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More Than Half of Women Have Hot Flashes for at Least 7 Years
Posted 16 days ago by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Feb. 16, 2015 – Menopause-related hot flashes and night sweats aren't a short-term problem. More than half of women experience these unpleasant change-of-life symptoms for seven years or more, a new study finds. "Women should not be surprised if their hot flashes last a number of years," said lead researcher Nancy Avis, a professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. Four out of five women experience hot flashes and night sweats in the years before their periods cease, leaving some with almost 12 years of unpleasant symptoms, the study found. And women who could pinpoint their final period reported symptoms persisted for an average of 4.5 years afterward. The findings, published online Feb. 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine, suggest a need for "more research on safe and effective ways to relieve these symptoms," Avis said. ... Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms, Perimenopausal Symptoms
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to Early Menopause: CDC
Posted 5 Feb 2015 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 – There's a link between early menopause and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a new study suggests. The findings may help explain why women are two to four times more likely to have CFS than men, and why the condition is most common among women in their 40s, the researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. "CFS can take a tremendous toll on women's lives at midlife and on our society and health care system. Being aware of the association of CFS and earlier menopause can help providers assist women in sorting out symptoms of CFS from symptoms of menopause," Dr. Margery Gass, executive director of the North American Menopause Society, said in a society news release. Although the study was able to find a link between early menopause and chronic fatigue syndrome, the researchers weren't able to learn whether one condition causes the ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Pesticides, Plastics Chemicals Tied to Earlier Menopause in Women
Posted 28 Jan 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 – Extensive exposure to common chemicals appears to be linked to an earlier start of menopause, a new study suggests. Researchers found that menopause typically begins two to four years earlier in women whose bodies have high levels of certain chemicals found in household items, personal care products, plastics and the environment, compared to women with lower levels of the chemicals. The investigators identified 15 chemicals – nine (now banned) PCBs, three pesticides, two forms of plastics chemicals called phthalates, and the toxin furan – that were significantly associated with an earlier start of menopause and that may have harmful effects on ovarian function. "Earlier menopause can alter the quality of a woman's life and has profound implications for fertility, health and our society," senior study author Dr. Amber Cooper, an assistant professor of ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders
Migraines May Worsen During Menopause
Posted 24 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, June 24, 2014 – New research confirms what women with migraine headaches have told their doctors for years: migraine attacks seem to get worse in the years before and during menopause. "In women who have migraine, headaches increase by 50 to 60 percent when they go through the perimenopause and menopausal time periods," said Dr. Vincent Martin, professor of medicine and co-director of the Headache and Facial Pain Program at the University of Cincinnati. The new finding, Martin said, "basically confirms what women have been telling us physicians for decades. We finally have some evidence." The perimenopausal period is the time when the body is transitioning to menopause – when monthly periods end. Perimenopause can last several years, and is often marked by irregular periods, hot flashes and sleep problems. Perimenopause can begin in the 40s, and menopause occurs, on average, ... Read more
Related support groups: Migraine, Menopausal Disorders
Antidepressant Eases Menopause-Related Symptoms, Study Finds
Posted 28 May 2014 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, May 28, 2014 – Estrogen therapy and the non-hormonal drug venlafaxine (Effexor) are nearly equally effective in reducing menopause-related hot flashes and night sweats, according to a new study. "Our new findings provide critical data for physicians and women making treatment decisions for hot flashes/night sweats. Our data show that first-line hormonal and non-hormonal pharmacological treatments are well-tolerated and effective options for alleviating symptoms," the study's lead author Dr. Hadine Joffe, director of the Women's Hormone and Aging Research Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a hospital news release. "Hot flashes and night sweats ... affect up to 80 percent of women in midlife and are the primary menopause-related symptoms leading menopausal women to seek medical attention," Joffe noted. Estrogen therapy is considered the "gold standard" treatment ... Read more
