no reimbursement!  I have to go through this two or three times a year.

First, thanks for the comment, and I do understand your frustration. The object of your frustration is the insurance companies not the health care professionals. Why should we charge you for filling out forms? Because we are running a business and time is money! The forms that I imply are extra forms. Another comment states it well –

I am all for it. (Speaking as an MD.) Doctors spend huge amounts of time filling out these forms. I’m sure I don’t have to convince *you*, but here is a partial list:
– Disability forms
– Jury duty forms
– health clearances for school, work, prospective adoptive parents
– Life insurance forms (death claims)
– Letters to health clubs allowing patients to get out of their memberships

It’s unbelievable. It adds a significant amount of time to the time spent in the office. I think it’s time to start charging.

And that is the point of the rant.

And is use of hormones also a placebo for those of us who have had hysterectomies with oophorectomies, or those twenty-somethings in premature menopause? Since we are lumped in with all other women and all conceivable forms of hormones are now too dangerous to use (and goodness knows there are no side effects or risks in the antidepressants, bone-density enhancers, statins, antihypertensives, false teeth, dried-up-eyeballs, and, let me not forget, copious helpings of KY to “treat” that vag atrophy that we’ll be switching to), I can only guess not.

Gee, if hormones are that evil, maybe women should ALL have oophorectomies before menarche. Think of all the problems that would prevent!

Premature menopause and oophorectomies represent a totally different situation than the studies address. One difficulty in medicine is the balance between belief and data. I prefer data. We must criticize studies carefully, but then understand what they tell us. I would prescribe hormonal therapy to patients with oophorectomy or premature menopause until around 50 years.

With specific reference to vaginal atrophy, I understand that vaginal estrogen does help a great deal. Also, continued sexual activity seems to retard atrophy.

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Thanks for the many excellent comments and questions. I hope some of these answers are helpful. And thanks for reading!!