In the late 1960’s estrogen therapy became available as a treatment for hot flashes. Millions of women received prescriptions from their doctors and welcomed this remedy for their troublesome symptoms. However, in the following several years problems emerged. Many women began to experience abnormal bleeding, […]
Category: The Big Questions
What is bioidentical hormone therapy?
When women go through menopause their bodies no longer make two important female hormones – estradiol and progesterone. Since the loss of these hormones causes a number of symptoms as well as medical consequences, many women are interested in replacing these hormones. This is what […]
Does estrogen prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
I don’t think many people will disagree with me if I say that the brain is the most important organ in the body. We can live without some body parts and manage pretty well if other parts aren’t working 100%. But most of us would […]
Why do we get belly fat as we approach menopause?
It is very disconcerting to start putting on belly fat as you get older – especially when you have been diligent in your diet and exercise program. Yet this is a very common experience for women in their mid and late forties. Why does this […]
Why does everyone think HRT is so risky?
Much of what we learn about medicine comes from the newspapers. Unfortunately, things get reported in ways destined to grab our attention. And while the headlines are generally credible, results of studies can be presented in ways that are misleading. Making sense out of the […]
Why Don’t More Doctors Prescribe HRT?
Odds are you probably know someone who has told you that when she went through menopause, her doctor did not recommend estrogen. Likely she was told that estrogen has a lot of risks and it would be better for her to just put up with […]
Who should you turn to for menopause and hormone advice?
When it comes to learning about the benefits and risks of menopause treatment, who do you turn to? Do you rely on anecdotal stories or secondhand information from friends? Do you believe everything you see on social media? Do you consider advertisements for therapies that […]
What is a hysterectomy and should the ovaries be removed during the surgery?
The term hysterectomy means removal of the uterus. Hysterectomies are very common surgical procedures; one in three women will have one. There are many reasons why a woman may need to have her uterus removed. The most common reason is heavy bleeding due to fibroids, […]
What is perimenopause?
The phases of a woman’s reproductive life Perimenopause is similar to puberty, but in reverse. Whereas puberty is the phase women go through as their ovaries ramp up to create monthly ovulation, perimenopause is when this process winds down. When perimenopause starts, the number of […]
Will testosterone (or anything else) help my sex drive?
This is an issue many women are reluctant to bring up during their annual physicals. Even though I am a woman physician, I don’t get asked this question much. Many women are embarrassed to talk about this intimate part of their lives, and in this […]