Online seminar recap: Approaching menopause on your terms
Women have a greater number of regulated and recommended management options
On March 23, Dr. Janice Weiss, CCFP, NCMP led Approaching Menopause on Your Terms, a Medcan online seminar.
The seminar covered a wide range of topics including the distinction between menopause and perimenopause, suggested treatment options for common symptoms, and relationship guidance including how to keep the magic alive in the bedroom. Dr. Weiss is passionate about menopause management and has been working with women approaching this stage of life for many years.
The flawed Women’s Health Initiative study was also addressed. This is the study that was prematurely stopped in 2001 when hormone therapy was thought to be harmful and as a result lead to great interest in natural health products and bio-identical hormones.
Here are a few of Dr. Weiss’ reflections on hormones:
- Hormone therapy (HT) is safe. We now know HT can be a very helpful approach when used by the right women, at the right time in their lives and for the right length of time.
- Many natural health products are unregulated. This can lead to serious side effects. Natural health products don’t undergo the same rigorous testing as pharmaceutical grade products.
- There is no evidence that bio-identical hormones are safer than government-approved hormones. And they are generally not prescribed nor recommended by most mainstream physicians.
Dr. Weiss ended the presentation on a hopeful, encouraging note. She believes that after a turbulent few years of avoiding the use of hormones, the pendulum is now swinging back to a happier middle ground in terms of management options.
“The health-care industry is now armed with more treatment modalities than ever before,” said Dr. Weiss. “Women have a greater number of choices and can now direct their own symptom management under the guidance of informed practitioners.”
Dr. Weiss is certified as a menopause practitioner with the North American Menopause Society.
