Hormone replacement therapy
My doctor wants me to use Provera, but I’ve read it’s a synthetic hormone.
Should I?
Q: I’m 43 years old and have started experiencing the beginning stages
of menopause. My mother started going through menopause at my age, so I’m
not surprised.
What bothers me most is that I have three weeks of mild cramps, bloating, mood swings
and depression before each period. It feels as though my period is coming by way
of China. It finally arrives, and then it is gone in four days, which is great,
but then it returns a week later and lingers on for another week!
I’m grateful that it is so mild, and I’m only getting my period every
three months or so. So here’s the dilemma. To make my periods more regular
my doctor wants to put me on Provera. I know this is a synthetic, and I wonder what’s
worse: synthetic hormones or irregular periods?
A: While we cannot provide medical advice per se, we can offer information
about medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the synthetic progestin your physician
is recommending. (MPA is the generic form of Provera, also used in Prempro.) Most
doctors in-the-know about hormones and menopause are now avoiding Prempro and Provera
as much as possible, due to the negative impact of MPA on the body — altering
a woman’s biochemistry in a way that can increase her risk for a number of
serious medical problems.
Avoiding MPA is especially wise because there are safer, more effective alternatives
such as Prometrium, which is a widely available brand of bioidentical, prescription-strength
progesterone. Unlike bioidentical progesterone, a synthetic form of progesterone
such as medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) is also likely to worsen the mood
swings, bloating, and depression you describe.
From the mild nature of the symptoms you describe, however, you may not need prescription-strength
HRT. Our Personal Program offers a natural approach that may be effective in improving
your symptoms and possibly normalizing your cycles as well. We also provide one-on-one
nursing support to our members. Give us a call at
1-800-798-7902
to ask more questions, review your options, or get started today!
Return to:
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements,
our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional
phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home
version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at
1-800-798-7902. We're here to listen and help.
Related to this article:
References & further reading on bioidentical hormones
and other forms of HRT
Last Modified Date: 04/15/2011
Principal Author: Marcy Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician