special K
12-28-2006, 06:43 PM
As an addition to Tracy's thread on HRT below... I know that in my early 40's I always wondered what menopause actually involved, and specifics to alleviate the negatives of the experience. Maybe this will be helpful to others...
I was reading this magazine in my doctor's office and thought I'd share the most recent info on menopause stuff from the articles included. The magaizine is : "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists' Complete Guide to MIDLIFE HEALTH" Pause ... Winter issue 2006
What is Menopause? : it is the stage in life where menstruation stops, and levels of naturally manufactured estrogen drop dramatically in women. Average age of menopause onset= 51. For most women, menopause isn't a single event that occurs all of a sudden. Rather it's a gradual transition that takes place over several years' time in 3 dinstinctive stages:
perimenopause...the first phase, begins 2-8 years before menopause.
periods become irregular as the number of eggs in your ovaries, and
the estrogen they produce - declines. Many experience several
of the symptoms of menopause (hot flashes,insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, achy-ness), and most just have a sense that
something "just isn't right".
menopause...the actual onset where your ovaries produce so little estrogen that your periods cease. Symptoms usually last for a year or two after
periods end completely.
postmenopause... when you have had no periods for a year or
longer
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)... Hormone Therapy dramatically reduces the symptoms of menopause, and it absolutely protects from bone loss. A 2006 analysis of the data from HRT studies showed that younger women (45-59) who begin HRT in perimenopause don't appear to have increased cardiovascular risks and may even have a measure of protection against them. Some reshearchers say the new evidence suggests that when HRT is taken at an earlier stage (perimenopausal-menopausal) it may help protect against heart disease..
There was a very slight increase in the occurrence of breast cancer in the test subjects taking Estrogen-progestin combination HRT (38 women out of 10,000 as opposed to 30 out of 10,000 on placebo) in older women who were already postmenopausal in the study. Women taking estrogen-only experienced no elevated breast cancer risk.
Hot Flashes: "is it hot in here, or is it just me?"
"For the majority of women, hot flashes dissipate on their own within an average of 3-4 years of their onset...if you have hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruptions or other symptoms, HRT and ET are still the most effective therapies available, reducing hot flashes by up to 90%...nothing works better. If you are perimenopausal (still menstruating) and are experiencing mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, you may find relief with low dose oral contraceptives provided you don't smoke.
Soy-based and other herbal remedies are available for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, but there is a shortage of scientific proof that any of them do much good.
Bio-identical hormones..are chemically similar hormones to the ones your
body makes, and are commonly referred to as "natural" hormones. They are made by specialized pharmacies from a physician's prescription. Although claimed to be safer and just as effective, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims. In fact, these drugs have not undergone rigouous scientific scrutiny for safety or effectiveness and are viewed as experimental drugs not covered by most insurance companies. Because of the lack of scientific research on bio-identicals, you should assume they have the same risks as hormones approved by the FDA and possible additional risks related to compounding.
The Good News :) ...if you have enjoyed sex in the past, you will continue to through menopause and beyond! There is no physiological reason a woman can't have a great sex life in midlife and beyond. Without the fear of getting pregnant, many women express that their sex life has become even more enjoyable. Low estrogen levels can contribute to minor vaginal dryness...but this can be easily remedied with lubricants or a vaginal ring. Ironically, the best preventive measure is to stay sexually active which increases the blood flow to the tissues to nurish and sustain them! "
I was reading this magazine in my doctor's office and thought I'd share the most recent info on menopause stuff from the articles included. The magaizine is : "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists' Complete Guide to MIDLIFE HEALTH" Pause ... Winter issue 2006
What is Menopause? : it is the stage in life where menstruation stops, and levels of naturally manufactured estrogen drop dramatically in women. Average age of menopause onset= 51. For most women, menopause isn't a single event that occurs all of a sudden. Rather it's a gradual transition that takes place over several years' time in 3 dinstinctive stages:
perimenopause...the first phase, begins 2-8 years before menopause.
periods become irregular as the number of eggs in your ovaries, and
the estrogen they produce - declines. Many experience several
of the symptoms of menopause (hot flashes,insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, achy-ness), and most just have a sense that
something "just isn't right".
menopause...the actual onset where your ovaries produce so little estrogen that your periods cease. Symptoms usually last for a year or two after
periods end completely.
postmenopause... when you have had no periods for a year or
longer
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)... Hormone Therapy dramatically reduces the symptoms of menopause, and it absolutely protects from bone loss. A 2006 analysis of the data from HRT studies showed that younger women (45-59) who begin HRT in perimenopause don't appear to have increased cardiovascular risks and may even have a measure of protection against them. Some reshearchers say the new evidence suggests that when HRT is taken at an earlier stage (perimenopausal-menopausal) it may help protect against heart disease..
There was a very slight increase in the occurrence of breast cancer in the test subjects taking Estrogen-progestin combination HRT (38 women out of 10,000 as opposed to 30 out of 10,000 on placebo) in older women who were already postmenopausal in the study. Women taking estrogen-only experienced no elevated breast cancer risk.
Hot Flashes: "is it hot in here, or is it just me?"
"For the majority of women, hot flashes dissipate on their own within an average of 3-4 years of their onset...if you have hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruptions or other symptoms, HRT and ET are still the most effective therapies available, reducing hot flashes by up to 90%...nothing works better. If you are perimenopausal (still menstruating) and are experiencing mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, you may find relief with low dose oral contraceptives provided you don't smoke.
Soy-based and other herbal remedies are available for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, but there is a shortage of scientific proof that any of them do much good.
Bio-identical hormones..are chemically similar hormones to the ones your
body makes, and are commonly referred to as "natural" hormones. They are made by specialized pharmacies from a physician's prescription. Although claimed to be safer and just as effective, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims. In fact, these drugs have not undergone rigouous scientific scrutiny for safety or effectiveness and are viewed as experimental drugs not covered by most insurance companies. Because of the lack of scientific research on bio-identicals, you should assume they have the same risks as hormones approved by the FDA and possible additional risks related to compounding.
The Good News :) ...if you have enjoyed sex in the past, you will continue to through menopause and beyond! There is no physiological reason a woman can't have a great sex life in midlife and beyond. Without the fear of getting pregnant, many women express that their sex life has become even more enjoyable. Low estrogen levels can contribute to minor vaginal dryness...but this can be easily remedied with lubricants or a vaginal ring. Ironically, the best preventive measure is to stay sexually active which increases the blood flow to the tissues to nurish and sustain them! "