. We aren't being radical enough. Women need more education about their bodies.

I came off it overnight and straight onto anastrazole. I was fine, a few hot flushes, but I was totally distracted by bc treatment. The symptoms reassured me that my oestrogen levels were no longer likely to kill me.
My mood levelled rapidly and I haven’t looked back.
I can’t say the same about radio though. That kicked the life out of me for months.

Totally agree - I wish Kirsty Wark would investigate that.

Glad you're ok on that @Angrymum22.

Radio floored me and I felt a total wus as so many people seemed fine with it. But everyone is different

This explains why I got an email today from the Womans Hormone Clinic who I had a consultation with a couple of years ago. Trying to reassure clients of their model of work and prescribing methods.

Also just to add, I read that lots of physios recommend collagen for bone protection

The only evidence Newson quotes re dementia is not high quality or conclusive.
Dementia is more common in older women because women live longer.

I had high dose over 5 days rather than older method of low dose over 3 weeks. I think a lot of women on the high dose suffer post radio fatigue.
Hope you are well too. I have my 3yr scan next week so reliving the magic again. Hoping for NED because my younger sister has just been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer so really don’t need my own little drama again.

Re breast cancer risks, have a look at

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/WHC-Infographics-JANUARY-2023-BreastCancerRisks.pdf

Worth remembering that although bc risk higher with dual HRT, mortality isn't increased. The way it was explained to me us that it us likely early bcs were already present and HRT promoted earlier/more rapid growth so they became apparent sooner but don't contribute to earlier mortality. Hope that makes sense.

Yes the risk is high and doubled by being overweight, bmi over 30 in those over 50 doubles the risk, this risk is much higher than that of combined hrt. The key thing is that there is a spectrum. Doctors who know little, doctors who know a lot. Some may be private some may not. It’s just such a shame it’s a lottery and like the weight loss jabs access to better health choices and options is squarely with the better well off. I am glad she has been curtailed, her appraisal of evidence that weakly supported or was of poor quality is not ok, but good menopause treatment IS available, if women would like to try it. As the BMS says, it should be individualised to you.

Just adding my experience of LN. Had a consultation a few years ago. No blood tests, didn’t take my blood pressure even. Just asked about my symptoms and dished out the gel with (what felt like) a hint of impatience at my questions and worries. As someone else said, it was not a warm experience - I was left feeling slightly uncomfortable. Makes sense reading this.

HRT and dementia risk is not straightforward. Certainly not enough evidence to say it helps, and some evidence suggests it increases risk. So HRT not licensed for dementia prevention.

www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/additional-treatments-for-dementia-risk/hormones

This with bells on!

Stop fucking fobbing women off!

Why isn’t is made much clearer that obesity increases breast cancer risk? I don’t think most women know this .

I discovered that less food in day time, a physical job in well aired room, green views out of the window, tons of coffee, few bites of food later on and sweet drinks make me alive

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/WHC-Infographics-JANUARY-2023-BreastCancerRisks.pdf

And drinking. And smoking.

I think risks of drinking and smoking are well known.

And this is why it took me 2 years of feeling desperate and overwhelmed - and stepping down from a management job because I could not cope any more - to get HRT. IME menopause symptoms are massively under treated and women are fobbed off.