FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Menopause brings about significant changes for women. For some, it can take place quickly. Others may experience symptoms for years.
MedWatch host Brent Cannon sat down for a one-on-one Q&A with Doctor Lura Reddington, a Gynecologist with Community Health Partners to sort fact from fiction.
Q: Cannon
Menopause only happens after 40?
A: Reddington
Menopause typically can happen after 40, but it's probably more common when you're in your fifties. But you might start developing some symptoms during that decade between 40 and 50.
Q: Cannon
Another one. Menopausal symptoms don't last very long. True or false?
A: Reddington
I would say false. The patient I saw yesterday was in her 70s and she's still having menopausal symptoms. We know that the majority of women, if they go through a period of time, most of their symptoms will lessen or go away. But it's not true for everyone. There's probably 15 to 25% of women that will always have warmth, hot flashes and night sweats, and we all experience it differently.
Q: Cannon
Let's talk about another one. Only severe symptoms need to be treated?
A: Reddington
I disagree because if I'm bothered by three hot flashes a day and can't do what I want to do, why am I being penalized just because someone else has 10 hot flashes a day? I think we need to look at each person as an individual.
Q: Cannon
Is hormone therapy dangerous?
A: Reddington
For certain situations, it can be. There's concern that it increases your risk of breast cancer. I don't believe strongly that it does. But there is breast cancer diagnoses out there and they don't have any hormone receptors. So hormones don't make you get breast cancer.
Q: Cannon
Here's another one. Does menopause make you gain weight, make you more irritable, make you forgetful, anxious or depressed?
A: Reddington
The typical woman going through menopause can gain up to 20 pounds or more, which is very disappointing. But I think that whether it's weight gain or forgetfulness or depression or sadness, we have to evaluate them and treat them based on what they're telling us when they come in for a visit. I think we need to make certain that you're seeing a qualified doctor that understands and knows what the benefits are of whether or not we treat with hormones or whether or not we treat with non-hormonal therapy, because there are different avenues that you can explore to alleviate some of your symptoms.
Q: Cannon
Would it be safe to say that this is going to be an ongoing process?
A: Reddington
I think that's a really accurate way of looking at it, because no matter what, as we go through life, we change what we were at. 30 is not the same as what we are at 40 or 50. So if you have a family history of cancer or heart disease and that develops, you know, five to 10 years after menopause, you need to evaluate the heart disease and see how is that being affected by menopause versus you being on hormones? Do you need to come off of hormones? We haven't really broached osteoporosis. It needs to be evaluated. And I tell patients they're like, well, I was fine, can't I just get a renewal on my meds? I say, 'No. I like to see you once a year so that I can reevaluate what's going on in your life and whether or not there's new information out that I should educate you with and let you know about.'
Q: Cannon
So they're not only changing, but even the medical profession is changing and getting more information.
A: Reddington
That is correct. We're always getting new information. We're always trying to strive for better and more accurate ways of caring for our patients.