Health & Well-Being Pre-Menopause and Beyond

There are probably a lot of women reading this who are like me, the type to research their symptoms and ‘self-diagnose’ a condition before making an appointment with their doctor. We all do it in cases of everyday illnesses like colds and flu (go ahead, you can admit it) – however when it comes to female hormones, it becomes a bit more complicated.

You see, I had all the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (listed below) but because many of them are also symptoms of estrogen dominance, I obviously thought that was the cause. It was an honest mistake, especially with perimenopause looming.

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone. The thyroid is located at the base of your neck (in the front) and is responsible for regulating your body’s metabolism by secreting hormones which help to burn the calories and fat, etc. your body uses for energy. I have learned that this is a very common condition which approximately 10 million Americans have, and on top of this, as much as 10% of women have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency.

Here are some common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

Fatigue, or feeling lathargic
Weakness (this could mean less stamina, longer recovery time after exercise or feeling as if your arms were dead weight)
Weight gain, or difficulty loosing weight
Constipation
Coarse, dry hair, skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance, often feeling cold, cold hands and feet
Muscle cramps, frequent muscle aches
Sleepy, needing naps, or just nodding off easily
Foggy thinking, forgetfulness
Memory loss, irritable
Abnormal cycles
Diminished or low sex drive

I have to say that I had every one of the above – the problem is that each of those symptoms are also symptoms of estrogen dominance. No kidding. If you have approaching menopause on the brain, would you seriously think of your thyroid first?

The only way to tell that I know of is to have blood work done. Once it has been determined that is your thyroid, the cure is as simple as taking one pill a day. I will get into your choice of thyroid medications in the next few posts – this could get complicated, since we have the issue of synthetic versus natural. To be continued….

Get more Information on Thyroid Assist – Nature's Treatment for Hypothyroidism

In all my reading about pre menopause symptoms and hormone replacement therapies, I’ve been hearing this term bantered about – Estrogen Dominance. After reading the symptoms, I’ve realized that it is something I have been battling most of my life. Terrible periods, fibroids, retaining water, tender breasts, you name it, I’ve had it since I first started my period.

Back in the day, when I was very young, I was told that my cramps [...] Continue Reading…

Did you miss the webcast about hormone replacement therapy on Oprah.com with Dr. Christiane Northrup? Well, don’t worry – my personal opinion is that you didn’t miss much, but if you really want to view it, you can go to Oprah.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page to access the webcast.. I had submitted a few email questions when the show was first announced as well on the day [...] Continue Reading…

There must have been a free day this week due to the inaguration, because the Oprah show is rebroadcasting that show on bioidentical hormones today. Try to catch it (or record it) if you can. Lots of good info.

You should also check out Oprah.com on Thursday January 29th at 9p.m. ET – 8p.m. CT, for The Hormone Webcast with Christiane Northrup M.D.  If you have any questions for Dr. Northrup you can submit them [...] Continue Reading…

This show is a “must see” for anyone who is confused about hormone replacement therapy and anyone who needs to know the basics about synthetic hormones vs. bioidentical hormones. Hopefully it will be aired again, or made available on Oprah.com.

Yes, I am happy to admit that my predictions about this episode in my previous post, were wrong (as warned)! In fact, there was only one small blurb about Suzanne Somers at the end [...] Continue Reading…

FYI – Tomorrow, Thursday, January 15th, 2009, Oprah’s show will be about bioidentical hormones.
Now I’m not sure whether she will be pro-bioidentical hormones or against, since she addresses the subject as “controversial.” I’ve been wrong before (too many times) but my guess would be that she will be on the side of the almighty buck…..the pharmaceutical companies.
You will probably hear more of the Suzanne Somers story as she will no [...] Continue Reading…