Posts made in May, 2008

Counting Sheep

Posted by Liz on May 12, 2008 in hot flash | 0 comments

Seems like bills, the primaries, the environment, family, kids and work aren’t the only things that we’re losing sleep over. News from one of my favorite wire services suggests that severe sleep disruption, and not night sweats or irritability is one of most commonly-reported complaint among middle-aged women entering menopause. This is quite important as most of the evidence points to vasomotor symptoms like the sweats and flashes, as largely responsible for poor sleep.

I’ve heard from several of my gal pals that they are having difficulty sleeping. Equally troubling, however, is that if your go-to medical expert is a family doctor, well, he or she might not be completely clear on what to do about sleep distubances, especially when it comes to alternative therapies.

So, what works and what doesn’t when it comes to sleep issues?

In addition to the more obvious solutions, such as cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, beefing up intake of phytoestrogens (which are found in soy, flaxseed and tofu) or engaging in relaxation exercise and meditation right at bedtime, herbal extracts like valerian and passionflower might help.

Now mind you, there’s a lot of controversy over claims that valerian helps to decrease insomnia and reviews of the literature say that there’s not enough evidence to support its value. Personally, the valerian/passionflower combo has worked well for me, although I sometimes awaken with a “hangover” type feeling. There’s a relatively new black cohosh/valerian tablet on the market as well with some studies to support use in sleep disturbance. Note that while I’ve been advised to use black cohosh before bed, I personally prefer the product without the valerian component.

Another option is a supplement called 5-HTP. 5-HTP is an amino acid and natural precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is a major target for today’s antidepressants, and in addition to being involved in mood regulation, it also plays a role in modulating appetite and body temperature. An important note of caution when using 5-HTP is that if you are also using an SSRI or MAOI antidepressant, you need to speak to your doctor first before trying; too much serotonin in your system can be toxic or even fatal. 5-HTP can also interact with other agents so self-medicating without consulting a health professional is a big no-no.

Even with a little help, insomnia can persist through the perimenopause to menopause transition, especially right before your menstrual period. I believe that your practitioner can be great resource for steps that you can take to counter the sleep issues.

Talk Talk

Posted by Liz on May 10, 2008 in hot flash | 0 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvAVJTQeFiQ]

I’ve been surfing lots to see what folks are saying about the menopause. And it’s given me pause, which is why I wanted to pick up my pen and intervene.

Too often, what I run across is run of the mill, me-too, stale copy with highly technical information “dumbed down” for the consumer OR advice on how to delight in the menopause OR unsound or unproven alternatives that are not tailored to the individual but to the masses.

So, how do you like your information served? Sugar-coated with a cherry and whipped cream? Or organic, fresh and crisp, just-picked and newly-ripened, one perfect portion at a time, presented with you and your needs in mind?

I only ask not be “talked at” but spoken to in an engaging, respectful manner. I didn’t believe those tampon ads back in the 70s depicting two happy teenage girls on the beach exercising, and I don’t believe that I should be told that I will delight in a drenching hot flash, perspiration rolling down my face, and huge sweat rings staining a new silk blouse.

So, here’s my promise to you. Straight talk, no shooter, engaging, factual, and timely. If you catch a few words here and there that resonate…well, we’re halfway there.

Here’s the first course:

A small but scientifically designed study out of China shows that acupuncture plus cupping provided relief of menopause-related perspiration in approximately 81% of women compared to acupuncture alone or cupping alone. Sound interesting?

Mama’s Little Helper

Posted by Liz on May 9, 2008 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

There’s a new cocktail in town! Won’t necessarily do its wonders for ‘all that ails’ but it’s a good start and worthy of consideration, even for the toughest constitution. Hmmm, I can only imagine eyes popping and chattering as all you Sixties love children excitingly talk about Ms. V and so sorry to disappoint. I’m actually referring to black cohosh, rhodiola, and three immortals with a twist (i.e., topical progesterone cream ). Sounds strange, eh?

True confession time. I started having major night sweats about four months ago. Drenching night sweats. Talk about a wet dream! My MD suggested a regimen of topical progesterone combined with a low-dose topical estrogen. Progesterone? Okay. But, estrogen and me haven’t done too well in the past.

So, Flashfree might be a blogger by night but by day, I’m a medical writer/health reporter so I read and read and read and write and write and write. And while I live and breathe and eat in the Western School of Medicine, I honestly subscribe to the East meets West way of life.

Mind you, I’m not recommending that you go out for happy hour. But what I would like to convey is that there may be an effective allternative if you are hormone-shy like me, provided that you consult the healthcare professionals in your life that are ‘in the know.’

Couple rules of thumb – standardized formulations rule the day, don’t try this at home without speaking to an expert first, and shaken, not stirred!

Any other combos you’d like to share? Experiences? Tell me more!

Is it me…or is it global warming?

Posted by Liz on May 9, 2008 in women's health | 2 comments

Hey. Global warming is no joke. I’ve been turning down or off the thermostat a lot lately. But my central heating is seemingly going into overdrive. Sisters – you know what I’m talking about. In fact, I’ve been chatting lots and lots lately with my gal pals about this pause in our lives…..taking stock as to what’s going on and the steps we’re taking to deal with it. But I truly think that it’s not about dealing, but sharing and winning and reveling and rebelling. Yup, that’s my plan. So I hope that you’ll join me on this journey to get the word out about what’s working and what’s not and the challenges and victories. I’m going to use this forum to post the good, bad, ugly and the best and worst about…..shhhhh…..peri and men-oh-pause. But I promise! This ain’t gonna be your mama’s menopause! A new day has dawned…