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Health Issues

  • Progesterone Adds to the Positive Bone Effects of Estrogen/Etidronate

    I saw you on Shaw TV last September and want to say “thanks” for such an informative and helpful presentation. I have been a fan of yours for a number of years, ever since I heard you at a seminar at Royal Columbian, when I was beginning perimenopause. I found your symptoms “diary” most helpful and have shared it with many of my friends over the years.

    Being a nurse I always seem to end up checking the pathophysiology of things before I accept them as beneficial to me, and of course menopause was no exception. I heard Dr. John Lee speak about the time I was considering hormone therapy. In 1998 I chose to start on a cream of natural progesterone (50 mg a day). I had to first convince my GP I did not want synthetics if a hormone identical to what I had made for 40 years was available! The reason for hormone therapy was to hopefully ward off osteoporosis because of a strong family history, a congenital abnormality of my back, and BMD showing osteopenia with osteoporosis of one vertebra. I have never looked back. But I did not get a rise in BD as I hoped; after 2 years it stayed much the same. So for the last year I have had estrogen added (as a cream, TriEst 2.5 mg, a natural combination of estrogens).

    My bargain with my GP was that if I had no increase after one year I would agree to start a bisphosphonate. My quandary is that at age 58, three years post last period, should I need to go there? I would rather not take Didrocal® because it doesn’t cause a BMD increase, or Fosamax®.

    Are there any better, safer alternatives coming along? Is a year long enough to evaluate the benefit of being on a combination of estrogen and progesterone?

  • Should I stop checking my own breasts?

    I’m confused and more than a bit bothered! I’m a menopausal woman with a family history of breast cancer. For years I’ve been told (ordered would be more accurate!) to check my breasts each month. Recently, however, I heard some cancer specialist on the news saying I shouldn’t bother. What’s going on? Why the change in recommendations? And most of all: do you think I should stop checking my breasts?

  • What is Effective and Safe for Night Sweats in Women with Breast Cancer?

    I’m 47 and wringing the sheets every night with hot flushes. I went into menopause early because of chemotherapy for breast cancer and then had surgery to take out my uterus and ovaries because I have the bad gene (BRCA). I’m now taking the new drug that blocks estrogen production but is making my flushes worse. I’ve tried soymilk, tofu and all kinds of plant estrogens. I’m afraid of herbs because I’m told they may increase estrogen and therefore feed my cancer. And I’ve tried acupuncture-it helps about a week and then I need another treatment.

    Right now I’m fighting taking the newer anti-depressant my doctor prescribed-I’m not depressed. She says that medicine is what the Cancer Agency recommends for hot flushes. I asked my pharmacist and got a printout of its side effects-it causes sleep problems and loss of appetite. I already have them! And I’ve heard they are only likely to be 60-70% effective.

    My question is, can I try something that will help my night sweats without making me at risk my breast cancer will return? Or should I consider stopping the estrogen blocker-I don’t want to because, although it is making my flushes worse, it will prevent another bout of breast cancer. Or am I stuck feeling as wrung out as my sheets for the next dozen years?

  • What should I expect after early surgical menopause?

    I’m 47 and had my ovaries but not my uterus removed. However, following surgery I wasn’t told what to expect, if I needed to take hormones, or what I might experience. My GP was as vague as my gynecologist. I’m having 2-3 night sweats a week, my sleep is very interrupted and have 3-6 daytime hot flushes per week but all of these things are the same as before surgery. I even still have my usual libido and good vaginal lubrication. I thought I’d lose those with my ovaries. . . .

  • Perimenopause and Thyroid Problems—common and confusing

    When a perimenopausal woman feels tired, gains weight and has frozen-cold hands and feet, how can she tell if the cause is a low thyroid or perimenopause?

  • PCOS (AAE) and Insulin Resistance

    Two years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS by my general practitioner, who started me on Diane35® but basically did nothing else. Despite walking and working out regularly, I have continued to gain weight, and my emotional/hormonal levels seem very out of place. My waistline is increasing despite a fasting glucose test that indicated I am not diabetic. I am looking for advice as to how to find out more information about PCOS so that I can try to regain control over my menstrual health, and ultimately my weight and emotional health.

  • Why do I have Osteoporosis? I’m Way too Young!

    I slipped on some soggy leaves while walking home from work. I ended up breaking my upper arm. I’m only 36-this kind of fracture typically happens in 80 year olds! My bone density shows a Z-score of -3, meaning I have osteoporosis by bone density as well as low trauma fracture. But how I could have osteoporosis since I am so young and do everything right? I walk about an hour a day (my commute), I eat yogurt and cheese and drink 3 glasses of skim milk a day-all my life I have taken a multi vitamin. My weight is perfect. I’ve never skipped a period and they come predictably every 27 days. I don’t even have osteoporosis in my family. Why did I break my arm???

  • Can we Prevent Anovulatory Androgen Excess (aka PCOS)?

    Hi there. I don’t know if you can answer this or even if you will think it is a stupid question, but I am 41 and have a 12-year old daughter who got her period two years ago. I’ve struggled with PCOS since my teens and now I’m worried because I see my daughter following the same pattern. Her periods are every three or four months, she’s gaining weight rapidly, has lots of pimples and is feeling very bad about herself.  So here’s the question: Is there any way that we can stop her from getting PCOS? 

     

  • The ABCs of Osteoporosis Prevention for Women in Midlife

    Bone Health: As Simple as ABC! Perimenopause, the time of change before, and a year after the final menstrual period, is also a time of increased risk for falling, bone loss and occasionally, for fractures. Bone loss is more rapid from the start of irregular flow until a year after the final period compared to…