Symptoms / Experience Changes

Progesterone for Hot Flashes: NAMS eConsult

Hot flushes/flashes and night sweats have conventionally been considered to be caused by estrogen deficiency and thus their major treatment is estrogen. Dr Jerilynn Prior was invited in November 2013 by the editors of the online blog (eConsult) for the North American Menopause Society to write about progesterone treatment of hot flashes. Here is the article: “Progesterone…
Perimenopause Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior answers FAQ’s from Perimenopausal Women 1. My doctor has prescribed Clonidine 50mg and Prometrium 100mg daily to treat my hot flushes. Should I start both? In general, it is important to do ‘one at a time’ when trying out medications or any intervention for a symptom or a problem. If you…
Science based Natural Remedies for Hot Flushes and Night Sweats

Women may feel there are no effective improvements in hot flushes and night sweats except hormone therapy or perhaps a newer type of anti-depressive medication. They rightly may not want to take either of these kinds of medicines and feel instead they must either suffer or go through the pharmacy aisles to try all manner…
The ABCs Of Osteoporosis Prevention For Menopausal Women

Menopause means graduation! One year has passed since the last menstrual period—perimenopause is over. Because of the hormonal changes of the first few years after menopause, bone renovation is more rapid and risks for bone loss are greater. Thus we must continue habits that will keep bones healthy for the rest of our lives. Bone…
The ABCs of Osteoporosis Prevention for Premenopausal Women

Bone Health: As Simple as ABC! Bones are complex and important parts of us—carrying us around and protecting our vital organs as well providing a store of calcium. The premenopausal years are a time of gain to peak bone in the spine and to preserve maximum bone through until normal bone loss begins in perimenopause…
Beyond “Estrogen Deficiency”—news from Women’s Health Initiative

The USA’s National Institutes of Health just announced that the Estrogen arm of the Women’s Health Initiative was stopped early (1). Estrogen treatment in women who had undergone hysterectomy was associated with neither benefit nor harm for heart disease and caused a 40% increase in stroke (1). No one can ever again say that estrogen…
Perimenopause is a time of “Endogenous Ovarian Hyperstimulation”

“Perimenopausal endogenous ovarian hyper-stimulation” is the exact opposite of “The Myth of the Shriveling Ovary”: High estrogen levels during perimenopause, coupled with characteristically intermittent ovulation, can explain much of the misery of perimenopause. My hypothesis is based on the assumption that inhibin production decreases while there are still viable follicles (capable of producing both estrogen…
The Death of Hormone Replacement Therapy — Why and how to use Ovarian Hormone Therapy

A response to the cancelled Women’s Health Initiative study and call for a healthier look at menopause Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior, Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, has never advocated the use of hormones as an ongoing “replacement” for menopause. She does not feel that menopause is a medical condition…
Manipulating Menstruation with Hormonal Contraception — what does the Science say?

The flood of recent articles and magazine reports and even books (1) about so-called “menstrual suppression” describe taking the Pill continuously or for longer than 21 days with seven days off. The advertising suggests that this is giving women a “choice” to do away with menstrual flow or menstrual problems. The Federal Drug Agency in…
Young Women and Osteoporosis — Good news about treatment and prevention

Osteoporosis and broken bones are an old woman’s disease-right? No, that is not right! Young women do get osteoporosis-although rarely. The sooner we understand that young women can and do fracture bones and develop osteoporosis the better. Also, the sooner we accept that the bone we build in our childhood and teen years provides a…