Posts Tagged "hot flash"

Futuristic Friday – the bedfan

Posted by Liz on May 29, 2009 in hot flash, nightsweats | 0 comments

Besides the awful name (what comes to mind is “bed pan”) this whimsical device may actually save a few partnerships or marriages. The bedfan – a “device that blows a cool breeze under the covers.” Now, granted, it’s not quite as nifty as cleavage coolers, but it still might address those night sweats and flashes and make bedtime more pleasurable, for both parties!

One size fits all

Posted by Liz on May 18, 2009 in herbal medicine | 1 comment

Like Zappa, I’ve never been one to be confined to a box. Or to be so presumptuous to believe that I am like any other woman out there (except, perhaps my mother but that’s an entirely different topic!). So why do manufacturers continue to assume that a single neutraceutical or combination supplement is going to address all of the major attributes of perimenopause, e.g., hot flashes AND night sweats AND mood swings AND sexual desire and so on and so on and so on? Am I missing something here?

One of the reasons I continue to encourage women to speak to a licensed practitioner is so that they can obtain advice that is individualized and personalized to their unique needs. I may be having night sweats every other night and regularly waking at 3 am, while you might be experiencing hot flashes every two hours. Should we believe that a single pill that combines, say, isoflavones, black cohosh and chaste berry will be helpful for both of us?

So, once again, I was dumbstruck when I ran across a site for yet another menopausal supplement:  Menozac™, your one-stop pill for:

• hot flashes
• night sweats
• vaginal dryness
• forgetfulness
• mood swings
• bloating
• anxiety
• emotional issues (which in turn, will benefit sexual issues)

Have you tried Menozac™? Was it “all that and more?”  Did you “graduate to maturity and being free of the responsibility of being fertile?”  Did Mother Nature’s “helper” save you from being bedeviled by the menopause?

I swear, I didn’t write this copy. I simply took poetic license with it. In fact, it’s so “all that” that I don’t believe that I am creative enough to come up with the degree of hype that permeates each sentence.

Dear readers – please be safe, be diligent, do your homework and make conscious decisions. Be skeptical.  Be suspicious. Ask questions.  Speak to a trained expert. Read. Explore.

One size does not fit all.

Erring on the side of black cohosh

Posted by Liz on Apr 27, 2009 in herbal medicine | 0 comments

I’ve written quite a few posts about black cohosh over the past year. Black cohosh (better know in the plant circles as Actaea racemosa and cimicifuga racemosa) is an herb shown to treat vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Yet, concerns have been raised about its possible link to liver disease and toxicity.

Thus far, the evidence against black cohosh has been pretty lean. I’m happy to add a few more coals to that particular fire.

In a case report published in the Ahead of Print section of Menopause, researchers present evidence on nine cases of suspected liver toxicity in women who had used black cohosh.

The result: they excluded an potential link between the women’s symptoms and ingestion of black cohosh in eight of nine cases. In one case, they reported a possible association to liver disease for an unknown brand of black cohosh taken for two months but also state that the woman had factors that might have skewed the results.

They concluded that significant circumstantial evidence linking black cohosh to liver toxicity is missing.

Although this is a very small study, this is not the first time that upon examination, a lack of causality was found between black cohosh and liver disease. Of course, standardized formulations are a must, as is guidance from a healthcare professional who is well-versed in the use of herbs for menopause. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that eventually, black cohosh will become a respectable player in the field.

Wednesday Bubble: Sham?

Posted by Liz on Apr 15, 2009 in hot flash | 3 comments

Today’s Bubble troubles me because it’s a bit personal. You see; I want to believe.

Reporting in the Climacteric journal of the International Menopause Society, researchers say that a thorough review of scientific studies examining acupuncture and hot flashes failed to reveal any specific effects.  So, is acupuncture no more effective than sham acupuncture, i.e. placebo?

In this report, which appeared in the February 2009 edition of the journal, researchers searched studies published in 17 databases in different languages. Of the six well-designed trials that were ultimately included in their review, four compared regular acupuncture with sham acupuncture, in which a practitioner will insert needles on acupuncture points that are not relevant for treating hot flashes. The results: none of these trials showed any benefit of acupuncture in terms of frequency or severity of hot flashes.

Only one trial showed any favorable effects: this particular study tested acupuncture against needles that were place on non-relevant points but not inserted into the skin.

So, what can we conclude from these findings?

The researchers say that controlled studies, in which the environment is scientifically designed to mimic real life, fail to show any specific effects of acupuncture for controlling hot flashes. However, they do not appear to believe that this is the end all to be all. Instead, they call for more rigorous trials to further investigate the use of acupuncture for hot flashes.

Perhaps the ACUFLASH trial will shed more light.

What are your experiences with acupuncture? Have you used it specifically to treat hot flashes?

St John’s Wort, Quality of Life & Hot Flashes

Posted by Liz on Mar 27, 2009 in herbal medicine, hot flash | 0 comments

Can St. John’s Wort improve quality of life during perimenopause?

While the benefit  of St. John’s wort for treatment depression and other mood disorders remains inconclusive, there is new evidence that it might be useful for symptoms of perimenopause that affect quality of life, namely hot flashes.

In a small study published in the February 3 Advanced Edition of Menopause, researchers randomly assigned 47 perimenopausal women experiencing 3 to 5 hot flashes daily to 900 mg St. John’s Wort extract three times daily or placebo. All study participants were asked to keep daily diaries noting the frequency and intensity of their hot flashes. Quality of life and hot flashes scores were also calculated.

At three months, women who had been taking St. John’s Wort reported significant improvements in menopause-specific quality of life and significantly fewer sleep problems. They also experienced improvements in daily hot flash frequency and hot flash scores.

Although the researchers caution that this is small study and that larger trials are needed,they say that St. John’s Wort may improve quality of life in ways that are important to perimenopausal women.

About St. John’s Wort

In addition to controversy over its effectiveness in treating depression, experts recommend against taking St. John’s Wort at the same time as alcohol, narcotics, amphetamines, tyrosine supplements, flu medicines and foods containing tyramine (e.g. yeast, aged cheese, eggplant, soy sauce). St. John’s Wort can also interact with prescription antidepressants, oral contraceptives and certain medications that thin the blood. More information about St. John’s Wort, its side effects and risks can be found here.

As with any herbal preparation, it’s critical to speak to a healthcare practitioner before embarking on therapy. Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Specialist Elaine Stern has a few tips with regards to what you should look for.

In the interim, keep an eye out for more news about St. John’s Wort. These results are encouraging news for hot flashers!