Category: Hormone therapy

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Menopause symptoms: the most effective treatments

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If you are bothered by menopause symptoms, what are you doing about it?

  • Put up with the symptoms and wish them gone (the sooner the better)? New research shows that hot flashes and night sweats may last for up to 10-12 years. Can you afford to have a less-than-optimal quality of life for that long?  And why should you? Because you don’t know how to improve your symptoms? Because you’re afraid of treatments?  Menopause symptoms are manageable and you need to find out how.
  • Spend money on products advertised as miraculous, natural, and safe, but delivering little or no real improvement? There are no robust studies for most over-the-counter products, so there’s no good information about the benefits and adverse effects of many herbals. Some herbals, like black cohosh and a handful of others, have been studied and show some effectiveness.  But you need to know if they’re appropriate and safe before you try them.
  • Live a life of misery and suffer in silence because no one told you symptoms are manageable? There are effective treatments for hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, and problems with sleep, memory, and mood. There are prescription and non-prescription therapies backed by good research that show improvement of menopause symptoms with few adverse effects.  Please don’t suffer in silence!

 

There are so many therapies for menopause symptoms that you can try.

I’m not pushing you to take drugs. Despite being a pharmacist, or rather because of it, I don’t like drugs. Every drug is good for something but also has potential adverse effects.

However, when we need medications we should take them after assessing benefits vs. risk. For example, when you need antibiotics—to treat an infection that could otherwise kill you or damage your organs—you have to take them. Antibiotics have potential adverse effects—like killing the good bacteria in your gut and causing diarrhea—but you still take them because the benefits outweigh the risks.

You and your knowledgeable healthcare provider made an educated decision based on good evidence and science-based information.

That’s how you should approach the treatment of your menopause symptoms. You shouldn’t make a decision about your care without having the right information, or worse, when misinformed.

How do you do that?

By getting informed and educated about menopause, its symptoms, and its therapies.

A knowledgeable menopause expert and pharmacist like me can provide the science-based information to help you make well-informed treatment choices.

That means you shouldn’t take medications (including non-prescription, over-the-counter supplements and herbals, for example) without knowing why, how they are going to benefit you, and what the possible adverse effects are.

Because we are all unique, you should find out if the medications are appropriate for you given your existing medical conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach ulcer, migraines, etc.), medical history, and other drugs you may be taking.

You should not make a decision about how to treat your menopause challenges based on fear, lack of information, or misinformation.

The best example is hormone therapy (HT), formerly known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and in Europe as menopause hormone therapy (MHT).

There’s a lot of misinformation out there. For sure you heard, read, or were even told by your not-up-to-date-with-the-latest-menopause-guidelines doctor that HT isn’t good for you. (Right! He’s not the one whose life has been turned upside down by menopause is he?)

If you are bothered by menopause symptoms then you may benefit from HT with very little risk, just as millions of other healthy women do. HT is still considered the most effective treatment for moderate to severe menopause symptoms and appropriate for most healthy women under 60.

Get the facts on hormone therapy:  I invite you to discover the benefits, the risks, the contraindications, and if HT is appropriate for you and your medical history in my next workshop,

The good, the bad, and the myths of hormone therapy
Thursday, July 2nd, 8 PM EDT.

Click here to learn more and to register.

You can learn more about HT here.

Can’t watch live? No problem! Become a member of the WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network for only $45 (for the rest of the year!) and watch all the recorded webinars (2020 and 2019) any time you want, as many times as you want! LEARN MORE AND SIGN-UP HERE

Contact me for a Free Discovery Call and let’s find out what you’re going through, what you need, and how to improve your life (relationships and work as well!).

Don’t let your hormones rule your life. Thrive. Be the boss.

 

And there are two other workshops this summer in which I’ll discuss other treatments that you may want to know more about.

Herbs for menopause challenges – what you need to know
Thursday, August 6, 8-9 PM

What are bioidentical hormones? Are they safe?
Wednesday, September 9, 8-9 PM

Join the 4 percent! There’s help for vaginal dryness

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Join the 4 percent! There’s help for vaginal dryness.

During my recent webinar on vaginal and urinary health, I encouraged women who avoid sex because vaginal dryness makes it uncomfortable and painful to share this fact with their partners.

