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[Orangefoot]

There is a thread on twitter about new NICe guidance on risks of taking combined HRT Jim Thornton is a Professor of Obstetrics and has ben taking on Dr Mark Porter and his assertion that HRT improves Quality of Life.

Jim says HRT is a placebo. Then drops this clanger

@jimgthornton
Estrogen is addictive & withdrawal is bad. Loose analogy, but if you doled out heroin you'd get patient feedback that it was great stuff. But RCT of H v placebo would likely not show much benefit on qoL!

Jim doesn't really understand how estrogen has made us the women we are, does he?

[Maryjane]

He has been seriously bought to task over this and rightly so.

He's a Professor who teaches at med school 😩and the majority of students will hang onto his every word because he is a Professor.

He had the 🤬 of some female gynaes who are on HRT themselves.

CPD is required for him he also pulled out the WHI discredited info, unfortunately there are many of his type of attitude around.

Another Gynea suggested we should all have a full hysterectomy the lost out and then have oestrogen only as in ovaries also 😳 a GP gave her opinion on that one.

Just because a Professor says it doesn't mean it's correct, because as we can see in this instance he is clearly not up to date.

[Bobidy]

FFS! That is the most stupid thing ever, he should be ashamed of himself. I hope his poor wife, mother and daughter take no notice if his ridiculous advice! I suggest he sticks to obstetrics and leaves hrt and the menopause to professionals who know what the heck they are talking about. Stupid man.

I wonder if he would feel the same way if he was castrated and not producing testosterone any more. Grrrrr!

[Sparrow]

However, there are plenty of us who have never taken HRT and post meno are pretty okay.  Peri was a nightmare for me but I'm glad to be free of my hormones.

It was the fluctuating levels that did it for me.  Absence does not seem to be a problem.

[CLKD]

One cannot be addicted to a natural hormone    ........ how does he get to become a Prof. 

I would trust Mark Porter with my Life    I have followed his career for years.

We know best here we does ......... note "Quality of Life"  .

I took HRT many years ago but it didn't help the symptoms at that time.  My periods were dire: painful, bloody, days and days of heavy bleeds ....... fortunately peri etc. have been reasonably OK. 

[Hurdity]

Hi orangefoot

How can a professor show himself up like this? He clearly hasn't read all the papers which are double blind PLACEBO CONTROLLED studies in which participants do not know whether they are taking the active medication or a placebo, so that the (undoubtedly powerful) placebo effect can be controlled and taken into account. The statistical anlaysis from these trials are designed to test whether the efficacy of the medication is significantly different from placebo. No idea what planet he is on or what study he might be referring to but without reading his comments - it sounds like he doesn't know what he is talking about.

Shadyglade - I don't think that's the issue. Of course plenty of women are OK and you sound like a good example! However if is making assertions that contradict the evidence... well  . I think most of the tests for efficacy of HRT are carried out on symptomatic women (that might be too sweeping a statement!). Also depends what symptoms are being tested for and whether short or long term eg flushes vs VA or osteoporosis.

Hurdity x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Oh dear, another arrogant and ignorant medic. Being a Professor doesn't make you a good one.

Another reason why forums like this are so valuable to those of us actually living with these hormones!

Take care ladies.

K.

[Ladybt28]

Humm..lets remove all Jim's natural homones and ask him for his comments huh???
I actually cannot be bothered to say any more.. honestly!   The only thing Professor like about this idiots comments are that he has been thick enough to "profess" it to the world! What a numpty! x

[sheila99]

What a d*ck. Happy to lend you the bloodless castrators Bobidy. 

[CLKD]

I'll hold him.  You 

[Sparrow]

Orange foot can you give us a link for this.  I have searched the Web and can find nothing.

[sheila99]

I'll hold him.  You 

Nooooo, I'd have to touch them 

[Anaise]

I've stopped taking my Estrogel and my withdrawal has been horrendous, so yes I think Estrogen addictive. Controversial to some on this forum but there it is. I have never suffered with any form of anxiety before but since stopping the Estrogel my anxiety levels are through the roof.

I'm just glad I'm coming off it now rather than when I'm over 60 because I'm pretty sure my body wouldn't be able cope with the withdrawal symptons.

[Ladybt28]

I'm not sure that the word "addictive" is the right word?
When we go into meno our bodies get all those symptoms associated with meno….its not like we were taking a drug since puberty... they are inside us naturally... but I do concede that with some of us the effects can be likened to a "withdrawal" when we go into meno and lose them.  If you take Hormone Replacement Therapy...the clue's in the name....you are replacing those hormones to stop the symptoms, so it stands to reason that if you stop replacing them you get the symptoms back again and it's like "withdrawal" all over again.

Saying we are "addicted" makes it sound like we have a choice for our bodies to be able to function with or without those hormones but it is all just part f the female reproductive system. 

[CLKD]

One CANNOT be 'addicted' to hormones.  They are 'natural' and do their own thing.

One can feel the effects of hormonal upheaval.  It can be awful.

Tnx Ladybt28 - eloquilly put