Hot flushes I had a bit of steam coming out of my ears 
- my verdict on it - beyond useless and probably did more harm than good!! 
So... (1) Jennie Murry fed the idea that HRT causes breast cancer and gave a more convincing argument than the women who provided the proper research and then they never covered the bit about some women having a predisposition to getting breast cancer anyway and then taking HRT on top made the possibility of them developing it higher. Stellajane is bang on with her comment - I mean 9 women she knew all got breast cancer.....
?
(2) the group of women who were given cognitive behavioural therapy to help them "overcome" their symptoms aided and abetted those GP's who say - "you don't need HRT - just think positive". They will all be saying it more no doubt since its been "proven" on the telly.
(3) I understand what they were trying to say about bone density and that it is help by exercise but it never addressed the reason why a lot of women don't exercise (because they can barely get out of bed and get dressed before collapsing in a fatigued heap!) but it also fed those lazy GP's on "oh get out more dear...run your bad menopause off!!)
(4) it mentioned dry vaginas in passing but no indication of what that is like
(5) it never mentioned the devastating effect that someones bad menopause can have on family and partners
(6) it never mentioned loss of libido or marriage once
(7) they mentioned flushes lots and mentioned depression, lack of energy, brain fog, anxiety in passing!
(
They talked about japanese women not suffering so much due to soy in their diet but didn't suggest that in the UK "turning japanese" was never going to work - because japanese society views their women over 45-50 completely differently.
(9) they gave a very false impression of how the NHS (doesnt deal) with menopause and instilled false hope that you could get your blood tested to work out what to do
(10) One of the women who was menopausal in the group given CBT had to speak at conferences and obviously had quite a high powered job - but there was never any mention of how debilitating the symptoms of bad menopause and how the work place needs to adjust to women working longer and longer in our society than they ever did before.
Oh and the icing on the cake for me was spending 10 minutes talking about how research has found you can reverse the menopause by taking an ovary out before they pack up altogether having it frozen and then re-implanted to the one left where it grafts and starts to generate hormones, and can even generate eggs - this was primarily for young women who had had cancer treatment - which in itself is absolutely brilliant dont get me wrong - but was completely out of context as there was no further information given on the number of women who suffer from all sorts of other surgical menopause and how it actually affects them.
And another 10 dispelling the male menopause 
Urgh...shall I gone on....huh.."Telling the Truth about Menopause" - well that's the wrong title for the program. "Continuing the Myths around Menopause" more like!
Useless, flaming useless... 
Nothing of practical use at all Kathleen....oh and no mention of this website!
Well I was shouting at the TV as well some of the time but I have mixed views about it. Yes it was only skimming the surface of the whole issue and the balance was probably not the best but I do think it was great that a whole hour of BBC primetime was devoted to this subject - and we have to remember that those of us who are discussing this on here know so much more than probably most women so we can see all the flaws and didn't really tell us much that we don't already know.
As with many of you I can pick so many holes in the programme and some of the information but I am so pleased that it has been aired and that even though there was a lot of discussion about some alternatives to HRT - the focus was very much from Mariella's point of view that HRT is beneficial.
Going through your points Ladybt
1) - yes for goodness sake why did they roll out Jenni Murray. She said she used to be obese
. I can't imagine what she was like then as she still is!! I couldn't believe it when she said that she and her friends viewed wine as a non-alcoholic drink. Sad that they all got breast cancer - but attributing to HRT? After seeing the ( what I thought were new) stats on the risks of alcohol that said it all.
2) - they missed the point with the CBT - for a start several of those women were fat too so perhaps should have been focussing more on that - diet and exercise (as well as thryoid function tests in case this is the cause) instead!! When the results about CBT first came out the aim was to help women who could not take HRT due to breast cancer - having it or genetic high risk - and also that earlier research didn;t reduce hot flushes. This latest teeny tiny study - the women were identfiying triggers for flushes and that's great as this would reduce their incidence. Good therapy for women might not want to start HRT straight away or who might not be able to take it. They could have focussed more on the benefits of CBT for this section of women - who can't take it. The other thing they could have emphasised more is the benefit on mood - as a result of CBT, but not instead of but as well as HRT! This could help so many women who suffer residual hormonally induced anxiety even after taking HRT and if CBT can help their outlook and mood then this is much better than ADs being shoved down their throats by docs eager to get rid of them!!!
3) The bone density "study" with those volunteers really was not scientific at all!! Typical of these medical programmes to choose volunteers and compare the results - far too simplistic. Everyone should take more exercise. Full stop. Exercise alone as far as I know from the research - cannot prevent osteoporosis developing long term ... as for that poor fat woman - of course she couldn't exercise - I don't think it was fair to show her in that group. However excess weight should have been mentioned as something women need to deal with one way or another to improve their health as age progesses.
4) OOh vaginas - far too scary those things!!! It was so amusing the way it was quickly passed over by MF's gynae - who by the way looked like some weird dolled up American glitzy Barbie - not sure what. She was ghastly! Sorry! I shouldn't judge by appearances, her hair was ridiculous!
5) and 6) Totally agree - why wasn't sex and partners mentioned at all?! Too much for that time of the evening.... however that was a misssed opportunity because even though it was absolute rubbish the bit about male menopause - I think that was probably put in to get men watching - so golden opportunity to mention the sex and vagina issues with a captive audience!
7) Yes I covered this a bit above with CBT but needed to make more emphasis on this and helping women to have positive outlook AS WELL AS HRT.
Hmm yes not sure about the soy thing either
9) Yes that was what got me shouting to start with - MF's gynae testing her blood results although she did say she went more on symptoms - after saying MF's levels weren't as high as she wanted them? I mean why is she even thinking they should be higher - although we have no idea on dose or levels? If not high enough to prevent osteoporosis then I might agree.... I donlt think the NHS was mentioned at all was it? It did give a really false impression of the reailty of menopausal treatment. As for MF's having a mammogram every year - well I've had lumpy breasts and breast lumps but I don't get offered that!
10) Quite so re the workplace - I mean that ( those?) poor women who had to reduce hours due to menopause. I'm not ssure why some of them were not on HRT - especially the woman who was on the trial - I think maybe genetic history for breast cancer.
Yes the whole male menopause thing made me speechless - but as above I think designed to get men watching - my husband watched it all the way through and that is REALLY unusual for him. I thought he would go upstairs and go on his computer!!
The bit about repriming the ovaries was very interesting and fantastic for women going through early menopause - but good job the ideas wasn't suggested for older women - I mean this could mean resuming fertility, periods and the ability to conceive which is so wrong for women older than the usual age of conception and pregnancy.
There was too little emphasis on the detrimental effects of oestrogen deficiency - almost none except for osteoporosis ( unless my brain switched off and missed it) - and yes too much emphasis on hot flushes. That new drug - great for those who can't take it and gives them real hope - but doesn't actually prevent the decline in other functions as oestrogen disappears from our bodies...
Well anyway - I still think it was great to have shown it with all its faults and was a good advert for the benefits of HRT and trying to achieve a positive outlook on life - even though I was shouting at the TV!!!
Happy days'''
Hurdity x
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Topic: The Truth about the Menopause BBC1 Monday 10:45pm (Read 8755 times)