Menopause: Suffer No More!

Last month, the New York Times published an article titled, “Women Have Been Misled about Menopause”. 

You’ll likely find the article behind a paywall, but this great little video by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, offers up a good summary:

  • Women are suffering needlessly
  • Healthcare providers are misdiagnosing and/or mistreating menopausal symptoms
  • One of the best tools to deal with this suffering is really not that risky

The CBC and many major news outlets picked up the issue and we applaud them for it! It’s time for women to know there is something that can be done about the symptoms they are suffering from.  

7 Menopause Questions We Have Answers For (And One Bonus Question)

  1. What is going on with my cycle? You might be bleeding too much, too little, or without any clear pattern. This is often one of the first signs that things are changing.  
  2. Why do I want to kill everyone (especially my husband)? A “prickliness” or irritability is a common complaint from friends and family of those of us entering this time of life. Anxiety that didn’t exist before is also common. Some women experience low moods.  
  3. What happened to my memory? The brain fog is reminiscent of “baby brain” for women who have had kids. But it feels more significant because you are closer to the age where memory loss feels scarier.  
  4. Why do I keep needing to pee? I can’t seem to laugh, cough, or jump without peeing myself!  
  5. What is happening to my body? Saggier skin, drier and thinner hair, and what is happening with this weight around the middle?
  6. Why is it so hot in here? Hot flashes and night sweats interrupt daily activity and nightly sleep. (And also make the crabbiness even worse.)
  7. What happened to my sex drive? Some women report that they are less interested in sex or have difficulty becoming aroused throughout menopause.  

The Bonus Question: What Can I Do About It??!!

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a real option to deal with many of these symptoms. But is it safe?  

In 2002 the Women’s Health Initiative study found an increased risk of breast cancer in women who were using hormone replacement therapy. But what did the numbers actually say? 

  • Yes, there was an increased risk, but specifically, the study found that among women aged 50 to 59, there were six additional breast cancers in 10,000 women. That is a pretty small increased risk.
  • More recent research suggests that HRT is highly beneficial and that it is underused to this day.
  • The Women’s Health Initiative was also based on using conventional hormone replacement therapy, which uses synthetic estrogen.
  • Another option is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which uses compounded hormones that more closely resemble what is naturally in our bodies. 

Does BHRT work as well? Our experience is yes. Do they confer less risk than synthetic hormones? We don’t know for sure, but there are studies that suggest yes

It’s International Women’s Day! Take charge of your health. Your hormones matter—they can be rebalanced, and you can feel better!

Naturopathic Doctors are well-trained in understanding, diagnosing, and treating perimenopause and menopause with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and other non-hormonal options. For help, support, solutions, and answers to all your questions, reach out anytime.