When to Stop Taking Estrogen Pills

The estrogen pill, prescribed by a woman's doctor to treat the symptoms of menopause, comes with some risks. Although the medication effectively controls hot flashes, heart palpitations and the erratic sleep problems experienced by some women at the end of their childbearing years, recent studies indicate that doctors should limit the duration and the dosage of estrogen.

History

During the 1930's doctors began giving estrogen to their female patients to control the troublesome symptoms of approaching menopause. The first drug approved by the FDA was diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic form of estrogen. Researchers believed DES would also prevent miscarriages and it was prescribed for pregnant women but was pulled from the market in the 1970's as a catalyst for birth defects and breast cancer.

Function

Estrogen, in combination with progestin, regulates a woman's fluctuating hormones as she approaches menopause. Known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), estrogen also reduces the risk of osteoporosis by preventing the loss of calcium from once-strong bones. Until the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study of 2002, women frequently took estrogen well into their seventies. Now, doctors wean their patients from estrogen when they no longer experience the symptoms of menopause.

Types

Estrogen comes in three forms, a pill, a patch and estrogen gel, applied directly to the body. When a patient is ready to quit taking estrogen pills, her doctor may temporarily switch her to an estrogen patch or gel in order to slowly wean her off the medication. If she begins to experience negative symptoms from the lower dosage, he may put her back on the estrogen pill for a few more months before trying again.

Benefits

The benefits of the estrogen pill are well known. Estrogen, as HRT, controls mood swings, emotional outbursts, regulates erratic sleep patterns and keeps bones strong. Women taking estrogen report better concentration, less anxiety and a better outlook on life. Estrogen appears to reduce menopausal depression, a problem for 25-percent of women.

Warning

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study in 2002 indicated a substantial increase in breast cancer in women who took a high dosage of estrogen for an extended period. A follow-up study by the WHI indicated the risk of breast cancer was not as great as previously thought. Only a woman and her doctor are qualified to access her personal need for continuing to take estrogen pills.

Resources

• Locate natural forms of estrogen online.