# Women and Dr. Hager **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 11, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748 "2005-04-11T05:18:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![huk24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f0a364/32.png) [@huk24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huk24)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/1 "2005-04-11T05:18:47Z")
If you’re American and at all concerned about reproductive drugs, then you might want to check [this](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/hager.htm) out, verified by [snopes.com](http://snopes.com). If I have PMS, I’m supposed to read the bible and pray?!? I’m supposed to read the Scriptures for cures for my medical issues? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/2 "2005-04-11T05:52:55Z")
Wow. Almost like my HMO-appointed gyno who told me if I didn’t want yeast infections I shouldn’t have premarital sex. The difference of course, is that this putz is now in a position to implement his whacko-world view. I weep for the future, especially that of my sex. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/3 "2005-04-11T08:07:22Z")
While I’m not terribly thrilled with the idea of the FDA being run by “pro-lifers,” the guy seems a bit less insane after reading his response to the piece at the top of the article. How do the various claims about RU-486 stack up? Nobody really cited any sources, and I’m not knowledgeable enough about the drug to verify anything. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/4 "2005-04-11T11:00:21Z")
I’m not a huge fan of this man, but he has some valid points. PMS is probably more effectively managed by a holistic progrmme than by simple medications alone. Whether you personally would include meditation and prayer as part of the programme should be up to the patient. As long as meditation and prayer isn’t the whole programme, then I’ve got no problem. As for the Mifepristone (RU-486), the issues with it are related to improper follow-up and after care, not with the drug itself, which is safe and effective. A tubal pregnancy should always be out-ruled before prescription of the drug. If it isn’t, it’s the fault of the medical practitioner and the people who wrote the guidelines, not the drug. If the medical abortion failed, a woman is offered a surgical termination, with the advice that the foetus may have been damaged by the Mifepristone. If she goes on to deliver a damaged baby, it’s the result of her choices. In the UK Mifepristone is usually administered with Gemeprost, not Misoprostol, so it’s not as if Mifepristone will be unable to be used if Misoprostol is withdrawn for that indication. Additionally Mifepristone can be used as Emergency Contraception (the morning-after pill), in exactly the same way as Levonorgestrel (Levonelle-2) is currently used. I’ve seen a clinical trial in which the group of patients given Mifepristone reported fewer side effects, greater efficacy and greater patient satisfaction scores than those treated with Levonorgestrel. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/5 "2005-04-11T13:29:57Z")
Of course guys would want us to go pray during PMS! Gets us away from bitching at them for awhile! This does seem to be a problem, though. And the fact that the charter lapsed which means that Bush gets to appoint all new members? Could that be a little contrived? ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/6 "2005-04-11T14:50:39Z")
It’s been a couple of years since he was appointed; how’s his track record so far? ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/7 "2005-04-11T15:37:47Z")
Yep, I pray every month during my menstral cycle. “Please God, Kill me now, or just make these cramps go away so I can move off the couch…” And no, it doesn’t really work. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/8 "2005-04-11T22:45:09Z")
> [@huk24](#): > > If I have PMS, I’m supposed to read the bible and pray?!? > I’m supposed to read the Scriptures for cures for my medical issues? > WTF? I don’t see what harm it would do anyone if they did these things \*in addition to \* whatever their doctor recommends. Lots of doctors are seeing validity in prayer and meditation as part of the healing process. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in any severe, long-term pain, but if you ever are, there comes a point when you’ll pretty much try anything. Whatever works, right? ---
**Author:** ![huk24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f0a364/32.png) [@huk24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huk24)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/9 "2005-04-12T08:51:12Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > I don’t see what harm it would do anyone if they did these things \*in addition to \* whatever their doctor recommends. > > Lots of doctors are seeing validity in prayer and meditation as part of the healing process. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in any severe, long-term pain, but if you ever are, there comes a point when you’ll pretty much try anything. > > Whatever works, right? Agreed, but as a sole source of relief…NO. Like I said earlier, I believe in the power of positive thinking, as well as prayer - but not as substitutes for medicine. While I have not personally been a sufferer of chronic pain, I have suffered from other long-term ailments. In addition, I have watched several close relatives wither away and die from painful illnesses and prayer didn’t save their lives. My original point is that I wouldn’t want someone like Dr. Hager using his personal religious beliefs to influence what medicines my doctor should be able to recommend and prescribe to me. He’s a quack that refuses to prescribe birth control pills. For a person like me, who needs the pill to regulate my hormones (and not at all for birth control purposes), I find it deeply disturbing. And I don’t think that praying for progesterone would help me. If so, it would have worked by now and saved me much misery. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/10 "2005-04-12T11:42:12Z")
Prayer may work for those who suffer malingering pain. For true pain, got news for you, the only thing that’ll work is being hit on the head with a stack of Bibles. I shouldn’tve (new word) clicked on the link. the more I know about my government, the more depressed I am. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-and-dr-hager/298748/11 "2005-04-12T16:33:49Z")
It’s been 2 years since his appointment. I don’t think women are in much danger of the Pill suddenly becoming illegal. > [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Prayer may work for those who suffer malingering pain. So anyone who claims prayer helped their pain was faking to begin with?