I asked them to put themselves in their partner’s shoes:  “How would you feel if your partner doesn’t want intimacy and sex anymore? What would you think? That your partner is no longer attracted by you? Doesn’t love you anymore? Has a lover? That you don’t turn him/her on? You’re no longer sexy?”…

The next day I received an email from a woman who attended the webinar, thanking me for suggesting she explain to her partner why she’s been avoiding sex. She said that after the webinar “I shared with him about my discomfort and dryness issues and told him that I do love him and that I am not having an affair.  I think he was really relieved. Good advice”!

It may be difficult to start this conversation and to explain what you are experiencing, so here are some tips to “Talking with your partner”.

You can watch the recorded webinar free with a WHIM (Women’s Health in Midlife) Network 2020 membership, which is now on sale.

Vaginal dryness is more likely to happen when estrogen levels are low.  This can happen due to natural menopause (including during perimenopause), and due to induced menopause such as surgery to remove the ovaries and certain cancer treatments that affect the ovaries.  Vaginal dryness can also occur while breastfeeding, during periods of stress, when using certain medications for the treatment of fibroids or endometriosis, and when taking antidepressants and some cold and allergy medications.

You may notice lack of lubrication, decreased arousal, and difficulty achieving orgasm. Penetration may cause pain because the vaginal opening has become narrower, the lining of the vagina is thinner and less elastic, and the vulva and clitoris may even shrink without estrogen. This cluster of symptoms is called vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).

Around 50% of women are bothered by these symptoms but only 4% receive treatment. Why do you think that happens?

Several reasons come to mind:

  • Women assume this is part of aging and there’s nothing they can do about it; it’s just something they must put up with
  • Women don’t know help is available
  • Women don’t know where to go for help
  • Women don’t know what to buy to alleviate their symptoms
  • Women suffer in silence and don’t complain to their doctors about their symptoms

Vaginal discomfort affects a woman’s sexuality and self-esteem, upsets the relationship with her partner, and decreases intimacy, sexual desire, and quality of life.

It’s not only sexually-active women who are bothered by vaginal and vulvar changes due to decreased estrogen. Many women feel uncomfortable riding a bike, sitting for prolonged periods, or wearing tight clothes.

Don’t be one of the 96% of women who receive no help for their vaginal symptoms. Join the 4 percent!
There are many therapies to help VVA symptoms:

Regular sexual stimulation

This increases blood flow and lubrication. Remember, if you don’t use it, you lose it!

Over-the-counter products

  • Vaginal lubricants (non-hormonal) can be used during intercourse to add lubrication, reduce friction, and improve pleasure. They can be water-based, silicone-based, mineral oil-based, or plant oil-based.
  • Vaginal moisturizers (non-hormonal) are designed to adhere to the vaginal mucosa, allowing cells to retain moisture. They are applied regularly to the vagina and vulva, and are longer-acting than lubricants. An example is Repagyn, an ovule containing hyaluronic acid, a substance that provides moisture and a soothing effect. This product is behind-the-counter meaning you must ask the pharmacist for it.

Do not use products that have added flavours, a warming sensation, or are scented, because these can cause irritation. As with many things in life, but especially with products you use on your vulva and in your vagina, less is better.

Pelvic floor therapy

Sometimes the pain is caused by very tight pelvic muscles rather than by thin and dry vaginal tissues. A physiotherapist specializing in pelvic floor therapy (PT) may be very helpful. Even during COVID you can book a FREE Virtual Discovery Pelvic Health appointment.

Low-dose vaginal estrogen

Lubricants and moisturizers may not be helpful, or they may stop being helpful, because they add lubrication and moisture to the area but do not treat the thinning of the vaginal tissues which tends to worsen over time. The most effective treatment for VVA is local estrogen, which is available on prescription as a cream or a vaginal ovule.

If low-dose estrogen vaginal therapy is recommended for you, do not be put off by the warnings and precautions on the accompanying product insert. Due to their low dose, the systemic (affecting the whole body) absorption of the estrogen is very low, much less than if you were taking an oral pill, for example, and the adverse effects are less likely too. But, for many reasons, the information in these low-dose vaginal products doesn’t reflect that difference and instead lists the same warnings and precautions as for the oral products. It doesn’t make sense. I, and many other experts, believe these warnings do not reflect the best scientific knowledge. Many groups advocating for women’s health are trying to get the FDA and the manufacturers to change the information in these pamphlets.

