Menopause? What Is Going On?

By Nurse Barb

As I travel around the country talking about menopause, I’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions that I’m hearing.

On September 9th, I will be speaking in Mt. View, California at El Camino Hospital. It’s free talk on Menopause and it will be FUN! We’ll also have lots of give-aways.

You can register by clicking here.

1. What are some of the most common problems menopausal women complain of?

Nearly 3 out of every 4 women have hot flashes or night sweats. And most also notice many symptoms that they don’t complain about unless their health care providers ask:

• Sleep disturbances

• Weight gain

• Too much facial hair

• Changes in mood.

• Changes in sexuality

These all contribute to a change in a woman’s quality of life and the good news is that there are treatments, both hormonal and non-hormonal.

2. What aspect of menopause do women find most surprising?

I just saw a patient who was very typical of what I see every day. Women have vaginal symptoms of dryness, pain with sex, itching and odor and are surprised that this is not temporary, but if left untreated will get worse.

Most women don’t know that there are more estrogen receptors around their vulvas and vaginas than anywhere else, so as estrogen levels decline, our vaginas get smaller, drier and more prone to pain with sex and infections. However, before you give up hope, there are new and effective treatments available.

3. Many clinicians are confused about what treatment options are really safe, how do you figure out what’s best for your patients?

I like to start with a complete History and Physical. As I tell my students, put on your CSI detective hat and figure out what’s best for this particular woman. Every woman is different and one size definitely doesn’t fit all.

A healthy women in her early 50’s who doesn’t smoke, has a normal blood pressure and low cholesterol is very different from a woman in her mid to late 60’s with diabetes and a family history of breast cancer, which is why individualizing recommendations is so essential.

4. What is the current thinking on bio-identical and compounded hormones?

I think there was a lot of confusion over the last 10 years. Many women mistakenly thought that the only place to obtain bio-identical hormones was through a compounding pharmacy.

Luckily, women can obtain bio-identical estrogen and progestin hormonal treatments that are FDA approved from their local pharmacy.

Women have more options now than ever before, including oral and transdermal preparations that have been rigorously studied so we can give women more information on benefits and risks. There are bio-identical estrogens and progestins for hot flashes and night sweats that treat the entire body. In addition, there are bio-identical estrogen options that only treat vaginal dryness.

5. Are women confused about menopause?

Absolutely, women are confused and it stems from the fact that every woman is different. Menopause can sneak up like a gentle breeze with symptoms that are barely noticeable. Other women suddenly experience drenching hot flashes and insomnia producing night sweats that appear overnight like a Class-5 hurricane.

It seems that every woman gets her own personal ticket on the hormonal roller coaster of menopause.

6. Where can women go for more information?

I hear many of the same questions from women all the time. I know that my patients want to know how other women dealt with the challenges of their hormonal changes at mid-life.

• El Camino Hospital - Has a wealth of information through their magazine: Health Perks, their comprehensive Women’s Health Program, free community talks and lectures and many of their other resources.

• The Red Hot Mamas - This website is devoted to all things Menopause

• The North American Menopause Society - This is the research based professional organization that drives the research and position statements that helps other clinicians provide women with evidence based recommendations.

• My Menopause Magazine - Edited by Dr. Mache Seibel from Harvard, this provides a wealth of information on all aspects of midlife.

• The HOT Guide to a Cool Sexy Menopause - This is my new book on Menopause, which includes real-life stories of real women who are dealing with everything from weight gain and painful sex to unexpected hair growth and changes in mood. In addition, because I know that one size definitely does not fit all, I added hundreds of tried and true tips that have helped thousands of women feel better and more empowered.

I hope you’ll join me on September 9th at El Camino Hospital in Mt. View for a fun talk on Menopause. Space is limited, so please register early.

Date & Time: Tuesday, September 9, 2014 - 6 - 8 p.m.


Location: El Camino Hospital, Mountain View Campus



Registration Required:
 Space is limited. Pre-registration required. To register call 800-216-5556.

Fee: FREE and open to the public