The Menopause Book

Foreword Bernadine Healy iiiWhy We Wrote This Book ixWhy We Revised This Book xiPart I The Basics 1Chapter 1 What's Happening? 3Mirror images: the beginning and end of menstruationWhen does the menopause transition begin?The stages of menopauseThe different kinds of menopause (natural, induced, early)Menopause in the animal worldHow long does it take? Can it be temporary?Hormones and your reproductive lifeAre you out of eggs?What's normal and what's notDo menopause tests work?Can menopause be reversed?The pill and perimenopauseLate pregnanciesEstrogen in your body after menopauseAn ending and a beginningChapter 2 The Hormone Question 24All about estrogenA primer: pills, creams, patches, shots, bioidenticalsA history of hormone therapy and how it came to be part of every doctor's arsenalThe importance of the Women's Health InitiativeThe dilemma of contradicting studiesHow to understand news about medical researchWhy you might still want to try hormones and what you need to know to make your decisionWhen is the best time to start hormones?Hormone therapy and cancer: What are the risks?Does estrogen cause weight gain or make you look younger?The truth about bioidenticalsAlternative treatments that might help and some that don'tPlus: Case studies of five women who made the decisionPart II What You're Feeling Now 57Chapter 3 Hot Flashes 59How and why you get themAnatomy of a flashWhy some women are frequent flashers and others never break a sweatHow to feel better with and without drugsHot flash fashionsDo fat women flash more than skinny ones?What ifit's not menopause?How long will a hot flash last?How hot is a hot flash?Why do you shiver afterwards?The "emergency" kit every working menopausal woman should keep in her desk drawerTracking triggersDoes exercise help or hurt?Can antidepressants work?Relief without an RxChapter 4 Sleep 75Why insomnia often strikes nowThe role of estrogenSnoring: a sign of trouble?Common sleep disordersHow to finally get the rest you needSetting the mood for sleepWhy a glass of wine before bed won't do the trickFoods that can keep you up and ones that make you sleepyIs it depression?Sex before bed (or not)Why you're beating a path to the bathroomKeeping a sleep diaryPhysical problems that rob you of sleepHot and cold couplesThe role of exerciseSleeping pills and natural remediesChapter 5 Sex 97The rise and fall of libidoHow to improve your sex lifeBody changes that can make sex more painfulGetting expert helpSex toys and where to buy themHormone therapy and libidoWhy orgasm can be elusiveNew thinking on women and sexual dysfunctionWhat you need to know about testosteroneCould Viagra be the answer?Better-than-ever orgasmsThe thrill is gone, and that's fine with meHow to fix lubrication problemsThe connection between allergies and vaginal drynessVaginal estrogen cream and your partnerAlternative treatmentsYeast infections and how to fight themStarting to date againWhy contraception and safe sex still matterThe right way to KegelBleeding during sexThe depression-sex connectionHysterectomy and sex driveChemo and libidoSex after radiationWhat's in the medicine chest?What if it's his problem, not yours?What you need to know about sexually transmitted diseasesChapter 6 Bleeding 138Irregular bleeding and how you know when you need to go to the doctorWhat does heavy bleeding really mean?Causes of irregular bleedingCould it be cancer?Fibroids and how to treat themWhat you can expect at the doctor's officeHow to talk to your doctor about bleeding problemsWhat you should know about the newest procedures and medicationsShould you worry about anemia?Is the pill the answer?Nonhormonal treatments that may workSex and bleedingThe pros and cons of hysterectomiesShould you try and keep your ovaries?Why your uterus may be falling and what to do about itPostmenopausal bleeding: a primerChapter 7 Aches and Pains 163A top-to-bottom compendiumMenstrual migraines and morning headaches: What they mean and new treatments for bothBurning mouth syndromeWhat your gums reveal about your hormone levelsThyroid problems: too much and too littleCan low thyroid make you fat?To treat or not to treat: the debate over thyroid therapyTorn rotator cuffFrozen shoulderBreast tendernessMorning stiffnessJoints 101Beating arthritisTalking to your doctor about incontinenceFoot problems and buying shoes that fitChapter 8 Moods and Emotions 194Singing the menopause blues?The hormone/mood connectionThe depression spectrumLowering your risk for mood disordersPMS, perimenopause, and depression: