As described in the last three posts, perimenopause is a time in a woman’s life associated with many symptoms and health impacts. Thus far I have reviewed lifestyle modifications and hormone treatments that are helpful during this transition. This post addresses other medical interventions that […]
Category: The Big Questions
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE? Part Three: Hormone Management
Initiating HRT during perimenopause is a subject that needs more attention. This is because the current guidelines and traditional thinking about taking hormone replacement generally apply to women who have reached menopause – meaning they have gone 12 months without a menstrual period. However, many […]
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE? Part two: Lifestyle Measures
My previous post described the cause of perimenopause, the hormonal changes that occur and how these impact some of our major body systems. Many of these effects – such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance, mood changes and vaginal symptoms – negatively affect a woman’s quality […]
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE? Part one
Menopause and menopause-related issues are appearing more frequently in the media. As part of this we are hearing more about perimenopause. Many women are uncertain about what this term actually means, so it seems timely to go into more depth about this stage of the […]
Does DHEA play a role in HRT?
Typically, when we talk about HRT we are referring to estrogen alone or estrogen with progesterone. Some women also take a low dose testosterone supplement. (See my blog on using testosterone.) Another hormone that women hear about that may be used in menopause treatment is […]
Does Estrogen Cause Uterine Cancer?
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, […]
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 […]