Does Caffeine Make Menopausal Symptoms Worse?
Studies evaluating the relationship of caffeine to vasomotor symptoms have yielded conflicting results.
Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms Last Longer than Five Years for Most Women
Up to 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) as they transition into the menopause phase. While clinical guidelines suggest that VMS typically last from 6 months to 2 years, we often see women with VMS lasting for a much longer period of time. To more accurately assess the duration of VMS in perimenopausal women, researchers analyzed data from 1449 women included in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), an observational study of women entering menopause. Here is a summary of the key findings:
Low Dose Paroxetine Improves Sleep in Postmenopausal Symptoms
Last year, the FDA approved the first non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes – a 7.5-mg formulation of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine which was marketed under the name of Brisdelle. A new study [...]
Bipolar Disorder and the Menopausal Transition
Women with histories of major depression are vulnerable during the transition to menopause and are at increased risk for relapse; however, we have less information on how this transition affects women with bipolar disorder.
FDA Approves Nonhormonal Drug for Hot Flashes: Low-Dose Paroxetine to be Marketed as Brisdelle
The FDA recently approved a 7.5-mg formulation of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine mesylate for the treatment of hot flashes. It will be marketed under the name of Brisdelle.
Weight Loss and a Low-Fat Diet Help to Reduce Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women
Various studies have shown that women with a higher body mass index (BMI) or a higher percent of body fat have more frequent or more severe menopausal symptoms. In a recent study, researchers evaluated the impact of a low-fat diet on vasomotor symptoms in a group of 17,473 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79.
New Research from the CWMH: Surgically Induced Menopause No Worse than Natural in Terms of Risk for Depression, Anxiety
Each year about 600,000 women in the United States undergo a hysterectomy. Somewhere between 55% and 80% of these women who also have their ovaries removed along with the uterus—a procedure known as oophorectomy. After the removal of the ovaries, menopause follows immediately and is associated with a constellation of symptoms including hot flashes and insomnia, as well as depression and anxiety.