Hotflash!News
Charlotte Talks: Sue & Dr. Teaff
Let's take the first call...
"Shotgun Hormones"
Join the HotFlash! support group today!
beginning | back | next

Julia (caller): Good Morning! Well, basically, I’m on my way to a doctor’s appointment, which is the third doctor I am going to. The approach has been to "stick me on a hormone." I have been on Premarin, Estrace, and they have all put me on antidepressants. This approach hasn’t helped and my symptoms have been exacerbated. I can stand in 30 defree weather ans sweat while I’m on Premarin.

Mike Collins: Is your doctor a man?
Julia (caller): I’ve been to a female, a amle and I’m on my way to another male?
Dr. Teaff: I think a female may be a bit more sensitive but that is not correct across the board.
Sue Spataro: I talked to women who have said the same exact thing. They have said that it is all in your head whether they are female or not.
Dr. Teaff: Some female physicians might also say that "I’m dealing with it and you have to as well." The point is we’re all different. Julia, has your thyroid been checked?
Julia (caller): My thyroid has been checked and is normal. My blood work is normal and this is from my female physician who is in her 30’s with small childern and I have not had much luck with her either.
Dr. Teaff: Sometimes, we have even people on birth control pills to try to even things out. The problem perimenopausally is that you still have ovarian function and you almost have to overcome that a bit to get back on track. Are you periods regular?
Julia (caller): Well, I had a hysterectomy in ’81 and I don’t have them.
Dr. Teaff: That makes it really difficult.
Mike Collins: Isn’t that part of the problem. Prior to the 70’s women got hysterectomies and we didn’t see the symptom.
Sue Spataro: In a way yes and in a way no. Nancy and I talked about this, and I’m 38 years old and I look back when I was 12 and 13 and I remember women in my community - girl scout leaders, teachers and camp counselors that were always vibrant and alive women always doing things. When I turned around 13 to 15 and te wqere getting to 40 they turned into a shadow of their former selves. What does that mean? All of a sudden these women had alcohol problems. Women sometimes turn to alcohol because they are not sleeping well. So you may see women drinking more. At that time, people weere having more psychiatric problems, "Oh, Mrs. Jones, she’s having a nervous breakdown." And I look back, being 12 or 13, I think of all of these women, I think of my friends mother and my own mother, how somewhere around 38 to 42, they began to lose themselves. If you think back toyour childhood, you think about your aunts who petered out and began to sit in that back room.
Dr Teaff: One thing, is that you have to look at every symptom you have. We really look a whole series of symptoms. Irritibility, mood swings. How are you sleeping. Do you have trouble falling asleep? Staying asleep? When you wake yp do you feel refreshed? All these things come into play. Antidepressants are important to some folks at this time. The problem is that perimenopause is a time of higher risk for depression than actual menopause. When you get through all this up and down stuff and your ovaries have quit functioning, you actually feel better in many cases and I’m not surprised that antidepressants have been used in your situation. I’m worried, that perhps you’re absorbing the estrogen orally. Have you been tried on any patch preparation?

Julia (caller): I’ve had the patch and I’ve even had the injection. They were just throwing hormones at me.
Sue Spataro: How long have you been going through this? 3 years? 5 years?
Julia (caller): Probably 3 to 4 years.
Sue Spataro: Have made any lifestyle changes?
Julia (caller): I have joined the Y and taking kickboxing classes. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink.
Dr. Teaff: Is your weight near ideal?
Julia (caller): It’s been up for four years, but even though I am heavier than I’d like to be, I’m in good shape.
Dr. Teaff: Sometimes, when we find no other reason, sometimes, it comes to weight. That is difficult to make quick changes. Have you tried soy products?
Julia (caller): I’m looking at that and the flashes have stopped since I stopped taking the hormones.
Dr. Teaff: In perimenopause the only consistency is inconsistency. You can feel good and perhaps you could have felt better naturally.
Mike Collins: How does she know when se goes from perimenopause into menopause?
Dr. Teaff: It’s tough when you don’t have a uterus. There are hormone tests that can be done. Sometimes when someone has had a hysterectomy, yoy literally have to do them every week for a month to get a idea of what their ovaries are doing and not doing. It’s not as easy to do.
Sue: It’s very time consuming and not all insurance companies will pay for it.
Mike Collins: Julia, thank you for your call. Is she typical?

beginning | back | next