Prasterone

This is a non-hormonal vaginal ovule therapy, and a new therapy in Canada.

Ospemifene

This is a a non-hormonal oral tablet expected to be available in Canada sometime in 2020.

Laser

This treatment is done in the doctor’s office and is fairly expensive.

Which therapy should you choose?

Usually, unless VVA is severe, lubricants and moisturizers should be used first.

If these products do not help—or they stop helping—then your next therapy options should be based on the severity of symptoms, contraindications for therapy, medical conditions, medical history, and your personal preferences. A ten-minute physician’s visit usually isn’t enough to go over everything that needs to be addressed.

During my 45-minute Vaginal & Sexual Health Care Package we go over your challenges, symptoms, concerns, what you are experiencing, what you expect from treatment, your preferences, and what the best therapy for YOU and your symptoms will be.

Women’s self-esteem, quality of life, and relationships suffer when vaginal dryness and painful sex aren’t addressed. Stop suffering alone and in silence. Join the 4 percent! There’s help. I can help you!

Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and a menopause practitioner (NCMP) certified by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), she lives in Toronto but all her services are available online – one-on-one consultations, live workshops, and webinars. Sign up for her free biweekly MenopausED Newsletter to learn more about menopause and women’s health.

Vaginal dryness – no one talks about it but it’s common

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I was at the National Women’s Show (NWS) in Toronto this weekend raising awareness about vaginal dryness.

Between 10% and 40% of menopausal women have at least one of these signs and symptoms – vaginal dryness, itching, burning, and discomfort or pain during sex. And even though this is a common problem, very few women talk about it and get relief for it.

At the NWS I would approach women and ask them if I could ask them a question about the health of their vaginas; sometimes I would ask them if they have discomfort, dryness, or itching, sometimes I would show them a card with this question:

TRUE OR FALSE
Vaginal dryness affects millions of women worldwide?

About 10% of the women ignored me, 20% quickly moved away from me as if I had a contagious disease, 20% said they didn’t have any problems, and 50% of women engaged in conversation to varying degrees (some of them mainly wanted a drink of water from the fountain we offered at our booth!).

Testimonial wall about vaginal dryness at the Replens booth, National Women's Show, Nov 2019

Testimonial wall about vaginal dryness at the Replens booth, National Women’s Show, Nov 2019

Here’s some of what I heard:

Some women who’d had breast cancer had been told by their oncologists to use hormone-free lubricants during sex.

Some women were seniors and had vulvar (the fleshy parts that touch your clothes) dryness and itch, and needed some relief externally.

Some women shocked the female friends they were with when they told me that sex had become uncomfortable and they had tried lubricant—it was obvious women aren’t sharing these intimate issues with their friends!

When we started talking about how important it is for us to talk about these issues all agreed and some shared that they were going through similar experiences. It goes to show the importance of awareness and how many women are affected and yet so few speak up and seek help.

I also spoke to women who confided to me that they had stopped having sex because it was painful but they would love to be intimate with their partners again. How could I help them? My motto on the weekend was, SAY NO TO PAIN, NOT TO SEX!, added to my usual motto, There’s help. I can help you!

There are several products that can help restore moisture to the vagina, decrease discomfort and pain, and increase pleasure during sexual activity. There’s no need to suffer alone and in silence and jeopardize your relationships.

Let’s get into causes and relief.

CAUSES

One of the most common causes of vaginal dryness is menopause. Menopause is the natural transition that all women experience – it is the end of ovarian function, ovulation, menstruation, and fertility. As a result of menopause, estrogen levels decline, and because estrogen is the predominant female hormone and acts in so many tissues and organs of the body, many women experience physical, emotional, and cognitive changes during the menopause transition, like hot flashes and night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.

Most women experience menopause as a transition that occurs over the course of many years. There are three stages of menopause:

Peri-Menopause

5 to 10 years prior to actual menopause when physical signs of menopause begin due to hormone fluctuations.

Menopause

Confirmed when a woman hasn’t had any bleeding for 12 consecutive months. In North America the average age of menopause is 51 years. Menopause can also be caused by the surgical removal of the ovaries, or by certain medications that damage ovarian function, like chemo and radiation to treat certain cancers.

