Bioidentical Hormone Resource Center

Are you suffering from menopause?

Leave it to Suzanne Somers to entertain us with even the most miserable of topics! She refers to the top 10 symptoms of menopause as the Seven Dwarfs of Menopause: Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and All Dried Up. To sum it up, a woman who has an out of control body and emotions- a woman who is not much fun to be around!

In reality, there are many symptoms of menopause. But commonly, the top 10 are describes as:  Loss of menstrual cycle, hot flashes, night sweats, depression, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, vaginal dryness, itchy skin, and loss of libido.

The median age for menopause to occur for a woman in the United States is 51. Menarche (the start of monthly periods) can be described as being the opposite of menopause.

The ovaries play the most critical role in reaching menopause. Ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is responsible for the appearance of secondary sex characteristics of a female and it is also important for the maturation and maintenance of the reproductive organs. Progesterone works with estrogen by allowing menstrual cycle cyclic changes in the endometrium.

Let’s say that a young woman has had a hysterectomy-which involved the removal of both her ovaries and the removal of her uterus. This woman will go into sudden menopause due to the removal of both ovaries. The woman will no longer menstruate or have the ability to become pregnant. Even if this same woman had a uterus that was left in tact, she would still enter into “surgical menopause” immediately. But let’s say that at least one of her ovaries was kept in tact, then the woman will not immediately enter into menopause. With at least one ovary kept, ovulation and the release of the hormones secreted by the ovaries will continue on until the woman hits menopause naturally. (Please see our previous blog on hysterectomies for more information on this subject).

Technically for a woman with no surgical interference, menopause hits when a woman has experienced 12 months without any menstrual bleeding.

There’s no escaping menopause. It’s a natural part of a woman’s life but unfortunately it is a very trying time for many women. Luckily, the hormones that become depleted during menopause can be replaced effectively with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Thanks to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy there is no reason why menopause can’t be the best part of your life. To find a bioidentical hormone replacement specialist in your area, please visit: www.bioidenticalhormonedoctors.com.

Hysterectomies are one of the most common surgeries performed on women today. Hysterectomies can be life saving but unfortunately many are unnecessary. If you are able to avoid a complete hysterectomy and keep your ovaries and or cervix, by all means do so. Many doctors will recommend that you remove your ovaries as a prevention to ovarian cancer. This operation is called a bilateral oophorectomy (surgical removal of one or both ovaries). But please get a second opinion-there is a big difference between women who have had hysterectomies and those that have all had their ovaries removed too. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are all made by your ovaries and play an important role in your libido, vitality and general health. Many women are not warned about the instant menopause they will experience after having a complete hysterectomy. A complete hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus, cervix and ovaries. After a totally hysterectomy, the body will need a proportioned dosage of its sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Sadly, most doctors only prescribe estrogen causing a dominance of estrogen(please see our previous blog about sex and BHRT to find out more about estrogen dominance). The appropriate ratios of estrogen must be replaced in relation to the missing progesterone and testosterone.

Just like natural menopause, surgically induced menopause (hysterectomies) depletes the progesterone supply automatically. The lack of a uterus does not mean the body does not still need progesterone. Progesterone plays an important role in proper bone density, heart health, lowering cholesterol and enhancing estrogens benefits.

The ovaries produce about half of a woman’s testosterone. Women who undergo total hysterectomies immediately lose 50 percent of their circulating testosterone. Testosterone in women enhances sex drive, bone health and lean muscle mass and clitoral sensitivity. It also improves mood with a sense of well being and increased energy. It is also beneficial to the skin; preventing wrinkles and thinning due to loss of collagen. It is know as the “feel good” hormone for both men and women.

If you have suffered from sudden menopause due to a total hysterectomy, the solution is natural-bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to restore the levels to those of a healthy young woman.

Please visit our list of bioidentical hormone replacement doctors at: www.bioidenticalhormonedoctors.com to find a specialist in your area to assist you on the road to recovery.

Do You Suffer From Andropause?

Did you know that men’s testosterone levels drop 10% every decade starting at age 30?

Andropause or the male version of menopause is a well documented medical condition that is becoming much more talked about recently.  Although the condition was first described in medical literature in the 1940’s, the ability to diagnose andropause is a fairly new discovery.  Only recently have tests become available to measure the bioavailability of testosterone to support the diagnosis.

What causes Menopause/Andropause?

During menopause, a woman’s body begins to produce less of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.  This loss is both sudden and dramatic, resulting in hot flashes, lack of sleep, decreased libido, weight gain and mood swings.  It also marks the end of a woman’s menstruation cycle and her ability to conceive a child.

For men, the hormone testosterone decreases much more gradually beginning around age 30 and dropping just 1 to 2 percent annually.  Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is responsible for creating and releasing sperm, initiating sex drive and providing muscular strength.

A significant reduction in testosterone levels can cause a variety of uncomfortable ailments including decreased libido, loss of energy, fatigue, changes in attitudes and moods and decreased physical agility.  While the affects can be quite pronounced, they evolve over a longer period of time again making it sometimes difficult to diagnose.

