Are you a smoker? - Menopause Message Board

giddyup715 · 03-14-2006, 10:52 PM

So what do you do to relieve symptoms? I'm going thru EVERYTHING (symptoms)..., I think I have every SINGLE symptom but one outta the 149 and my DR. refuses to put me on anything.
I'm a smoker and she thinks I'll be a "risk". No HRT for me. The most she offered me was to take Black Cohash Root for the sweats and it did help me w/my sleep too.
My blood pressure is under control. My weight could use a little help but I'm not dying either and it's not affecting my health. I haven't been on b/c since the early 80's. There are other older gals she treats and they say the same thing....if ya smoke, no HRT (period, don't ask no questions) ....suffer w/the symptoms.
Is that the right thing to do?
So, I'm going thru this, and getting along ok. Striving. But, if I try to quit smoking (I absolutely) have no tolerance for anything. OK, how can I word this here? I am a ***** hormonally....then the Dr. wants me to quit smoking (now I am a bigger *****) to get on some hormones...what's the winning factor here?
I was at my Dr.'s today and of course she asked me (according to my insurance) if I was ready to quit smoking. I said "no, not till I get thru this hormonal thing".
I guess, if I have to choose, if I can't get help with quitting and they won't pay for it, then I just will have to suffer and keep on smoking, and go thru all of this. Did anyone here get any help from their DR.'s while they smoked?
The patch isn't paid for. Neither are pills for hormones. What's a girl to do?
Do us smoker's just have to "tough it out"? Or do we have the right to sue these DR.'s for discrimination?

chillijava · 03-15-2006, 01:52 AM

hi
i am a smoker and i am on low dose ert and my doctor has no problems with it, if i was you i would see if you could find another doc, it sounds like blackmail to me
good luck

andrea

Middleagedcrazy · 03-15-2006, 08:22 AM

I don't smoke, but you definately need to switch doctors. At no time in my life have I ever noticed such discrimination in health care. I was going to a doctor that just blew off every question, or symptom I had that related to menopause. And I am over 50! I have found a women doc now that is better. I am about to embark into the world of bio-identical hormores. I don't know if you were referring to those or the hrt of old. I was so shocked to find out that the old HRT was made from pregnant (Pre) horse (mare) urine! ( ='s Premarin) I am guessing had it been for men, it would have been made from something a little less disgusting. I have suffered for the last 5 + years with nothing. I have high hopes for this. At least they are made from plant extract, not horse pee! Don't give up. It is your right to demand good health care. I can't figure out why we are treated second class at the doctors office.

joyka · 03-25-2006, 07:39 PM

I was a smoker and never took birth control pills because of the warnings. But I quit smoking just before menopause. Now I take hormones. I was going to tough it out, but my doctor really encouraged me to take it despite the big report (WHI) that came out. I am glad I did. But I can take very, very little of the stuff or else I get periods.

Fat&Fifty · 03-27-2006, 07:55 PM

I had a hyster 16 months ago and had this discussion with my doc beforehand. I also smoke and wondered if hormones were out of the question because of it. He said absolutely not, that there were new preparations available that don't pose the risks to smokers that older meds do. So far I haven't started taking anything because I'm not having any real problems but I know they're there for me if need be. I agree with the other posters, find a new doctor. Yours sounds like he/she belongs in the dark ages...