Posts Tagged "night sweats"

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.

Bad to the bone

Posted by Liz on May 8, 2009 in bone health | 0 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VsoxT_FUY]

Are hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms an indication of adverse bone health? According to data coming out of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, they might possibly be. Notably, while studies have examined the association between vasomotor symptoms and bone mineral density (BMD) previously, they have not followed women as they undergo the menopausal transition and rather, focused on women after they completed menopause.

Here are some of the study’s highlights:

• 2,213 women, ages 42 to 52, were included in the five year study. all had a uterus, were not using hormones, and had not yet entered menopause (i.e. still had their periods)
• Menopause stage and degree of vasomotor symptoms were assessed each year by questionnaire
• Bone mineral density was measured at the study’s start and each year. Dimensions were taken at the spine, hip, and pelvis

Study findings, which were published this past March in Menopause, showed that bone mineral density was lower in women with vasomotor symptoms compered to those without. What’s more, these effects varied depending in the stage of menopause. For example, women in pre- and early perimenopause with vasomotor symptoms had lower bone density measures in their pelvic areas, while women in postmenopause with vasomotor symptoms had lower BMD in their spine and hips. Overall, bone mineral density was consistently lower in women who experienced frequent vasomotor symptoms versus those who did not. In these cases, lower bone density was more evident in the lumbar spine in early peri- and postmenopause, and in the pelvis among early pre-menopausal women.

Whew! What does it all mean?

According to researchers, the findings suggest that vasomotor symptoms in menopause are linked to bone density deficits, which vary depending on the severity of symptoms and menopausal stage. This may help women and their practitioners devise more targeted strategies to protect bone health at appropriate times, and potentially encourage regular screening to prevent osteoporosis, fractures and related problems. The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Bone Tool Kit includes information on calcium, vitamin D and exercise. Yoga Journal also has some great advice regarding safe and helpful postures.

Hot flashes and night sweats may be bad for the bones. But there are many positive steps we can take to protect them. Afterall, we only have one set. There’s no time like the present to take better care!

Wednesday Bubble: Black cohosh strikes again…

Posted by Liz on May 6, 2009 in herbal medicine, hot flash, nightsweats | 5 comments

I’m beginning to see a pattern in my Wednesday Bubble posts. It certainly is not deliberate. But there’s more good news about black cohosh and I’d like to share it.

A Yale School of Medicine researcher and physician has presented findings of a web-based survey examining the use of Remifemin black cohosh standardized extract among 692 women, ages 35 to 45. The study results, which were displayed this week at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology annual meeting, demonstrate that women are using black cohosh to avoid HRT. Okay, no big news there; I’ve posted about the utility of standardized black cohosh in lieu of HRT for almost a year now.

However, not only did almost 90% of women report being satisfied or highly satisfied with black cohosh, but approximately 88% noted that they felt it was effective or very effective for treating their symptoms.

More importantly, however, the study revealed that women are discussing the use of this standardized form of black cohosh with their health practitioners (mostly ob/gyns or family doctors). And, over half — an estimated 53.7% — said that their physicians were supportive of their decision to use black cohosh.

Personally, I find these results very encouraging; not only do they support a long-standing contention that black cohosh, namely Remifemin, is effective for hot flashes, night sweats, and other perimenopausal symptoms, but they also provide evidence that the communication channels between menopausal women and their practitioners are starting to open.

Notably, black cohosh is one of the few herbs that has been consistently shown to alleviate vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Although there has been some questions about its safety, particularly with regards to liver toxicity, there are accumulating data disputing some of these claims. Indeed, at this year’s ACOG meeting, another researcher examined and compared liver function in 142 patients taking standardized black cohosh extract and 138 taking placebo and found no statistically sigificant changes in liver function.  Moreover, analysis of a smaller group of with abnormal liver function values found only one case where there was a significant difference between the groups. This led the researchers to conclude that standardized black cohosh, namely Remifemin, can be used safely.

Personally, I’ve been using Remifemin for over a year now. Recommended by a health practitioner and endorsed by my Ob/Gyn, along with a variety of other Chinese and Western herbs, I’ve been fortunate and have  found significant relief from night sweats.

Like any herbal preparation, be sure to speak with a health practitioner who is certfied in practicing herbal medicine and can monitor your progress to insure that your regimen is safe and effective. But it is wonderful to know that traditional Western practitioners may be finally opening their eyes to HRT alternatives. Bravo!

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.