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Dr. Lee Discusses his new book
| FOR WOMEN ONLY: The Menopause and Life Beyond Program |
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What is Menopause?Menopause refers to that time in every woman's life when menstruation ceases completely. The ovaries' output of estrogen and progesterone diminishes severely. In addition to signifying the end of a woman's ability to have children, changing hormone levels affect the entire endocrine system. This is a process, which takes approximately 3 to 5 years. The transitional phase is referred to as the climacteric, or peri-menopause. Menopause is considered complete when a woman has had no periods for a full year. Although timing varies from woman to woman, menopause is generally complete in the early 50's. Technically, menopause can occur anytime between 35 and 55 years.
In addition to diminished levels of estrogen and progesterone, testosterone levels (also produced in the ovaries) are reduced during menopause. Changing hormone levels affect the entire endocrine system, the system that controls growth & repair, energy & metabolism, immune function, and reproduction. The diminution of hormone levels during menopause affect the breasts, vagina, bladder, bones, brain, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and skin. The Menopause and Beyond Evaluation The Age Management M.D. Menopause and Beyond Program begins, like all our programs, with an evaluation*. This includes:
What effects can I expect from the Menopause and Beyond Program? The reality is that the reduction of a woman¹s hormonal output results in changes that can seriously affect her physical and mental states of health as well as her prospects for longevity. Here are some of the most common symptoms of menopause, and the kinds of changes that can be expected with the Menopause and Life Beyond program. Hot Flashes The most common menopausal symptom is hot flashes, sudden sensations of intense heat. Some women break out with red blotches on the chest, back, and/or arms; sweat profusely; and also experience cold and shivering until their bodies readjust. While some women never experience hot flashes, some women endure them for up to 30 minutes at a time. Hot flashes are generally considered to be a direct result of changing estrogen levels and can linger for years. Hormone modulation can prevent or at least relieve hot flashes. Vaginal/Urinary Tract Changes As hormone levels decrease, the walls of the vagina become thinner, dryer, less elastic and more susceptible to infection. This condition can also make intercourse uncomfortable. Tissues in the urinary tract can also change with the decrease of hormonal levels. Some women experience incontinence. Some women become more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Restoring hormones to optimal levels can make the vaginal mucosa thicker, more moist, more elastic, more resistant to infection, and healthier. Loss of Libido Rarely discussed, the loss of sex drive is another by-product of the menopausal experience. Women generally have 1/10th to 1/50th of the testosterone levels that men have. The waning of her pre-menopausal level of testosterone can be a contributing factor to a woman¹s loss of desire for sexual intercourse. Hormone modulation, including testosterone, can increase a woman¹s sexual desire and enjoyment and help maintain normal body composition and energy. Emotional Changes For some women, menopause heralds a period of enormous freedom. For others it is a roller coaster ride, with emotional peaks and valleys; and for many depression becomes an all-too-frequent companion. Though certainly such factors as lifestyle, alteration of family roles, changing social networks and "emptying the nest" play a large part in this, it is also safe to say that the loss of hormones contribute mightily to the emotional changes of post-menopausal women. Hormone modulation can prevent fluctuating hormone levels from making things worse. Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is definitely not just a woman¹s disease. (More men get it than prostate disease, according to Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., author of Strong Women, Strong Bones.) However it is more common in women, and it is now estimated that one out of every two post-menopausal women will suffer some degree of osteoporosis. Those with a history of osteoporosis and those who are thin and fair skinned, and those who have smoked, seemed to be more at risk, but osteoporosis is a manifestation of estrogen insufficiency. It is a gradual, yet debilitating condition in which bones become fragile, thin, and prone to fracture. Building up bone density prior to menopause is the best strategy for osteoporosis prevention, but once menopause has occurred, the most effective therapy is hormone modulation. The National Institute on Aging has said "Remarkably, estrogen saves more bone tissue than even very large daily doses of calcium." Hormone modulation and optimizing nutrition with phytonutrients and supplementary calcium and Vitamin D, and weight bearing exercise have been very promising therapies. Cardiovascular Disease Heart disease is, by far, the number one killer of American women. It is responsible for over half of the deaths of women over age 50. After menopause, the incidence of cardiovascular disease increases greatly. Smoking and a family history of heart disease increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, but low estrogen levels make the risk much higher. As a direct result of estrogen deficiency, LDL ("bad cholesterol") appears to increase and HDL ("good cholesterol") decreases. What happens is that after menopause, fat tends to accumulate on artery walls eventually clogging them. Early recognition, lifestyle changes, and hormone modulation have been shown to be very effective in reducing the incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women. The Age Management Menopause and Beyond Program Can Help! Hormone replacement therapy began in the 1940¹s and has been refined considerably over the past sixty years. While there are still contraindications for some women (e.g., those with history of breast disease and uterine cancer), many physicians feel that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Much of the medical field agrees that hormone therapy:
The Age Management M.D. clinic treats every patient as an individual. Whatever your personal menopausal "profile" you can be sure that your hormone modulation program will not be a "one-size-fits-all" affair; you will receive just the hormones you need, in the correct amounts. Whenever possible, Age Management M.D. uses natural bioidentical hormones.
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