Post-Menopause

The years after menopause. Because Canadian women are expected to live until 84, many of us will spend one-third of our lives in post-menopause.

During the menopause transition most symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats, get better with time, but vaginal dryness tends to get worse. Estrogen helps keep vaginal tissues healthy by maintaining normal vaginal lubrication, tissue elasticity, and acidity, and low estrogen levels can affect the vagina and urinary tract during menopause.

Over time, the vaginal lining can get thinner, dryer, and less elastic.

Women may feel vaginal burning and itching, more frequent vaginal and urinary tract infections, and frequent urination and decreased lubrication during sex which can lead to painful intercourse.

When a woman is sexually stimulated her vaginal tissues produce lubrication that aids with sexual penetration. In menopause, due to lack of estrogen, the vaginal cells do not produce as much moisture and sexual penetration may become uncomfortable and even painful. Vaginal dryness worsens 5 to 10 years following menopause because of this lack of estrogen on the vaginal tissues.

RELIEF

Several treatment options are available over the counter, without a prescription, and some can be prescribed by your family physician or gynecologist.

Treatment options available over-the-counter:

Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants

Moisturizers and lubricants can help relieve vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse. Moisturizers are used on an ongoing basis and lubricants are used during penetration.

These products offer relief but do not treat the problem – the thinning of the tissues that line the walls of the vagina and the shrinking of the external features of the vulva (labia minora, labia majora, and the clitoris).

Treatment options available on prescription:

Vaginal Hormone therapy

Some women experience narrowing of the vaginal opening which can make penetration painful. In this case the best treatment is local, low-dose topical hormone therapy (HT), available by prescription.

These products are available as ovules (estradiol) and cream (conjugated estrogens) that are inserted in the vagina. Because they are used locally in the vagina, studies show that the hormones are not absorbed systemically (do not cause any effects on other parts of the body) and have fewer adverse effects than HT used in pill form or patch.

A new medication recently approved in Canada for the treatment of post-menopausal vaginal atrophy contains prasterone (DHEA), a natural steroid.

Another prescription product to treat vaginal dryness may be available in Canada soon and it is a hormone-free tablet, taken by mouth.

If your doctor doesn’t ask you about the health of your vagina and how it may be affecting your quality of life, self-esteem, and relationships—unfortunately the majority of doctors do not give women an opportunity to discuss these topics—I hope you have read enough here to encourage you to approach your family doctor, gynecologist, or me to discuss what’s going on with your vagina and how to improve your symptoms, sex, and quality of life.

Let’s break the menopause taboo. Let’s talk about menopause.

Need help? There’s help. I can help you!

Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and a menopause practitioner (NCMP) certified by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), she lives in Toronto but all her services are available online – one-on-one consultations, live workshops, and webinars. Sign up for her free biweekly MenopausED Newsletter www.menopaused.org to learn more about menopause and women’s health.

 

Teresa speaking about menopause at PxP2019

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Last week I enjoyed speaking about menopause at PxP2019 —on demystifying hormone therapy (HT)—to pharmacists from across Canada.  Pharmacy Experience Pharmacie (PxP2019) is joint Canadian Pharmacists Association and Ontario Pharmacists Association conference.

I also wrote a blog for the Ontario Pharmacists Association last year in which I explained the misconceptions about HT:

About 80 per cent of women report vasomotor symptoms (VMS) such as hot flashes and night sweats, and other symptoms. Menopause not only impacts women, but also their partners, children, family, friends and co-workers. Hormone therapy (HT) is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness, so why are there so few women on HT?

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Trial aimed at supporting observational data that demonstrated that estrogen alone or estrogen plus a progestin may have a preventative effect on heart disease, hip fracture and colon cancer among other conditions. The trial of the estrogen plus progestin arm was stopped early due to an increase risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer. The way the results were announced in July 2002, and the media, helped to propagate the fear that HT increased the risk of breast cancer and heart attacks without explanation of the magnitude of the risks. This was a big disservice for menopausal women. Women and healthcare providers weren’t advised properly on how to interpret the results of the trial and abandoned HT altogether.

One of my customers literally dumped her estrogen tablets in the toilet and came to see me in the pharmacy three days later with severe menopause symptoms. If I knew then what I know now, and if my scope of practice at the time had permitted, I would have renewed her prescription!

