Wishing you a Flashfree holiday!

Researchers are suggesting that  a single injection of an anesthetic into the sympathetic nervous system may shut down hot flashes all together.

What?!

Is this a bubble to be burst or a solution to celebrate? Only time can tell.

True confession – much as I try, I cannot locate the original study. So I am going to share what I’ve learned through what I can find and you can draw your own conclusions!

Theoretically, the new strategy involves injecting a local anesthetic into the sympathetic nerves in the neck to block norepinephrine. (Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that has been posited as a possible explanation for hot flashes, i.e. both norepinephrine and  serotonin lower the set point in how the body regulates temperature, meaning that heat loss mechanisms can be triggered by subtle changes in core body temperature.)

In this small study, which involved 15 women, all experienced decreases in the severity of their hot flashes by as much as 80%  for up to two weeks.

A larger study is evidently in the works to determine if this approach can help alleviate and possibly even eliminate hot flashes. Meanwhile, I am going to see if I can find more information. It’s an interesting strategy and one that could truly revolutionize the way that we address hot flashes if if proves to be true.

Yes! There is an application for menopause! No longer do you need to scramble in the middle of the night to find a pen to write in your Hot Flush Diary! Now you can turn on your phone, go to the application, and voila! All your symptoms, moods swings, night sweats, hot flashes and lack of libido in one place!

Introducing My pause the must have app that allows you to track your symptoms, create a treatment plan and hey, even share it with family and friends on Twitter!

As I’ve written previously, a diary is the last thing I want to keep on my nightstand. The same goes for an application for my phone. In fact, the idea of taking notes on all of my hot flashes and night sweats and when/why/how they occur and how they make feel gets me pretty hot under the collar. As a friend said “I’m hot and grumpy and not getting sleep. Who needs an app for that?”

I’m all for having a thorough, informative vision of what you are suffering through so that you can discuss your symptoms with a licensed practitioner and come up with a viable strategy to address them. But putting menopause into a category that requires a disease tracker? That’s taking this whole “pause” thing a bit too far.

Developers – take a note from this page. This transition is a natural part of a woman’s life. It doesn’t need to be treated; it needs to be accepted and supported. I don’t want to note my symptoms/moods/fatigue/anxiety/depression/sexual desire (or lack thereof) on my phone everyday. Instead, how about “Freeze it!” The app that stops flashes in their tracks! Now, there’s an app I can get my head around!

Seriously, who thinks of this crap?  What’s next? Anyone?

Sometimes a little humor goes a long way.

Happy Friday dear readers!

About a week ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to Scentuelle™, an “aroma” patch that uses a woman’s sense of smell to enhance sexual response. According to the website, Scentuelle targets smell receptors at the back of nose closest to the brain “with a sensuous blend of aromas” that mimic dopamine, a naturally-occurring chemical associated with pleasure. Dopamine has been directly linked with sexual activity, food and other pleasurable experiences. Manufacturers of Scentuelle claim that because it acts like dopamine, it increases happiness and by default, arousal. Evidently, Scentuelle’s effect is cumulative and reaches optimal level after three weeks.

Aromatherapy is not a new concept and I’m willing, as with Zestra, to give Scentuelle a go. In fact, I’ve registered to participate in a user study to check it out.

I’d like to believe the hype. But who knows? Zestra turned out to be a major dud although the Company’s president recently sent me an email with a link to a New York Times piece that “proves” otherwise. Personally, the smell and feel of Zestra alone was enough to turn off three women who tested it for this blog, all within a short period of time, but if it works for some, hey, good for them.

I’ll make a formal announcement when the study commences and I start testing it out. Hey, why not?  I’m all for a bit of Scentuelle seduction!

Happy Wednesday!

Does Wyeth’s hormone replacement therapy agent Prempro cause breast cancer? Yes, according to a jury, who recently awarded Connie Barton $75 million in punitive damages.

