As Our Parents Age So Do We

Many of our aging moms took estrogen for significant periods, and many adult daughters — like me — have taken estrogen and then stopped and started and stopped again. Some boomer adult women continue to take the medication. I keep hearing from older women, including my mom, that they did not feel as good after stopping estrogen (Read this Mayo Clinic article about pros and cons.), commenting about things such as sharpness, energy, and general well-being. I know I feel different when I am taking some variation of the medication. Cynthia Gorney’s article, The Estrogen Dilemma, in the April 12, 2010 New York Times Magazine, presents current surmises about estrogen, its possibilities as a medication, and scientists’ rethinking about who should be taking it. In essence, our mothers were the experimenters, and though they may not have known it at the time their legacy may benefit their daughters and granddaughters. How much will we be able to learn and benefit from our mothers’ estrogen experiences?
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