Friday, July 21, 2006

Not so funny...

my girlfriend has just told me her doctor has put her on premarin. She went in because she's been crying, not sleeping well, can't eat and is really hot at night.

Typical western doctor behavior...don't REAAAALY get all the facts. Just assume because she's 44, it's menopause.

Like the time i went to the doctor with a sore throat and he wanted to put me on steroids. STEROIDS! Of course i didn't, took better care of myself and healed. without steroids...

So, if the doctor had asked her qeustions he would have learned that in the last year she lost her husband (divorce), put her dog to sleep (Gabby was only 5 and my friend loves her dog like i do kody), lost her house, lost her job, got in to a heavy duty play about breast cancer, met someone, started a serious relationship immediatly, is now broken up after 6 months and one tattoo later, now lives with her parents....Hmmm...cryyiiing non-stop, can't sleeep or eeeat...must be menopause!

well, i got sidetracked. my point was: Premarin. menopause is a fact but is premarin the only treatment? HELL no! and even if it were, i'd research every thing else and STILL would not consider premarin. There's synthetic hormones, herbs, natural cures, soy, yoga, meditation, etc...with premarin there's uterine cancer, raising cholesterol, blood clots, heart attacks etc...you do the math...

BUT, since i hate working harder, here's more unbelievably horrendous info on the PRODUCTION of Premarin:

http://www.equineadvocates.com/premarin.html
http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/
equine_protection/the_facts_about_premarin.html
http://www.femfatalities.com/Premarin.asp

bottom line: If you're menopausal, pausal, think twice, take care of you AND the animals...now that's a win-win.

15 Comments:

Blogger Valerie said...

I was tested for pre-menopause cuz I have all those symptoms including no period since I was 20. Seems I'm not!

My mommy had hysterictomy before she hit meno. Lucky dog.

4:09 PM  
Blogger Tanya Kristine said...

and those are symptoms of menopause. i didn't mean to insinuate it's not that either. it's just very cause and effecty to me. and to jump right to such a horrific medicine? I hate that.

4:38 PM  
Blogger KleoPatra said...

I know what you mean about this all. So sorry for your friend's anguish. It is amazing how sometimes things just keep happening and all the bad seems like it won't stop. Been there. Thankfully she has you to help her out. Friends make such a difference!!

I am not a fan of meds... premarin is so yucky... but when you are ill, what can you do?

5:00 PM  
Blogger urban vegan said...

"menopausal, pausal." LOL.

You're right. Too many drs are Rx happy. Premarin is made from horse urine--ick. (PREgnant MARes uRINe. Catchy, huh?)

The horses who produce it are kept under horrible conditions. It had all sorts of safety issues. It's associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer, for ex.. Tell your friend to just say NO. (For more info, visit Premarin.org--an org dedicated to the safety of the horses)

6:21 PM  
Blogger jenny said...

I was just speaking about this (sort of) with a friend. Doctors are so quick to prescribe hormones to women for everything from birth control to menopause. I feel like women should be up in arms over the fact that there are not more alternatives to both standard treatments. I mean, seriously, it's 2006 and women have virtually no choice (there are like 3 types of BC pills) of birth control - if there was less complacency over the current offerings, there would defintely be safer and more natural options for women. It makes me so mad!!

9:17 PM  
Blogger Carrieā„¢ said...

My mother's dr. prescribed her premarin years ago. Then she saw a program on CBC showing the horrible way these horses are treated and kept, she stopped right then and there. She told her doctor she wanted something else, preferably plant/herbal based. She went that route with fairly good results.

8:26 AM  
Blogger MeloMeals said...

I can't stand the majority of drs... don't EVEN get me started...
I had to have my ovaries and tubes removed at the age of 23 due to non-cancerous very large tumors.. so it was instant surgical menopause. PURE HELL... I suffered horribly for years, then went on Premarin and it worked so well, but I couldn't deal.. knowing how it was made.. I was also on prescription Progesterone Cream.. (which is awesome.. even the otc stuff is good).. I took myself off of the hormones and chose not to go on anymore prescriptions because NOT ONE DR could tell me what risks there were for long term use.. remember this happened to me at 23. I also still have a uterus, which is not something they're used to. (why didn't your doctor take it all out is the common question).. anyway.. I started learning a lot about nutrition,herbs and food as medicine and I have myself pretty well figured out now. If I don't take care of myself I start having constant hot flashes...

anyway. (Gee, I just told you my life story).. my point being.. Premarin sucks. I hate that I was on it..

10:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was on premarin for a few months because of a situation similar to what Valerie mentioned. Ick. I didn't know anything about it then, of course, but now that I do...ick!

I have never had that experience with a doctor, and I consider myself lucky now. Both of my doctors are very hesitant to prescribe anything. (From what felt like a heart murmur to high cholesterol, I was told to make dietary and lifestyle changes--not given meds). So there are some good ones still out there. Guess you just gotta find them.

Hope things start getting better for your friend. Sometimes things just seem so hard, but they've got to get better.

1:09 PM  
Blogger funwithyourfood said...

what a year for your friend. I hope you were there to give her lots of hugs and advice :(

Teddy

8:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It drives me crazy how no one wants to actually diagnose anymore and they all just want to treat the symptoms instead of (a) the cause or (b) preventing it in the first place. Our medical system is in the toilet.

10:56 PM  
Blogger ads510 said...

right before my wedding, my mom was going through a pretty emotional time, crying a lot, depressed, etc...mostly related to the fact that her baby girl (and only child) was getting married. however, when she went to her doc and told him what was going on, he prescribed prozac and premarin! I told her that this was a pretty crazy hormonal cocktail and that she should not take them...especially when he didn't even really test her for anything. luckily i got her to listen to me, and since the wedding she's been fine!

11:30 AM  
Blogger Dori said...

Wow what a year, poor girl, I am glad she has a friend like you! I'm with everyone else, I think meds are to quick and easy and often without cause.

8:25 PM  
Blogger Tanya Kristine said...

Wow! thanks for everyones input...i'll send this to my friend. she actually, pleasingly so, called her doctor and ordered the synthetic version of premarin. well she loves animals too...

by the way, i'm on medication. it was my last straw. my VERY last straw...and i hate the thought that animals had to suffer for them to test what i'm on...i HATE it!!! part of the reason why i don't even like to go on meds. but i do waht i can, where i can and that's just the best i can do. if i didn't have to be on meds, i would not. and if i could treat my condition holistically and nautrally i would. and in fact, i will incorporate eastern medicine to limit the amount of western medicine i do have to take.

poop.

8:24 AM  
Blogger karen said...

Don't get me started on premarin... My mom went through menopause very early (40) and they put her on that horrible stuff. I was so upset that she wouldn't listen to me about the horse urine because she said it worked for her. I went to her dr with her and asked him about the synthetic versions and he practically laughed in my face... I hate drs.

5:47 PM  
Blogger tabitha jane said...

progesterone.

and down with western doctors!

now that i have no insurance, i am totally seeing a naturopath!

4:18 PM  

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