Depressed
According to Dr. Gerard Salama, a renowned oby-gyne and professor in Paris, France, these are the pros and cons of estrogen treatment therapy:
1) It stabilizes moods, which means no depression for no reason.
2) No hot flashes.
3) Prevents vaginal dryness and does not decrease the libido (very important for married women).
4) Prevents skin dryness; skin remains supple.
5) No excessive weight gain (which a lot of menopausal women tend to experience).
But very important things to consider are:
1) Treatment must be of low dosage and must be with natural hormones, not synthetic.
2) Maximum use is 10 years.
3) Under the supervision of a gynecologist who will recommend yearly mammograms, bone density test, pap smear and intra-vaginal scan, blood test for fat and blood sugar.
4) The hormones should be a combination of estrogen and progesterone and should be natural hormones, not synthetic.
The risk of breast cancer, according to the survey, is only one percent more than for women who are not taking it; heredity and the dose level are important factors. The best prevention is regular checkups for early detection.
In the USA, American surveys have higher statistics of incidence of breast cancer. Why is this? Here are the conditions to consider:
1) Population – there are a lot more women in the USA than in Europe who are obese, have diabetes, high blood pressure and vascular diseases.
2) The dose of hormones is two to three times higher than those prescribed in France and other European countries.
3) Their hormone therapy is sometimes not natural hormones, which are beta estradiol and progestin.
The bottom line is: Dr. Salama is, in fact, recommending estrogen hormone therapy if taken in low dosage with natural estrogen and progesterone, under the supervision of your gyne who should impose the above checkups (considering there are no hereditary factors, diabetes, obesity, etc.) Hormones are very important for most women who have bad menopausal syndromes like yourself. He also recommends a daily dose of calcium with vitamin D, multivitamins and minerals that include C, E, B complex, and selenium together with the hormone therapy. Why not try it – it could save you from further emotional imbalance and physical discomfort?
Starry-Eyed
I am not cynical on matters of the heart, but I don’t think anything could be real after just a week, no matter how intense the connection feels. Of course, I understand why you have been feeling starry-eyed suddenly. If you have been dating a lot, you probably feel as if you have been looking for love in a huge bargain basement warehouse where you hope to find something worth buying, even if you feel like you are sorting through nothing but junk. Is it any wonder so many of us dive into romantic fantasies the moment someone even remotely functional shows up? I would give it the test of time if I were you. The best thing in life may be love and finding a soulmate is what all of us hope for, but it usually takes a little time. Just like homemade bread. So give Mr. Wonderful some time to rise to his potential, and take it from there.
Aches And Pains Man
Go to a physical therapist who knows what muscles to press and how to stretch them out of their soreness. Yes! Massage therapy is recommended by a lot of doctors. As we get older, muscle aches and pains and stiffness get worse because we have less flexibility than what we used to have. Massage therapy enhances blood flow, increases endorphins and negates the effects of overexertion, according to Brenda L. Griffith, a certified massage therapist in New York City. She further states that massage can help relieve some neck and shoulder pains associated with jaw alignment problems. It also relieves pain of arthritis, fibromyalgia, and increases blood circulation. Here in Manila, you can find good muscle massage therapy at Intercare Chiropractic Center of Dr. Martin Camara, Klayaan St., Makati or the Neo Holistic Center on Wilson St., Greenhills. There may be a lot of others, but these two are what I have tried and recommend.