According to a statement quoted in a New York Times expose, a spokesperson for the pharma giant Pfizer (which recently merged with Wyeth) emphatically claims that Preempro is “a safe, federally approved drug that did not cause [the woman's] breast cancer.”And yet, Preempro is the very same drug caused the abrupt halt of the Women’s Health Initiative trial when it was found to double the risk for breast cancer as well as increase the risk for heart attack, stroke and blood clots. Moreover, later analysis of the Women’s Health Initiative data showed that hormones also increased the risk for dementia in a subset of women. Still, the company plans to fight every Preempro award, maintaining that it has acted responsibly and has posted every warning in line with FDA guidelines.

So what do you do when a drug has known dangers, a warped risk-benefit ratio and is still widely marketed? As I’ve written time and again on this blog, many in the medical profession continue to believe in HRT and  prescribe it regularly,  not for “good health” or to slow the aging process but to control the more troublesome symptoms of menopause (e.g. hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness). And thousands of women continue to toe the party line, believing that that hormone replacement is essential to easing the aging journey (as the article’s author so aptly points out, the term “replacement” implies that it is something that is needed).

Interestingly the article maps out strategies that have been used to influence physicians, professional societies and women so as to deflect attention away from cancer concerns towards the positive, risk-preventive properties of hormone therapy. And while this piece makes me want to jump on my soapbox, I won’t attempt to dissect it further because it’s one of the most thorough and well-researched articles I’ve read in some time.  The only thing I will leave you with is that Wyeth’s actions are a true reflection of everything that’s wrong with the modern view of menopause, from menopause as a disease to waning estrogen as a symbol of all that is unattractive about an aging woman.

Rather than “rebalancing” our bodies through modern medicine, shouldn’t we be focusing on what we can do to balance the transition as we move through our lives by focusing on our relationships, our activity levels, our psyches, our connections and our diets? You can’t fix something when it’s not broken. And the only thing that appears to be broken here is the hype.

Yes, the HRT cat’s outta da bag. What do you think?

There’s interesting news on the red clover front.

Although red clover may have questionable value when it comes to hot flashes (the verdict is still out with regards to whether or not it is effective) researchers are now saying that this isoflavone may be useful for reducing depression and anxiety in menopausal women.

In a study published in the online edition of Maturitas journal, over 200 menopausal women received 2-80 mg red clover capsules or sugar tablet for 90 days, took a break, and then were assigned the opposite medication for another 90 days. The researchers measured anxiety and depression at the study’s start, at 90 days and at the study’s completion.

Taking red clover reduced total anxiety and depression by as much as 77%, compared to declines following placebo (which overall, declined about 21%). This decline could likely be attributed to what is known as the placebo effect, in which some an improvement is perceived to be real.

About red clover

Red clover is a perennial whose flowers have long been dried and used therapeutically in complementary medicine. It’s a known source of calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. Researchers have studied its utility in heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and of course menopause. Herbalists also use red clover topically for eczema, psoriasis and other rashes. Although most people tolerate red clover very well, it has been associated with headache, nausea and rash. Animals who graze on large amounts of red clover have also become infertile. It can also interfere with certain drugs that are metabolized by the liver and can enhance the effects of estrogens, birth control and blood thinners.

Should you take red clover for anxiety and depression? The verdict is early but it is looking promising. As always, peak to a licensed, knowledgeable practitioner before using red clover with any regularity for any condition.

This saddens me greatly but maybe it’s true after all. It is really all about us.

But is it?

In early November, I put out a call for male contributors, hoping to find some male voices to fill the obvious void on this blog and lend their perspectives — not just on menopause — but on midlife. I was hoping to find men of all ages who could share their experiences with crazy moms going through hormonal mood swings, partners flashing night and day and in general, this time of life means for the other half of the equation, i.e. men. Let’s face it, we’re not going to come to the table if we don’t understand the issues, right? However, thus far, I’ve had only one courageous man willing to share his POV and another contact me to discuss possibly topics. And the slots remain empty.

Recently, I had a back channel conversation on Twitter with a young male blogger about men’s general lack of interest in discussing the female anatomy or so-called “female problems.” His take? That men are generally apathetic and unaware when it comes to this stuff. And while I know plenty of men, sensitive or not, who would welcome an opportunity to speak their peace in their relationships,  I can’t seem to find any takers for this challenge. Perhaps it’s the term “menopause” in the tagline that causes men to approach trepedatiously.

