Daily, I treat women who are having the darnedest time coping with menopausal symptoms….whether it’s the hot flashes, night sweats, sleepless nights, mental fogginess, decreased sex drive, weight gain….you all know what I’m talking about.
As a generalist, the medications we offer to deal with menopausal symptoms range from some sort of HRT(hormone replacement therapy),whether it be in the form of estrogen, progesterone, or both(depending on whether or not you still have your uterus),to categories of medications used “off-label”,such as SSRIs or SNRIs(these are meds that are typically used for things like depression, anxiety, and are more commonly known to you by names such as Effexor, Zoloft 25 mg price, Paxil, etc.)
And how about the “natural” remedies such as Black Cohosh, Soy, Yam extract? Plus, many people find success when going to a Naturopath Kingston for help.
While these are ALL options, a careful history must be taken to ensure that, number one, you are a candidate, and number two, the decision must be made to see exactly which option is going to be “best for you”.
I can’t tell you how ANNOYED patients occasionally get having to adjust this dose or that, or not liking the way certain medications “make them feel”. Is medicine REALLY one med/treatment fits all?
I have a steady population of patients that have inquired about bio-identical hormone treatment. Being who I am, I entertain all sorts of literature, opinions, options, etc. Remember, your healthcare should be a team approach, meaning, your physician should be open to entertaining/discussing, trying new things……
I have sent numerous patients to colleagues that administer/manage bio-idenetical hormones. Of those patients that give this particular option a try; they majorly return thanking me not only for the referral, but for helping them get their lives back. WHO KNEW!
Tailor made just for you? Hormonal harmony once again? Well, it certainly appears that way. While ACOG(the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) is very black and white on some topics and gray on even more, our next GYN blog post will focus on bio-identical hormone replacement and what it’s all about. I hope to interview both a practitioner as well as a current user and add yet another weapon to your arsenal as you prepare to kick menopause’s @$$.
Hoping this blog post has added value to your day!
Until next time,
Look Better. Feel Better. Be Better.
Dr. Angela
