Holly LucilleIs estrogen good? Is estrogen bad? Do I need it? These are just some of the questions I seem to be getting daily in my practice as the “story” about hormones gets increasingly confusing. Let’s take a deeper look at an not so simple category:...
What Doctors Don't Tell YouInsomnia may seem like a minor complaint, but it can have debilitating effects. At least 10 per cent of UK adults suffer from lack of sleep at some time, which can affect productivity at work, physical coordination and social interaction. Insomnia...
Q I’ve heard a lot recently about syndrome X, but I don’t really understand what it is. Can you please explain what the symptoms are, who is likely to develop it and how it can be treated? - AJ, Plymouth
Q My 23-year-old girlfriend suffers from irregular periods and serious pelvic pain. She is slim and blood tests show normal hormone levels. Yet, a year ago, her ultrasound was highly suggestive of polycystic ovaries. Her periods have regulated...
Re progesterone cream (WDDTY vol 14 no 3), I prescribe it with good effect. What is being looked for is hormonal balance. When there is too much oestrogen, the body closes down oestrogen receptors.
Besides offering hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a quick-fix solution for menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings and weight gain, medicine has been using it as preventative medicine against cardiovascular problems such as heart...
General
* Check female hormone levels (by a simple lab test) as these conditions are all hormone-related. The key is to stabilise the hormonal situation causing the cyclic upset
READERS’ CORNER
Most of us think of fat as a disgusting sign of overindulgence and lethargy. In some cases, it may well be. But new research shows that, far from being superfluous, body fat helps to protect bones and organs,
Female sterilisation is touted as a safe and hassle-free means of permanently ridding yourself of having more children, particularly for the over-40s. Although doctors usually tell women that tying your tubes is ‘Band-Aid’ surgery, there’s nothing...