With all the emphasis on the risks of HT, the benefits of HT for the relief of VMS and the treatment of vaginal atrophy were largely ignored. The positive effects of HT on the prevention of certain diseases like osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, diabetes, and, in women on the estrogen plus progestin arm, colon cancer, were insufficiently acknowledged.

Not surprisingly, women’s decisions regarding HT are surrounded by anxiety and confusion and new medical graduates lack appropriate training in the management of menopausal symptoms and HT. Many menopausal women are untreated, some are undertreated, and too many suffer needlessly.

My aim in speaking about menopause at PxP2019 was to educate pharmacists so they can help their female patients.

You can read more on this important topic in the blog that I wrote for the Ontario Pharmacists Association, here.

And remember, there’s help, I can help you!

I am a registered pharmacist with over 20 years of professional experience in community pharmacy and drug information in Toronto, and a Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) through the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). I founded MenopausED to educate and support women in midlife, especially during the menopause transition, to raise awareness about menopause, and to break the menopause taboo.

If you have questions about menopause definitions, or anything else, do not hesitate to ask, email me, or book a free 15-minute call with me.

 

Would you like to become a member of my WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network?

We are a group of women who enjoy

  • knowing more about our midlife health and well-being;
  • socializing, interacting, and connecting with women going through similar experiences;
  • venting and being understood by women that “are/have been there”;
  • supporting and being supported by other midlife women.

Become a member here!

 

Hormone Therapy for pharmacists & women in the know

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With so much misinformation and fear about hormone therapy (HT) some women suffer through menopause needlessly.  I’m excited to share with pharmacists, and women who want to learn more, the latest blog I wrote for the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA)

Pharmacists are accessible healthcare providers and should know the latest information about HT to provide information about menopause management.

Pharmacists should be aware of the latest information about menopause therapies, including HT in order to help women make informed decisions regarding their menopause treatment.

Hormone Therapy: Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Revisited

https://beyondthecounter.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/hormone-therapy-womens-health-initiative-whi-revisited/

 

BioIdentical Hormones – Be Informed! Part 1

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BioIdentical Hormones – Be Informed!

Bioidentical hormones isn’t a scientific term and it means different things to different people. The Endocrine Society defines bioidentical hormones (BH) as “compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the human body.” The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t recognize the term bioidentical and regards it as a marketing term. NAMS (North American Menopause Society) states that bioidentical “refers to all hormones that are chemically identical to those made in the human body” and “some well-tested, government-approved, brand-name prescription hormones meet the definition of bioidentical”. There’s no official, standardized definition for bioidentical hormones and this causes a lot of confusion and misinformation. Some women believe:

1. Bioidenticals hormones are compounded in a pharmacy and therefore are different from hormones manufactured by pharmaceutical companies.
2. BHT is natural, therefore is safe
3. BHT is made from plants or herbs, like yams, soy or chasteberry and doesn’t contain hormones

 

I have not been paid, endorsed, or subsidized by any pharmaceutical company or compounding pharmacy to write this blog. My intention is not to endorse a particular product over another, my goal is to educate, bring awareness, inform, and demystify some common beliefs about bioidentical therapy (BHT). I will write several blogs on the topic and in the first I’ll try to answer the following question:

1. Are the bioidentical hormones (BH) used by local pharmacies to compound formulations different from the BH used by pharmaceutical companies in commercially-available products?

Estrogens, (estradiol, estriol and estrone), progesterone, and testosterone are some of the hormones produced by the human body. Medications that provide any of these ingredients can be considered bioidentical. Several pharmaceutical companies manufacture commercially-available medications that contain some of these hormones. There are no hormones in the wild that can be used by women straight from the plant source. The source of the bioidentical may be a plant like yams or soybeans, but in order for it to have an effect in the human body it has to be synthetized and converted into a chemical with a structure similar to a human hormone. This is done in a few laboratories in the world- they synthesise plant extracts into hormones and sell them to pharmaceutical companies and compounding pharmacies which in turn compound them into products that are sold in different forms e.g., capsules, tablets, creams, and others. Pharmacies and big pharmaceutical companies use the same hormone ingredients to make their products. In other words, bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) products custom-compounded in the pharmacy contain the same hormones found in commercially-available products. Why should women buy custom-made compounded BHT, usually more expensive, and not covered by private insurance? Compounding pharmacies can formulate products for women with allergies to a commercially-available product, individualize dosing and combinations of hormones, create products without binders, dyes, or preservatives, and compound medications with different routes of administration. However, women must be cautious with custom-made, unregulated BHT. I will discuss issues of safety in another blog; in this blog I want to bring awareness about how the same hormone can have very different effects depending on the route of administration. The route of administration is the way the drug is delivered to the body, e.g., by mouth, by injection, intravenously, or topically (cream, ointments or gels).