Related support groups: Effexor, Effexor XR, Venlafaxine, Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms
Early Menopause Linked to Heart Failure Risk in Swedish Study
Posted 14 May 2014 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, May 14, 2014 – Early menopause may increase a woman's risk for heart failure later in life, especially if she is a smoker, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed data from more than 22,000 older women in Sweden. Those who experienced early menopause (ages 40 to 45) were 40 percent more likely to suffer heart failure than those who went through menopause in the normal age range of 50 to 54, the investigators found. For every one-year increase in the age a woman began menopause, there was a 2 percent lower risk of heart failure, according to the study in the May 14 online edition of the journal Menopause, which is published by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The risk of heart failure was highest in current or former smokers who had early menopause, the researchers found. Current or former smokers who went through menopause only somewhat early – ages 46 to 49 ... Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Heart Failure, Congestive Heart Failure, Postmenopausal Symptoms
Premature Menopause May Affect Women's Brains
Posted 9 May 2014 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, May 9, 2014 – Premature menopause may increase a woman's risk of mental decline later in life, according to a new study. Compared to those who began menopause after age 50, women with premature menopause were 40 percent more likely to do poorly on verbal and visual memory tests, the study found. They also had a 35 percent higher risk of decline in psychomotor speed (coordination between the brain and the muscles that brings about movement) and overall mental function. Menopause typically occurs at about age 50, but can begin between ages 41 and 45 (early menopause) or at or around age 40 (premature menopause). Early and premature menopause can occur naturally or be caused by surgical removal of the ovaries. Of the more than 4,800 women in the study, nearly 8 percent had premature menopause. All of the participants underwent mental skills tests at the start of the study and ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders
Bleeding Irregularities Common in Menopause, Study Finds
Posted 16 Apr 2014 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 16, 2014 – Extended and heavy menstrual bleeding during menopause is common, according to a new study. "For most women in their 30s, menstrual periods are highly predictable. With the onset of the menopausal transition in their 40s, women's menstrual periods can change dramatically," study author Sioban Harlow, a University of Michigan professor of epidemiology, said in a university news release. "These dramatic changes can be disconcerting, and often provoke questions about whether something is wrong," she added. The findings should reassure women who worry about what is and isn't normal, she said. When a woman's ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone, she enters menopause. This life stage can last anywhere from two to 10 years, the researchers said. Menopause usually occurs after age 45. "Women need more descriptive information about the ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders
Health Tip: Avoid Weight Gain During Menopause
Posted 2 Apr 2014 by Drugs.com
-- Menopausal women are more prone to weight gain, particularly in the abdominal area, due to the many hormonal changes they face. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers this advice to help avoid weight gain during menopause: Stay active and get plenty of regular physical activity. Incorporate both aerobic and strength training exercises into your routine. Cut back on calories by about 200 per day. Focus on eating nutritious foods, including bananas, blueberries, dark leafy greens, soy, salmon, whole grains, yogurt and plenty of water. Limit alcohol and salt. Maintain a positive, healthy attitude. Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders
Experts Lay Out Options for Menopause Symptoms
Posted 23 Dec 2013 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Dec. 23, 2013 – Women bothered by hot flashes or other effects of menopause have a number of treatment options – hormonal or not, according to updated guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It's estimated that anywhere from 50 percent to 82 percent of women going through menopause have hot flashes – sudden feelings of extreme heat in the upper body – and night sweats. For many, the symptoms are frequent and severe enough to cause sleep problems and disrupt their daily lives. And the duration of the misery can last from a couple years to more than a decade, says the college, the nation's leading group of ob/gyns. "Menopausal symptoms are common, and can be very bothersome to women," said Dr. Clarisa Gracia, who helped write the new guidelines. "Women should know that effective treatments are available to address these symptoms." The ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms
