TROY, Mich. – Twenty years ago, a major study caused millions of menopausal women to stop hormone therapy almost overnight.
The 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study linked hormone replacement therapy to breast cancer and heart disease.
The reaction was swift -- doctors stopped prescribing it, and patients stopped asking for it.
Now experts say that the study was misunderstood.
For Heather Pastori of Troy, the changes she experienced were subtle. Her first doctor dismissed her concerns, even suggesting she Google her symptoms.
That’s when she found Dr. Carrie Leff, a Henry Ford Health internist and certified menopause provider.
Dr. Leff listened and discussed treatment options, including hormone therapy.
Heather was hesitant because of her family history of breast cancer, but Dr. Leff explained that the biggest misconception from the study was that hormones cause breast cancer.
“I always say that fear of hormones lives very deep in your heart and deep in your soul; it’s become like a dogma to people,” Dr. Lef said. “It’s almost like politics. And so it festered for a really long time -- actually over 20 years. And it’s not until now that actually things are being reversed, and we can kind of talk about why.”
Heather decided to try hormone therapy, using a small estradiol patch she changes every three days. The difference was profound.
“It was kind of a slow recession until one day, I finally felt like myself again,” she said. “It was like someone lifted a fog. I looked in the mirror and recognized who was there. It was incredible. And you don’t almost believe it. ”
The therapy improved both her physical and emotional health, enhancing her quality of life and time with family.
“There’s nothing else in medicine that makes people this much better in such a short time,” Dr. Leff adds. “It’s really rewarding.”
Heather’s advice to other women -- find the right doctor and don’t give up if you feel dismissed.
“I would encourage them to go see somebody that you feel heard and feel like they’re listening to you, and then together, you can partner on what solution.”
Dr. Leff emphasized that hormone therapy should be a personalized conversation, not a blanket yes or no.
Many fears tied to older studies don’t apply to today’s treatments, especially for women in their 40s and 50s.
Menopause health isn’t extensively taught in medical school, and the legacy of the Women’s Health Initiative study still influences care.
In the video below, Leff explains the hormone therapy options, explaining what they are and what they treat.