Hormones

The majority of abnormal bleeding in women is caused by hormonal ups and downs that create an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. Hormones, such as birth control pills, progestin (synthetic progesterone), progesterone or thyroid medication may be prescribed to help regulate your periods and, quite possibly, help to get your abnormal bleeding under control.

Hormonal treatments may take a few months to actually work, but are an extremely simple way to treat abnormal bleeding and should always be considered as an initial option to consider. Hormonal regulation of the menstrual cycle doesn't always work to stop abnormal bleeding -- but when it does, no other treatment is generally needed.

Of course, you're probably wondering whether or not the hormones in these drug therapies are just going to feed your fibroids and make them even bigger and, ultimately, make your symptoms worse. Or, you might be wondering whether progestin, progesterone, or estrogen therapies can be used to actually cure your fibroids. After all, there is so much we simply don't know about what triggers the growth of fibroids in the first place but it does seem to be hormonally related, doesn't it? Isn't it possible that contraceptives could be a contributing factor actually causing the growth of uterine fibroids or, on the other hand, a potential remedy to regulating hormones and fixing the fibroid problem?

Well, researchers have considered these possibilities. Current studies show that oral contraceptives do not seem to be a contributing factor to the presence of symptomatic fibroids nor do they seem to contribute to fibroid growth. In reality, fibroids were developing in women long before oral contraceptives were invented or mass produced for distribution.

In addition, contraceptives do not work as a "cure" for fibroids. Introducing hormones into your system to regulate your menstrual cycle to possibly gain control over abnormal bleeding is one thing -- but "curing" your uterine fibroids is, apparently, quite another. So, what's the bottom line on this issue? More research is needed. The current "answers" we have are confusing and inconclusive and sometimes even contradictory.

Link	Site Name/Author	What You'll Find
www.lef.org/protocols/ prtcls-txt/t-prtcl-139.html	The Life Extension Foundation	Uterine Fibroids. Detailed explanation of hormonal influences.
www.womenshealth.com/ prnaturalprogesterone.html	Women's Health America Group	Nationally-Known Pharmacist Shatters Myths About Natural Progesterone
www.womenshealth.com/ prhormonereplacement.html	Women's Health America Group	National Women's Health Hot Line Expands to Include Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy Information
www.angelfire.com/fl/ endohystnhrt/nhrt.html	Jeannah Newman	HRT Resource page with personal info and many links to HRT resources. Also, Jeannah's story of endometriosis, hysterectomy, and HRT.
health.philly.com/pharmacy/ vol2/202228.asp#Brands	Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.	Estrogens and Pregestins Oral Contraceptives (Systemic)
www.oxford.net/~tishy/np.html	Menopause and Beyond "Tishy"	"Natural" progesterone (mostly OTC creams). Detailed abstracts/reviews to quite a few writings on this subject. EXTREMELY worthwhile to visit this webpage -- and, while you're there, check out the whole site. You won't be sorry you clicked on this link.