Mortar and pestle

For compounding bioidentical hormone products

Women with an intact uterus who are taking systemic (tablets, patches, or gels) estrogen therapy for menopause symptoms must also take a progestogen (natural progesterone or a synthetic progestin) to prevent overgrowth of the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Overgrowth of the endometrium- endometrial hyperplasia- may lead to uterine cancer. The estrogen acts like a fertilizer and thickens the endometrium and the progesterone is the lawn mower, it must be taken to prevent endometrial overgrowth. The most commonly prescribed progestogen is progesterone, the brand name is Prometrium—capsules of micronized progesterone.  It is government-approved and sold by prescription only. In order for Prometrium to be approved by FDA and Health Canada, the pharmaceutical company that developed this product had to present data from randomized control trials showing that this formulation—capsules of micronized progesterone—was used in the trials, and data obtained supports the evidence that micronized progesterone taken by mouth prevents endometrial growth. We should not extrapolate the results of the trials done with capsules of micronized progesterone to progesterone used topically—applied to the skin. Data on progesterone applied to the skin is scarce and there’s no good evidence that progesterone used this way is effective at preventing endometrial overgrowth, and potentially cancer, in women also taking systemic estrogen. Hence, if a woman with an intact uterus takes estrogen therapy and uses progesterone cream she may not be protecting her endometrium from overgrowth—the amount of progesterone absorbed through the skin may not be sufficient to “mow the lawn” and the endometrium may grow unchecked with a resulting increase in the risk of uterine cancer. This is one example of how the same hormone, progesterone, manufactured into capsules by pharmaceutical companies and into unapproved creams, can act differently, and have very different health outcomes, depending on the route of administration. Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) employs the same hormones e.g., estradiol, estriol, estrone, and progesterone, whether it is compounded in a community pharmacy or a big pharmaceutical company. Women have choices:  they can buy commercialized or custom-made products but they should educate themselves—learn from reputable, science- and evidence-based, reliable resources—before choosing a product. Women should question BH compounders about the ingredients used in the products and demand proof of efficacy and safety of BHT. Being informed about bioidentical therapy may be the difference between developing uterine cancer and not… Be informed, be safe! Want to know more about bioidenticals or hormone therapy in general? Contact me.

 

The second blog of this series Bioidentical-Be informed! is

2. BioIdentical Hormones – Be Informed! Part 2: Biodentical Hormone Therapy is natural, therefore bioidentical therapy is safe. Is it?

and the third blog in the series is

3. BioIdentical Hormones – Be Informed! Part 3:  HT is made from plants or herbs, like yams, soy, or chasteberry. Bioidentical hormone therapy doesn’t contain drugs. Does it?

 

 

 

Teresa Isabel Dias BSc Pharm, RPh, NCMP Pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner

Visit my website www.menopausED.org to learn more about menopause and book a consultation

Follow me on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/menopaused

Learn more about the work  I do www.linkedin.com/in/teresaismenopaused/ @MenopausEDTID

MenopausED was founded by Teresa Isabel Dias, pharmacist and certified menopause practitioner, to help women experiencing menopause challenges.

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Events

The good, the bad, and the myths of hormone therapy

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Hormone therapy (HT) is the most effective treatment for hot flashes, night sweats and other menopause challenges, and has been shown to prevent bone loss and fracture.  SO WHY ARE SO FEW WOMEN ON HT?  Because of fear, misinformation, myths, and lack of good information about the benefits, risks, and contraindications for HT.  In this ONLINE event you’ll learn about the good, the bad, and the myths of hormone therapy.

Learn more about this event and REGISTER HERE.

