Intimacy And The Breast Cancer Survivor

Early detection and directed treatments have led to improved outcomes for women with breast cancer. Nonetheless, the gynecologic impact of these treatments is significant. In one study, 42% of breast cancer survivors experienced vaginal dryness, 38% reported that intercourse was painful, and 64% felt loss of libido. For many women, these changes affect her relationship with her partner directly, thereby increasing her risk of depression. Furthermore, medical treatment for depression can accelerate loss of sexual interest and further endanger the relationship. In one series, when 610 breast cancer survivors with normal sexual activity were given antidepressants, 57% experienced loss of libido.

The Pill Or The Patch? Are All Estrogens The Same?

Picture this scenario. You are 55 years old, three years into menopause, with hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness and pain on intercourse. Your care provider suggests hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, he recalls that in 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) reported that of 10,000 women‐years, HRT produced 18 more women with blood clots, eight more with stroke, and seven more with heart attacks than those not on hormones. You have a family history of blood clots. You hesitate; is this for you?

Impact Of Various Bariatric Procedures In Treating Diabetes In Menopause

Weight control challenges many women entering menopause. For some, weight gain is only an assault on their personal image. For others, however, their abdominal obesity more so than their total weight gain significantly increases their risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease. Diet and exercise have been the tools for managing weight gain in the past. While effective for some, a more aggressive approach involving bariatric surgery to limit intestinal absorption has been required for those whose body mass index (BMI) places them in the obese category.

About The Blog

Why me? Why have the years when I was having children been so well orchestrated for the preservation of the species, only to leave me feeling like this? When I see my doctor, my first thoughts are “What has happened to my memory, why am I gaining weight, why is my skin drying up, what is bone loss, why is intercourse painful, in fact why do I not care for sex at all and why do I go from urinary tract infection, to vaginal yeast infection, to other infections around my vagina, and then back to urinary tract infection? What are these bursting moments of hot flashes, why do my moods swing so widely, and what are these new awkward aches? Why does my doctor talk to me about my cardiac risks when fear of breast cancer is my mountain to climb, and what are my options for management of these problems? If my doctor talks about hormonal management, I am really confused regarding what are bioidentical hormones, should I go on hormones and for how long, and what are the differences between the estrogen patch and the pill?”