Are they linked?Hot flashes, sleep, and moodThe role of stress and how to manage itToxic marriagesCultural influences on mood at menopauseThyroid disease and depressionThe science of happinessEvaluating different treatmentsCan you Botox your troubles away?Rx: a new job?Help! Antidepressants are killing my libidoCan hormone therapy help?Could progesterone be the problem?Bipolar disorder and hormone therapyAnxiety disorders at midlifeWhy you may be more vulnerable to panic attacksCould it be more than depression?Late-onset schizophreniaWill schizophrenia worsen?Chapter 9 Thinking and Memory 227The anatomy of your brain at midlifeTypes of memory problemsFeeling out-to-lunch during the menopause transitionWhat is Alzheimer's?Depression and memoryCommon causes of memory lossHot flashes and concentrationADD in adultsChemo brainLosing your car keys: a sign of Alzheimer's?The role of stressHormones and dementia: what we've learned from the Women's Health InitiativeReading problemsSurgical menopause and memoryMaintain your brainStrategies for improving memoryHow exercise helps your body and your mindWhat's diet got to do with it?The importance of being socialMind gamesPart III Staying Healthy Forever 251Chapter 10 Bones 253Estrogen loss and weak bonesGetting your daughter to build bone mass nowGetting testedWho's at greatest risk for osteoporosis?Calcium: from food or supplements?Why vitamin D mattersYou can be too thinThe role of race and ethnicityTeeth and bonesInside your medicine chest: medications for bone healthDo statins and cancer drugs protect bones?Concern about radiationAlternative treatmentsIs heredity destiny?Exercises to strengthen your bones and improve flexibility and balanceChapter 11 Eyes and Ears 293When did the menu print get so small, and why is everybody mumbling?Dry eyesEstrogen, testosterone, and your eyesBuying reading glasses that don't look frumpy: a guideBehind your specs: makeup tipsDo you need bifocals?Why nighttime driving has gotten harderSun exposure and eye healthPreserving your vision as you get olderHormone therapy and hearing lossHow loud is too loud?Alternatives to visible hearing aidsTurn down your iPod!Chapter 12 Heart 315The #1 killer of womenWhy your symptoms may be different from hisCholesterol 101Risk factors for heart diseaseEstimating your risk and how to lower itThe controversial role of hormone therapyUsing the new food labelsAntioxidants and free radicalsExercise, exercise, exerciseHow heart disease affects your whole bodyChapter 13 Cancer 335What you need to know about breast, ovarian, endomentrial, cervical, lung, colorectal, bladder, vulvar, vaginal cancerKeeping an eye out for symptomsHormones and cancer: where they meetCancer detectives: maximizing the benefits of mammograms, Pap tests, colonoscopiesThe effect of menopause and age on your risk profileWhy pregnancy and breast feeding protect against breast cancerDoes the pill make a difference?Is hormone therapy an option after cancer?Hormone therapy and cancer: a mixed bagWhat you should know about breast self-examinationsWhen is it a tumor and when is it just a cyst?What you can do to improve your oddsLowering your risk by losing weightThe pros and cons of progesteroneThe search for an effective ovarian cancer screenThe cervical cancer vaccine and what it means for youDealing with menopause and cancer at the same timeChapter 14 Diet and Exercise 376Does BMI matter?Good fats and bad fatsCan supplements keep you healthy?Why your belly is suddenly biggerBattling bloated portionsDairy and dietingVegetarians and menopauseThe myths and realities: from blueberries to chocolateHow to lose weight at midlifeExercises and recipes to keep you fit and strong into your 80s and beyondChapter 15 Looking Good 422Aging skinLooking younger longerAssessing sun damageSmoking and premature agingAre high-priced skin creams worth the extra money?Adult acneHormone therapy and wrinklesMakeup tipsNail healthFixing varicose veinsBust boostersBuying a bra that really fitsLess hair on your head, more on your chin: what to doEndnote 445Appendix I 449Appendix II 477Acknowledgments 490Index 499

\ From Barnes & NobleReviewers greeted the 2007 edition of this book with raves, calling it "Dr. Spock for aging women" and "required reading for women wanting to maximize the second halves of their lives." Revised, updated, repackaged, and retitled, Pat Wingert and Barbara Kentrowitz's The Menopause Book arrives fitted with the latest medical findings, retooled advice, and information in response to earlier readers' requests.\ \