An Andropause Quiz

Hormonal decline can produce a vast array of symptoms;

Do you feel run down or lack energy?

Do you feel like your sex drive is lower than it once was?

Do you have problems sleeping or sleep too much?

Have you become more depressed, enjoy life less?

Do you often feel tense, nervous or easily irritated?

Have you gained weight, primarily in the abdomen?

Have you gained flabby tissue in the breast or neck region?

Do you feel not as mentally sharp as you once were?
Is your hair thinning or are you loosing your hair?

Do you get less or no morning erections when you awaken?

Is it harder to maintain muscle mass even though you work out?

Do men need treatment?

Typically, men suffering from the symptoms of andropause are often treated for a specific medical condition.  For example, an andropausal male may be diagnosed with depression and prescribed an antidepressant.  However, if that man has other symptoms of male menopause such as loss of libido, the antidepressant will only exaggerate that problem.

In addition, men complaining of low libido and inability to maintain a strong erection are often misdiagnosed simply with erectile dysfunction.

Any one of these ailments can be problematic.  In addition, testosterone builds bone, and low testosterone can lead to thinning of the bones or osteoporosis which can increase the risk of bone fractures.  Studies also show that a low level of testosterone puts men at additional risk for heart disease.

When a male patient complains of symptoms that are causing a significant disturbance in his life, a doctor who suspects andropuase will perform a blood testosterone test to determine the level of the male hormone (androgen) in the blood. Low testosterone is defined as less than 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood. The mean level for a 40 year old male is 500 nanongrams.

If a blood test confirms low testosterone levels, a doctor may prescribe a variety of treatments designed for that individual patient. These may include hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle changes such as exercise, a healthier diet, vitamins and herbal supplements, and the elimination of alcohol.  Many patients can find relief and have significant improvement in their overall symptoms.

Andropause does not affect all men, and many may have varying degrees of severity.  Anyone who suspects that their symptoms are a result of andropause and feel that their personal and/or professional life is somehow disrupted by these symptoms may want to consider seeking treatment.

Dr. Mary Kay Ross

Dr. Mary Kay Ross is the medical director/owner of Live Well MD, a medical practice specializing in Preventative Medicine and Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) for the treatment of Menopause and Male Andropause. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville, a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and is board certified in Emergency Medicine.

Live Well MD is located at 337 Commercial Drive, Suite 100, Savannah, Georgia.  They can be reached at Savannah Bioidentical Hormones

As part of an ongoing blog, we are going to be following a woman by the name of Brandy through her journey with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Brandy is a physically active 51 year old woman who has suffered from a variety of symptoms for at least a year or more.

Some of her symptoms were severe exhaustion and a lack of energy. At first, she was concerned that mono had come back to haunt her after a bout she had with it in high school. She was so miserable at that time that she never forgot what if felt like, she says. Some of her other symptoms were difficulty in standing for more than a few minutes and weight gain, although she was not eating much and what she ate was healthy. On top of that, her hair began thinning and lost its luster. When she would brush it, handfuls of hair would be leftover in her brush rather than the few strands before menopause set in. Hot and cold flashes would follow at night. And to add insult to injury, her husband began noticing that her temper was easily triggered by the slightest event.

Now if all this doesn’t sound bad enough, she says these things weren’t even the worst of it. For her the worst part was having trouble with her speaking abilities and with her memory. I will point out that Brandy is a very successful and intelligent woman and I can just imagine the shock and horror of this. She says she actually struggled for words, had trouble remembering the simplest of things and a sudden inability to work out problems.

I am very excited to begin Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy; I can’t wait for my medicine to get here!  I am so relieved to discover that I don’t have to live with these terrible symptoms for much longer.  I’m so looking forward to doing all the things that I want to do with my life, feeling healthy and full of energy again as I did when I was younger.

I had no idea I had entered menopause, nor that I had hypothyroidism.  I learned about the various relationships between hormones and brain function, as well as how they affect my physical well-being.  And fortunately, since I am having some difficulty with memory, he gave me hand-outs describing everything we talked about at our visit, as well as a copy of my lab work.

Interview With Brandy

Me: What was the turning point that finally made you seek out help?

Brandy: Well, all the symptoms you mentioned above for starters. But I also think people should know that I really wasn’t seeking hormone replacement therapy per say – I just wanted some kind of relief! Although all the symptoms above were happening to me, I clearly wasn’t ill. I had no sore throat, no stomach pains or even headaches – but I was definitely not feeling healthy. After extensive research, I eventually sought out bioidentical hormones, rather than synthetics, since they seem to be better processed by the body and have more success and fewer bad side effects.

Me: So you’ve recently just returned from your first appointment with a bioidentical hormone replacement specialist?

Brandy: Yes. So far, I have had one initial appointment and I will be filling you all in as I continue. But before my first appointment, I was asked to get a full panel of blood work performed. That way my BHRT doctor could examine the results of the blood work before I even saw him. That gave us opportunity to know how to proceed immediately. I did this by selecting a lab that was convenient to me, and my doctor’s staff phoned in the paperwork. Now, I did have to fast 8 hours and have the blood work taken before 9 in the morning. It was all very easy though.

