Page 191 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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sign, but by itself it does not mean you shouldn't take estrogen. Cynthia was unwilling to take the
risk because her aunt had suffered from breast cancer. Her sister Myra did take the risk and benefited
greatly from estrogen replacement therapy. During the last couple of decades, improved technology
in early breast cancer detection has tilted the balance in favor of estrogen therapy, which is why I
recommended it for Cynthia.

There is a small risk of clotting with inflammation of the veins— thrombophlebitis— which most
commonly affects the leg veins. In rare cases, this can affect the larger leg veins and cause deep vein
thrombosis, which is a potentially dangerous complication because the thrombus or blood clot can
enter the veins and lodge in the blood vessels that supply the lungs. If you have a history of this type
of complication either while taking birth control pills or during pregnancy, do not take estrogen.

Other side effects include breast discomfort and resumption of uterine bleeding in postmenopausal
women who have not had a hysterectomy, though this depends on the timing sequence of the
estrogen-progesterone combination. If you take estrogen, you will need to be monitored by a
physician, preferably a gynecologist, for side effects and complications using regular mammograms,
ultrasound if necessary, pap smears, and pelvic/radiologic examinations.

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