Norah O'Donnell: What I learned from my doctor about menopause
CBS News • • health
Key Points:
- Dr. Rachel Rubin describes menopause as a "castration event," where ovarian function ceases, leading to a significant drop in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, which affects various bodily functions due to widespread hormone receptors.
- Common menopause symptoms include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, weight gain, and memory issues, with severity varying among women.
- Vaginal estrogen therapy is underutilized despite its proven ability to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in postmenopausal women, potentially saving Medicare $6 billion to $22 billion annually by reducing serious complications like sepsis and hospitalizations.
- Women produce more testosterone than estrogen, and while testosterone is recognized globally for helping menopausal women with low libido, there is no FDA-approved testosterone therapy for women, though off-label use is common and reported to improve overall well-being.
- The author personally uses low-dose testosterone prescribed off-label by Dr. Rubin, noting gradual positive effects alongside other hormone treatments.