Me: So, your BHRT doctor has the results and you are sitting in his office…

Brandy: We spent about an hour talking about all of my symptoms and going over the blood tests. He wanted to hear everything about me. All my past illnesses, allergies, any other significant lifestyle changes. I had a job change last year that was pretty stressful so we talked about that, as well as how I was currently feeling. After he patiently listened to me, he pulled out the lab report and we talked through it step by step. At each point, he explained how the low hormone indicators were making me feel the way I was. For example, he could see that my thyroid was having a very tough time of hormone production, which was the reason for all the problems with my hair and energy level. He explained very clearly the effects of menopause and the hormones involved.  He also explained that bringing these hormone levels back up to optimal levels would not only relieve many of my symptoms, but would also protect me from all sorts of common issues as I aged, from Alzheimer’s to osteoporosis.  He also informed me that starting treatment now, as menopause was starting, was far better than waiting 10 years when some of the damage would already be done.  For each hormone that he recommended I take, he discussed the dosage, the time of day to take it, with food or not, as well as the effects I could expect and how long before I would notice a difference.  He also recommended keeping the dosages low to start out with, since he determined that I am very sensitive to medications, and assured me that the dosages can be adjusted in subsequent visits.  I will have my blood test re-done in 2 months, after which we will meet again to see how things are improving.  We will keep meeting at 2-month intervals until we are satisfied with the hormone levels and with how I am feeling, after which I will see him yearly (or as needed) to check on whether anything needs adjusting. After my discussion with the doctor, I talked to a member of his staff who ordered the hormones, which will be shipped to my home in a couple days.

Me: It sounds like you’ve learned quite a bit about yourself and that the road to recovery seems pretty simple.

Brandy: I learned a lot – I had no idea I had entered menopause, nor that I had hypothyroidism.  I learned about the various relationships between hormones and brain function, as well as how they affect my physical well-being.  And fortunately, since I am having some difficulty with memory, he gave me hand-outs describing everything we talked about at our visit, as well as a copy of my lab work.  I have already gone back to reference those to make sure I understand what all I am taking. I am just so glad that I don’t have to live with this and am getting help now.

We will follow Brandy and keep you updated on the progress of Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Our mission is to provide information and resources to people like Brandy, to help her reclaim the life she was meant to live. Please visit our list of referred bioidentical hormone replacement specialists at: www.bioidenticalhormonedoctors.com

You know the drill:

It’s close to 3:00 a.m and you have woken in a damp sweat. You can’t rip the sheets off of you fast enough only to find yourself moments later with the chills. And the cycle continues. Next day, you are cranky, edgy, and no one in their right mind would use the word “fun” to describe you! If only I could get some rest, you think. Then you know you can beat the cycle. But the problem seems to only happen when you are indeed resting.

Several years ago this happened to me. It was especially aggravating as I am one of those people who requires more than average amounts of sleep to function. I had a hysterectomy some years earlier due to complications with birthing my child, so periods had stopped some time ago. My step-mom who is a nurse, told me much to my shock that it wasn’t menopause I was going through, but rather a reaction to a supplement I was taking at the time: niacin. Well, I didn’t quite buy it. All due respect to my step-mom, but I thought she lost her marbles in this particular case. Sure enough, as soon as the bottle of niacin ran out, so did my night sweats. So, how do you know what you are going through is really menopause, or not?

Do You Suffer from Menopause?

The truth is, night sweats, mood swings, and achy joints can be the symptoms of several things ranging from infections to cancer and certain medications.

So, how do you know for sure it is menopause?

First of all, let’s make it clear that menopause is a natural and normal occurrence. When a woman has missed her period for 12 consecutive months she is defined as having menopause. This event marks the end of fertility and occurs on average at the age of 51.

These symptoms can signify hormonal imbalance, thyroid disease, uterine fibroids, uterine polyps or even uterine or cervical cancer.

It’s important to get the right diagnosis especially to avoid unnecessary procedures such as a hysterectomy.

Sometimes elevated FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels are used to confirm menopause. FSH is a hormone that triggers the ovaries to release estrogen. As the levels of estrogen decline around the time of menopause, the pituitary gland releases more FSH into the blood to try to stimulate estrogen production. To summarize, when a woman’s FSH blood level is consistently elevated and she is no longer having menstrual periods, it is generally accepted that she has reached menopause.

Check with a bioidentical hormone replacement specialist in your local area for confirmation that it is indeed menopause you are experiencing.

Your doctor will want to know what triggers the bleeding and what makes it stop. Tests used to help determine the cause of abnormal bleeding include a Pap test; a transvaginal ultrasound, which uses sound waves to visualize the uterus and other pelvic organs with a probe inserted into the vagina; endometrial biopsy, in which a small sample of the uterine lining is removed and examined; and hysteroscopy, where a tiny telescope is inserted into the vagina and through the cervix to look directly at the uterine lining.