(9-96) There is little doubt that the benefits of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for menopausal women outweigh the risks. However, a recent study showed that 44% of menopausal women cited fear of side effects as the reason for not taking HRT. More than one-third of women said that they had never been advised to take HRT by their physicians, and another third indicated that they did not understand the benefits. Dr. Rabin said: "Only 29 percent of these women were ever on hormone replacement and only 15 percent surveyed were presently on hormone replacement - a 50% drop."

If this is a report card for the medical field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it is obvious that the grade should be F. Think about it. 44% feared the side effects that should not have been there. 30% of the women were never even advised on the therapy, plus another 30% indicated that they did not understand the benefits. That is almost 100% of the women who are ill advised on the most important problem of their lives, i.e., menopause. Incredible.

We can easily picture the scenario. You wait almost an hour to see the doctor. When he/she finally shows up, you'll get about 10 to 15 minutes of his/her attention; that is if you are lucky, sometimes it could be even shorter. Within this time frame, they are usually busy with your body. They check your breast, tap your back, feel your neck, and then take that painful pap smear sample. In the mean time, he/she will ask: "Do you have any problems?" Problems? At this moment, I can't think of any. I'm just too uncomfortable and humiliated to be cerebral. Sometimes you do get "a" minute to talk without the distraction of being probed or squeezed or poked. What can you talk about within one minute?

Let's face it. Most of our doctors take their profession as a job. You are just a project or an object they want to get over with. Don't put your life in their hands. Don't think that your well being is their best interest. Be an informed consumer and take your health into your own hands.