The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Menopause

Holly L. Thacker, MD
New York, NY; Kaplan Publishing: 2009
286 pages

This book presents a broad overview of factual information about women’s health issues around the time of menopause. The author’s decades of experience are evident in the clear, concise text and abundant clinical examples. Readers will relate to the narratives that serve as platforms for medical information, for example, the patient with severe hot flashes crying from fatigue. In this scenario and many more, the author explains the transition from the reproductive stage of life through the menopause transition in an engaging and understandable manner.

Discussions of how our bodies work, ovarian function, basic reproductive anatomy, and a glossary of terms provide a basis for understanding not only the contents of the book but also the “medicalese” often used by healthcare providers. The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Menopause is not just another book about menopause and the decision to use hormones or not. There is an emphasis on personal responsibility for a healthy lifestyle such as not smoking, eating sensibly, and exercising regularly. This book from a world-famous hospital puts the reader in the driver’s seat on the road to achieving good health, right next to her healthcare provider.

Dr. Thacker rightly points out that menopause is “not a disease” but that around the time of menopause women are at high risk of developing many chronic diseases. The diseases that become very prevalent during midlife and beyond include heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and other common causes of high medical costs, illness, and death.

The opinions and interpretation of applying medical research are Dr. Thacker’s own. Written for commercial publication, not as a scientific manuscript, the book is meant to educate and share experiences. As with any commercial venture, it is left to the reader to accept and apply the shared information based on her comfort level with the author’s experience and expertise. The majority of readers will find this book extremely valuable.

Review written by:
Marjorie R. Jenkins, MD
Associate Professor
Executive Director, Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health
Center for Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Amarillo, TX
Certified NAMS Menopause Practitioner
Member, NAMS Professional Education Committee

SOURCE: menopause.org

Current and Future Trends of Menopause Therapy: An Expert Interview With Dr. Ivy Alexander

Ivy Alexander, PhD, ANP-BC

Medscape: What are the specific symptoms related to menopausal changes?

Dr. Alexander: There are many, and they vary for the individual woman. Most women will experience changes in their menses with irregular bleeding, either longer or shorter periods or longer or shorter lengths of time in between getting a period. Many women also have changes in flow and experience heavier or lighter periods.

Other really common symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, difficulty with sleep, irritability, and mood swings, although these last two are probably related to sleep disturbances. In addition, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women often complain of difficulty with their memory — cognition — and that is also usually related to sleep disturbances.^[1-3]

Additional symptoms related to menopause include things like acne, changes in skin tone, wrinkles and dryness, hair changes with dry or thinning hair, or changes in the character of the hair. For example, if the person’s hair was curly, it might be less so. Some women have difficulty with headaches, nervousness, anxiety, irregular heartbeats or palpitations, and urinary changes. Lastly, the vaginal dryness that is associated with menopause comes from vaginal atrophy and can cause pain and discomfort with sexual intercourse or sexual activity.

Medscape: Are these symptoms directly related to menopause or do comorbidities, such as diabetes or heart conditions, affect the types of symptoms perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experience?

Dr. Alexander: Several of the symptoms that occur in menopause are directly related to changes in the hormone levels in the woman’s body. These changes occur because the hormone receptors throughout the body are no longer bound with the hormone and, thus, cause symptoms.

Because some of these symptoms can also mimic other health problems, such as diabetes with blood sugar shifts, untreated high blood pressure, and thyroid disease or, in the case of mood disorders and sleep problems, depression, it can be difficult to determine whether it is menopause or some other health problem that is affecting a woman at midlife. Occasionally, the symptoms are related to menopause and also complicated with another condition. Once the diagnosis is made, treating and managing the other condition may significantly reduce the symptoms related to menopause, but they likely will remain to some degree. More info from this article