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For so many women, menopause is a mystery. Its symptoms can be wide-ranging and last for years, information about treatments can be confusing, and - to make it even more challenging - health care providers can be less than helpful when it comes to solutions. New York Times writer, Susan Dominus’ recent article, “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” became a viral sensation, offering a valuable resource for the latest research and treatments. Her reporting also resonated for another reason: it finally took womens’ symptoms seriously. Dr. Rebecca Brightman, a gynecologist from New York City who specializes in menopausal medicine joins the conversation to share what she’s learned from years of treating women going through this life-altering transition. Plus: our guests answer your questions.
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00:00 Susan Dominus on her reaction to the reaction to her New York Times article on menopause
01:56 Dr. Rebecca Brightman on her reaction to Susan’s article
03:28 Susan on how the piece came about
05:08 Katie reads a quote from the article in which Susan is talking about her friends’ experiences with menopause
06:30 Was Susan surprised by how significantly menopause affects women in their daily lives
07:48 Dr. Brightman on the accuracy of the symptoms described in Susan’s article
08:24 The cognitive impacts of menopause
10:08 Dr. Brightman on what causes brain fog during menopause
11:39 Katie on how, to avoid brain fog, she wore a hormone patch when she first started menopause
12:31 If men went through menopause would we have more solutions?
14:00 Why do so many doctors avoid talking about menopause with their patients?
17:30 An explanation of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and the 1991 NIH hormone trial
19:30 The historical use of estrogen by women
21:13 Why the WHI trial was suddenly stopped, and the repercussions
26:05 Dr. Brightman talks about the impact of all the negative coverage of the trial
26:43 The long term implications on medical students who graduated around the same time as the trial
27:31 Why the study done surrounding the WHI wasn’t accurate
29:38 The bad rap that hormones received because of the study, and the rise in unsafe options the study gave rise to
31:47 Why Premarin in particular got a bad reputation
33:01 Dr. Brightman explains the difference between compounded and synthetic hormones
34:50 HRT has a small risk but a big reward
35:38 Can HRT be used if you have a family history of ovarian cancer?
36:24 Can HRT be used if you’re at a high risk for breast cancer?
36:44 Should women take hormones if they are only experiencing slight symptoms?
38:42 Katie asks Dr. Brightman if she thinks the hormone patch Katie used to wear had anything to do with her breast cancer
40:34 An explanation of hot flashes and night sweats
42:50 Why so many doctors do not know that joint pain is a symptom of menopause
44:21 What causes joint pain during menopause
44:56 How powerful estrogen is
46:14 Racial disparities in menopause symptoms
47:18 What can women do for extreme dryness caused by menopause?
51:16 The frustration of dealing with insurance companies for treatments
51:56 Dr. Brightman explains the Mona Lisa laser treatment
52:50 What studies on hormones and estrogen have there been since the WHI?
54:49 Dr. Brightman discusses perimenopause
56:08 When should women start talking to their doctors about perimenopause and menopause?
57:27 Treatments that are available for perimenopausal women
01:00:10 Dr. Brightman explains why women should be cautious of new products and supplements being advertised to help with menopause symptoms
01:03:03 Historically women’s health issues have not been given the attention they deserve, and how so much more research needs to be done