Estrogen Won't Make Women Sharper After Menopause, Study Finds
Posted 25 Nov 2013 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Nov. 25 – Low levels of the hormone estrogen are not to blame for mood swings and poor memory after menopause, a new study suggests. Based on this finding, the researchers believe there's no reason to use hormone replacement therapy to boost mental well-being after periods stop. "These study findings provide further evidence that a woman's decision about hormone therapy use during early postmenopause should be made independently of considerations about thinking abilities," said lead researcher Dr. Victor Henderson, a professor of neurology and neurological science at Stanford University in California. However, while estrogen wasn't tied to any mental benefits, the study found that another hormone – progesterone – might affect thinking ability in younger women. But this could be a chance finding and merits further investigation, according to the report, published online Nov. ... Read more
Related support groups: Menopausal Disorders
FDA Approves Brisdelle - First Non-Hormonal Treatment for Hot Flashes Associated with Menopause
Posted 30 Jun 2013 by Drugs.com
June 28, 2013 --The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Brisdelle (paroxetine) to treat moderate to severe hot flashes (vasomotor symptoms) associated with menopause. Brisdelle, which contains the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine mesylate, is currently the only non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes approved by the FDA. There are a variety of FDA-approved treatments for hot flashes, but all contain either estrogen alone or estrogen plus a progestin. Hot flashes associated with menopause occur in up to 75 percent of women and can persist for up to five years, or even longer in some women. Hot flashes are not life-threatening, but the symptoms can be very bothersome, causing discomfort, embarrassment and disruption of sleep. “There are a significant number of women who suffer from hot flashes associated with menopause and who cannot or do not want to u ... Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Paroxetine, Postmenopausal Symptoms
Is Menopause Overlooked in U.S. Medical Schools?
Posted 17 May 2013 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, May 17 – Too few obstetrics-gynecology residents in the United States receive formal training about menopause, which could lead to care issues for the rapidly growing number of older American women, a new study finds. Researchers surveyed 510 ob/gyn residents and found that fewer than one in five had received formal training in menopause medicine, even though seven in 10 would like to receive it. Forty percent to 60 percent of fourth-year residents – those soon to complete their training – said they need to improve their knowledge about menopause. Some ob/gyn residency programs don't offer any formal curriculum or clinical experience focused on women's pre- and post-menopausal health, according to the study, published online recently in the journal Menopause. "It's clear from the results that the residents who responded admit that their knowledge and clinical management ... Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms, Perimenopausal Symptoms
Health Tip: Manage Menopause
Posted 13 May 2013 by Drugs.com
-- The onset of menopause brings many physical and emotional changes, and common symptoms from hot flashes to weight gain. Womenshealth.gov offers these recommendations to help minimize menopausal symptoms: Eat a balanced, nutritious diet, making an effort to limit caffeine and alcohol. Quit smoking. Get plenty of regular exercise to help strengthen bones, lose weight, boost mood and help you sleep. Practice regular stress management techniques, such as yoga or meditation. Lose any excess weight. Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms, Perimenopausal Symptoms
Survey Tallies Menopause Symptoms' Toll
Posted 1 Mar 2013 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, March 1 – Women who suffer severe hot flashes during menopause may be less productive on the job and have a lower quality of life, a new study suggests. The study, by researchers from the drug maker Pfizer, Inc., is based on a survey of nearly 3,300 U.S. women aged 40 to 75. Overall, women who reported severe hot flashes and night sweats had a dimmer view of their well-being. They also were more likely than women with milder symptoms to say the problem hindered them at work. The cost of that lost work productivity averaged more than $6,500 over a year, the researchers estimated. On top of that, they said, women with severe hot flashes spent more on doctor visits – averaging almost $1,000 in menopause-related appointments. Pfizer researcher Jennifer Whiteley and her colleagues reported the results online Feb. 11 in the journal Menopause. It's not surprising that women with ... Read more
Related support groups: Hot Flashes, Menopausal Disorders, Postmenopausal Symptoms, Perimenopausal Symptoms
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