I thought I’d try again. Three’s a charm, right? I’m not looking for just a discussion on menopause, but a discussion on what it’s like to deal with a woman going through such a drastic transition in her life. I’d eve love posts on what you might imagine it might be like, or how your female partners can change the way that they communicate with you now so that some of the issues that might arise later can be averted or avoided altogether. Anything and everything.

So are there men in menopause? Send me your ideas.  OR  comment and let me know WHY you don’t want to post.

I need you. I really really do!

Last year I wrote a post about the promising effects of flaxseed — a plant-based estrogen–  on hot flashes.  Flaxseed contains antioxidants with weak estrogen properties (lignans) and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also an excellent source of fiber. In addition to its potential ability to reduce the frequency and severity of menopausal hot flashes, it might also be a valuable tool for both heart disease prevention and  boosting the effects of breast cancer therapies.

Another potential use of flaxseed, namely the oil, is to reduce osteoporosis risk. In an animal study published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, researchers analyzed how the addition of flaxseed oil to the diet of 70 diabetic rats (30 of which had had their ovaries removed) might affect bone health. Note that while studies have shown a clear link between type 1 diabetes and osteoporosis, the evidence is not quite as clear for type 2. Nevertheless, both types of diabetes have been linked with an increased risk for fractures.

After two months, insulin-like growth factor and osteocalcin ( a bone-creating protein) were increased in rats who received the flaxseed oil in their diet. In fact, the levels of these two markers actually reached normal. On the other hand, levels of a marker that actually breaks down bone, fell. The research team attributed the positive effects of flaxseed oil to its omega-3 component.

Certainly, studies are needed in humans to truly determine if flaxseed oil can have a beneficial effect on bone health, especially in post-menopausal women who also have diabetes. In the meantime, it can’t hurt to add a bit of flaxseed oil to your diet. A little prevention may go a long way towards protecting those bones!

Hormone replacement therapy can help prevent heart disease, right?

Think again. Research has shown that use of HRT increases the risk for stroke, blood clots and heart disease. Although increased risk starts to decline within three years of stopping hormone therapy, women are still cautioned to continue rigorous prevention efforts and to see their physicians for any recommended testing.

So, are you asking yourselves why I’m writing about this if doctors know already about the link between HRT and heart disease? Well it appears that in the early 200s, and despite a marked decline in the use of HRT among women following confirmation of the risk, as many as 8% of women with existing heart disease and 14% with two or more identifiable risk factors were still prescribed hormones by their doctors. Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, investigators of a newly-published analysis said that although the reasons are unclear, women continued to receive HRT for heart risks,  even though it “was never proven for this indication and ultimately found to be ineffective.”

To add insult to injury, the International Menopause Society, in concert with the European Society of Cardiology, has just issued a statement staying that hormone therapy, in limited doses, does not increase the risk of heart disease and may even decrease risk in younger women.What’s more, they are now saying that in some cases, HRT may even lower blood pressure. Conversely, they recommended that HRT should not be used in women with a history of heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism (blockage of one or more lung arteries).

Are you confused yet?

Some experts have questioned the results of the Women’s Health Initiative studies, which were the first to raise the flag about the dangers of HRT. Some argue that the studies looked at women who were older, i.e. 50 to 79 and not menopausal or perimenopausal. However, others have determined that both the timing (i.e. when HRT is started) and length of time on HRT can affect disease risks, as can type of hormone used.

In some respects, these confusing recommendations echo the recent controversy over mammography, in which medical experts have taken sides, some agreeing the screening is overrated and even dangerous, and others, saying that even the small numbers of lives saved make mammography worthwhile in younger women. That, however, is a post for another time.

Meanwhile, what should you do when it comes to HRT and heart disease risk?

As always, I urge women to err on the side of caution and do their due diligence: make an appointment with an informed health provider and discuss the risks and the benefits. There’s no way to make an informed decision without all the facts and information about how they apply specifically to you, your family and personal medical history and your unique set of needs and symptoms. At the same time, the evidence is pretty darn strong that HRT does not protect your heart and may  in fact, exacerbate other risk factors for developing a heart attack or stroke.

Is it worth it? Only you and your practitioner can decide.