This workshop is for you if:

  • You’re afraid of taking HT
  • Your friend told you HT will kill you
  • Your Dr. says you don’t need help with menopause symptoms — it only goes on for few years!
  • Tried several non-hormonal treatments with little or no relief
  • Are on the fence about HT and need more information to make an educated treatment decision
  • You can’t sleep, can’t function, and want your quality of life to improve
  • You may have to quit your job to get your life back
  • No one ever told you exactly what HT is and how it works
  • You heard about HT but don’t know what it is
  • You’ve only heard bad things about HT — what I call the “myths of hormone therapy”

 

In this workshop you’ll learn:

  • The benefits, risks, and contraindications for HT
  • Types of HT available to Canadian women
  • Whether you’re a good candidate for HT
  • About individualized treatment to maximize benefits and minimize risks
  • The best time to initiate and stop HT

 

Learn more about this event and REGISTER HERE.

Time for Q&A!

If you can’t attend live and you’re a WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network member then you’ll receive a link to the recorded webinar to watch at your leisure.

If you’re not a WHIM Network member yet and would like to be, you can sign up here.

 

Learn more about this event and REGISTER HERE.

Herbals – Do they help menopause symptoms?

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Women in menopause who don’t want to, or cannot, take hormone therapy often ask me what they should take to help with hot flashes, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, low libido, and other symptoms of menopause. What about herbals, do they help menopause symptoms?

Herbal supplements are non-hormonal therapies, available over-the counter (sold without a prescription), and used widely in the treatment of hot flashes by women all over the world. Women should understand what products work safely and effectively, how to use them properly, and how to avoid inappropriate and unhealthy therapies.

Health food store sales personnel aren’t trained and educated in the products they sell and often make false claims regarding the product’s efficacy. Many herbal products claim to be helpful for menopause symptoms but not all are.Therefore many women spend a lot of money on herbal and “natural” products with access to very little information regarding safety and efficacy.

Join me to learn what herbal products are effective for menopause symptoms and to find out if they are safe and indicated for you.

You can learn more about ” Herbals Do they help menopause symptoms ? “and register here.

This is an ONLINE event provided through Zoom. You don’t need any special technology or apps to attend. After you register for this event I will email you a link to join the meeting. Just click on the link 5 minutes before the event and join us.

Note:  Everyone is welcome to attend. This event is free for WHIM (Women’s Health in Midlife) Network members.

If you are not a member of WHIM yet, then I invite you to learn more and become part of this community of like-minded women. Are you between 40 and 65 years of age and interested in…

  • Knowing more about your health and well-being?
  • Socializing, interacting, and connecting with women going through similar experiences?
  • Discovering other women’s interests, needs, wants, and whims?
  • Supporting and being supported by other midlife women?

If so then you are a good candidate for the WHIM Network! Learn more and become a member here https://menopaused.org/whim/

WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network Meeting – Is hormone therapy (HT) friend or foe?

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Hormone therapy (HT) is still considered the most effective treatment for symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and night sweats and it helps prevent bone loss and fractures. However, since the results of WHI- Women’s Health Initiative trials were made public in 2002, women and most healthcare providers, have been afraid of HT.

Join me as I demystify hormone therapy (HT) and share the latest recommendations. You’ll learn:

  • the benefits of HT,
  • who’s HT recommend for,
  • who should not take HT,
  • what are the risk and side effects of HT,

This event is FREE for WHIM Network 2019 members.

If you wish to become a 2019 member of WHIM Network register here https://menopaused.org/whim/ . With the 2019 membership you will have access to one in-person monthly meeting, one online Zoom monthly meeting (next one is on April 9th, 6PM ), a monthly WHIM Network Newsletter, and access to WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network Members Closed Facebook Group (you’ll get an email invitation to join).

I created WHIM (Women’s Health in Midlife) Network for women in midlife, 40+, to connect, share, and learn from each other. My mission is to raise awareness and offer education to empower women to make healthy decisions to improve their quality of life,relationships and work, during the menopause and beyond.

We are unique but our stories and journeys have much in common. Together we are stronger than alone!

If you pay the Non-Member ticket price and wish to became a member of the WHIM Network at the meeting the ticket price will be deducted from your annual WHIM Network membership.

Helping women thrive through every stage of menopause

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