The dangers of HRT - sometimes we don't realise

[Cindy]

I thought I would post this as a cautionary tale.

We have had three women present recently with prolonged headaches of greater than a week. Fortunately they were sent immediately for an MRI scan.

In each case they had a cerebral blood clotting issues (to varying extents). They all had to be hospitalised and treated with anticoagulants. They will never be able to take E again in all probability.

One of them is a personal friend and she is devastated. She had been on E for a number of years.

Yes it is very unusual to have such a sudden influx of women with this problem but it does emphasize that we are being treated with powerful drugs that can have profound effects both positive and negative.

So for those who self medicate - for whatever reason, please go and see a doctor to monitor you. For those under medical care, do be aware of the possible side affects and seek treatment quickly if you suffer out of the ordinary pain in your limbs, chest or head.

It may be nothing, it could be something.

I don't want to lose any of you!

Cindy

[Ms Grace]

Agreed!
Do you know if these women were self-medicating, Cindy?

[Cindy]

Agreed!
Do you know if these women were self-medicating, Cindy?

No they were not and that is the reason they are safe, they went to see their monitoring medic who recognised the signs straight away. I suspect if they were self medicating they would be dead, or worse.

[Evelyn K]

How old are they?

[Cindy]

40-60 but it makes no diference

[luna nyan]

Wow...

What are the odds of that sort of presentation in such a short period of time...  I'm speechless.  I get the odd occurrence of things in 3s in my work, but three partial cerebral infarcts on HRT...

*shakes head*

For my clinical curiosity, don't feel obliged to answer - oral, injectable or pellet?  And any concomitant factors in the cases?

[Beth Andrea]

I can't even imagine the heartbreak of no more E...my thoughts and compassion goes to these ladies.

*hugs*
*hugs*
*hugs*

[Taka]

just to mention it, hormonal birth control is equally dangerous to cis women. even healthy young women can suddenly get blood clots seemingly out of nowhere. when taking hormones, it's very important to know your body and notice even small changes like and arm getting a little numb or kind of falling asleep. no point in waiting long to see your doctor if something like that happens.

and it's even more dangerous to pets, kittens lacking bone structure because the pill isn't really all that safe... has happened to many people i know.

[V M]

just to mention it, hormonal birth control is equally dangerous to cis women. even healthy young women can suddenly get blood clots seemingly out of nowhere.

I don't like to talk about it, but something like that is what happened to a girl I knew in younger days, not sure if it was a blood clot but I'd heard that the birth control pills were to blame - I've often wondered about all that

Some friends and I went to pick her up to go to a concert, she took a few steps out the door looking happy then collapsed on the walkway

There were no such thing as cell phones at the time so we had to bang on the door and inform her parents to call 911 but it was too late, she was gone 

[suzifrommd]

Don't know if this is the right time to put in my 2 cents, but I feel compelled to point out.

* Unless these three woman were all on some unusual protocol, each of their cases are unrelated. Their clots may result from completely different causes.
* Clots are caused by a number of factors. There's no indication that any of the cases are even related to hrt.
* HRT involves all sorts of protocols, as Luna points out. Researchers are still not clear which promote clotting.

[PoeticHeart]

I can't imagine what life without E must feel like for those women.

[Hikari]

Don't know if this is the right time to put in my 2 cents, but I feel compelled to point out.

* Unless these three woman were all on some unusual protocol, each of their cases are unrelated. Their clots may result from completely different causes.
* Clots are caused by a number of factors. There's no indication that any of the cases are even related to hrt.
* HRT involves all sorts of protocols, as Luna points out. Researchers are still not clear which promote clotting.

I have to agree, correlation is not causality.

Also from my point of view the risks are basically irrelevant, that E pill is much less dangerous than what I would have done to myself had I been unable to proceed with transition. I just try and stay healty and hope for the best.

[alexis.j]

That is horrible news....
It would kill me if I had to stop my E!!! Its the first time in my life where I feel 'happy', or rephrased,  'myself'

[antonia]

I think it's worth mentioning that Nicotine is really dangerous when combined with Estrogen, I'm not suggesting that smoking was the cause of complications for any of these women but it's something to keep in mind.

[Larisa]

Id never do hrt and I yes have heard a few of the negative side effects of hrt plus I have many other reasons to not do hrt ever but I didnt know of this right here. scary!

[JohannaJohn]

I take a "proper" dose of aspirin daily to minimize my risks of clotting, and clotting is very serious bueinss anywhere in the human body.

Rules here prohibit my listing of my dose, but I can say that it is a typical amount of aspirin one might take to relieve a headache.

I feel more comfortable with this precaution, since clotting can cause death.

[Jessica Merriman]

I take a "proper" dose of aspirin daily to minimize my risks of clotting

Being a Paramedic that was the first thing I did is to start a low dose regimen. Very wise to do. 

[immortal gypsy]

Reading this makes me grateful that paracetamol doesn't work on me as a painkiller so I have to take asprin for my aches and pains. Of course reading this reminds me any lingering pain or headache I should go to the doctor and not just tough it out.

[Cindy]

Luna, one was on implants and the other two on oral.

I did not mention causality, the cautionary part is being monitored so that you report any unusual symptoms to medics who are aware of your history and can put you on appropriate care.

That said HRT is well known to have a side effect of thrombosis in both natal males on HRT and natal females on contraceptives, particularly before the low dose pill was introduced for contraception.

[Jennygirl]

Yikes that scares me. Implants are still not perfect.

I take a daily baby aspirin (~80mg - it's OTC so dosage is okay) at the recommendation of my endocrinologist.

Cindy, did any of these ladies part with the T factories? Are they doomed to menopause?