Menopausal Syndrome and Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement
What is Menopausal Syndrome?
My name is Jeannie, and I started seeing Dr. Magaziner about 6 months
I was taking Prempro for about 18 months and at first I felt great but then my blood pressure went really high and my blood work came back crazy which prompted me to come here and start bio-identical hormones. Now my blood pressure is normal, I feel great, I am free of menopausal symptoms I have plenty of energy and i really feel absolutely great.
Menopausal syndrome refers to the symptoms experienced by women during menopause, the transition period in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing eggs, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone, and menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether.
Menopause is a natural event that normally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. While in some women, menstrual flow comes to a sudden halt, it typically slows over time – a transition known as perimenopause. During perimenopause, menstrual periods generally become either more closely or more widely spaced. This irregularity may last for one to three years before menstruation finally ends completely.
The symptoms of menopause are caused by changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone, which the ovaries produce less of over time. The specific symptoms and how significant (mild, moderate, or severe) they are varies from woman to woman.
Symptoms of menopause are both physical and mental. They include:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Skin flushing
- Hair loss
- Poor sleep (insomnia)
- Decreased interest in sex, possibly decreased response to sexual stimulation
- Forgetfulness (in some women)
- Headaches
- Mood swings including irritability, depression and anxiety
- Frequent urination or urine leakage
- Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse
- Vaginal infections
- Joint aches and pains
- Irregular heartbeat
Who is Affected?
The average age of menopause, which is complete once a woman has not had a period for one year, is 51. Perimenopause typically affects women in their mid- to late-40s, but some women experience it in their early-40s.
What are Options for Treatment?
The Magaziner Center for Wellness treats five to 10 women per day for menopausal syndrome. Until the year 2002, most women were placed on (synthetic) Hormone Replacement Therapy by their gynecologists. HRT, as it is known, was highly controversial because of the link between synthetic hormones and increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke and blood clots. Since that time, use of synthetic hormones has become virtually obsolete.
At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, we use bio-identical hormones (BHRT). Bio-identical hormones are different than synthetic hormones because they are structurally and chemically the same as the three estrogens naturally produced by the body – Estriol, Estradiol and Estrone and natural progesterone, testosterone and others, depending on the needs of the patient. Synthetic hormones – namely conjugated estrogens feature a manipulated form of the three estrogens while Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA), which is found in Provera, is a synthetic form of progesterone.
The body responds to and metabolizes synthetic hormones differently than bio-identical hormones. Bio-identical hormones are far safer and more effective than synthetics and, therefore, have grown in use. At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, we have been treating patients for more than 25 years with BHRT. Each is compounded by pharmacists – meaning they are handmade using a mortar and pestle – so that they are customized for each patient based on the strength needed by each individual according to her needs and wants.
Before formulating a treatment plan, the doctors at the Magaziner Center for Wellness analyze each patient individually using 24 hour urine specimens and comprehensive blood work. We look at the metabolites of estrogen in a woman’s body, as certain metabolites can increase the risk of breast or gynecological cancers. We also look at both thyroid and adrenal function. We rarely use saliva tests as they are not comprehensive enough to give information about hormone metabolites and to ascertain the best course of treatment for a patient.
We use a self-scoring system each time a patient comes in so that we can further customize and assess the success of her treatment as it progresses. This allows us to tweak the dosages so that we can optimize the patient’s results.
We have successfully treated thousands of menopausal and perimenopausal women and continue to be recommended by actress, author and women’s health activist Suzanne Somers, who refers to the doctors at the Magaziner Center for Wellness as leaders in the use of bio-identical hormone therapy.