Menstruation is a Disease And Other Ridiculous Myths

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 08-05-2008, 06:58 AM

http://www.naturalnews.com/z023788.html

(NaturalNews) As I was horrified to discover upon turning on the TV in a hotel room recently, drug companies are now pushing pills that promise women a significant reduction in the frequency of menstruation. The implication, of course, is that menstruation is a disease that needs to be treated with pharmaceuticals, and that chemically interfering with your own natural hormone cycles is not merely healthy, but even hip!

These ads promise putting you "back in control" of your life, but they say nothing about the fact that these drugs are, in reality, wildly experimental. There have been absolutely no long-term tests conducted on the use of such menstruation-blocking pills. Thus, the women taking these pills are unwittingly participating in a grand medical experiment with results that are entirely unknown.

**jas** · 08-05-2008, 08:01 AM

Crazy, Crazy, Crazy! Sure periods are pain but, come on a disease. Big companies with sell woman anything! Come a few years down the road they will back track and pretty much just say "oops" we were wrong. Alot of woman will buy anything and trust anyone telling them the "newest thing" is the right thing!

**pip** · 08-05-2008, 08:11 AM

Seems like another example of how our society has become intolerant of inconveniences. Yes, periods are inconvenient, but they are a natural part of life. I just hope that later on down the line, people don't develop even bigger health issues from using hormones to postpone/eliminate menstrual periods.

**elphie** · 08-05-2008, 10:45 AM

I agree that periods are not a disease and the idea of eliminating every inconvience from one's life seems to be the new trend. Sad really...

However, this isn't really as dangerous and new as it seems at first glance. Anyone who has been on birth control is doing the same things with their hormones as these pills... the period you have while on the pill or patch is not a true period... it is a false period brought on by abruptly stopping the use of hormones (the placebo pills in the pack). People who have the hormones implanted under their skin or in IUD form and those who take BC shots don't have periods because there is no interuption of hormone. Anyone who uses any kind of hormone based BC has the same potential risks as people taking these new forms.

There have actually been significant studies done using these forms of BC as basis (which are the same basic drug/hormones that have been administered for 1/2 a century just in different forms). The studies show that intermitten "breaks" from the hormones through the use of placebo pills or not using a patch for one week per month do not decrease the side effects of BC. In fact side effects do not subside for up to one year after you completely stop taking BC. This is why many OB/GYNs have been advising patients for years that don't need to take the placebos included in the pack; they knew this wasn't really medically effective but the so called break made some people feel better about taking hormones everyday. Placebo indeed.

I can't provide a link for this info because I got it from my OB/GYN, not the net. This discussion with her took place because of increasing PMS symptoms that are begining to border PMD... not really just an inconviene but debilitating migraines and leg pain for several days each month, hormone fluctuations that make it difficult for me to maintain control of my emotions, and some others that would just be TMI. We are managing, for now, w/o hormone therapy but if I needed it I would get it.

The commercials bother me as well, but all drug commercials bother me. How to teach kids to "Just say NO!" in a society that thinks all of our woes can be solved with a pill... but I digress. I think the thing to remember is that pharmaceutical companies are a business with a bottom line like any other. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is make sure you have a doctor you trust and ask lots of questions.

**cab54** · 08-05-2008, 11:10 AM

It is ridiculous the way we goof around with our reproductive systems!

Remember the DES (I think it's diethyl stilbesterol or something like that) thing in the late 50's-early 60's? My MIL took DES after (sadly) having 3 miscarriages. The child who was finally born (after she took that drug for a few months) ended up with testicular cancer at age 25! She has 4 other sons cancer free. So...... (now I know she didn't intend to make this happen, but she is VERY big on medication to 'cure' EVERYTHING.)

Many daughters ended up with reproductive Cancer after their mothers took DES, also. Sad.

These women taking drugs and hormones for reproductive 'convenience' are taking a lot of risks. I went through menopause without a single drug. It's a NATURAL process, not an illness!