BOCA RATON, Fla.–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–The city rich with American history is now equipped to meet the increasing demands of men and women seeking relief from hormone imbalances, such as menopause, andropause (the male menopause), thyroid disorder and adrenal fatigue. Dr. Barbara Plucknett teams up with Medical Director, Dr. Kenneth Varano, D.O., at his Philadelphia bioidentical hormones practice.

“I want to spend more time with my patients and be able to offer them a lifetime of wellness solutions. I was tired of only offering temporary fixes – now I have the opportunity to help prevent and solve the health issues facing so many people.”

Dr. Plucknett describes why she made the decision to transition into anti-aging and preventive medicine, “I want to spend more time with my patients and be able to offer them a lifetime of wellness solutions. I was tired of only offering temporary fixes – now I have the opportunity to help prevent and solve the health issues facing so many people.” as a bioidentical hormones expert, Dr. Plucknett specializes in treating the underlying causes of symptoms oftentimes associated with aging, such as hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, weight gain, fatigue, mood swings and irritability.

Dr. Barbara Plucknett received her undergraduate degree from Temple University in 1987 and completed her Medical Doctorate at Pennsylvania State University in 1991. Before practicing medicine, Dr. Plucknett fulfilled her residency of Obstetrics/Gynecology at the Medical Center of Delaware in 1995, followed by fellowships at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and the University of Maryland Medical system.

About BodyLogicMD

Founded in 2003, BodyLogicMD physician-owned practices make up the nation’s largest and fastest growing network of the most highly-trained physicians specializing in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Integrated with fitness and nutrition programs, BodyLogicMD’s medically supervised programs are for men and women suffering from hormone imbalance associated with menopause and andropause. also, BodyLogicMD is currently featured as an expert resource on Oprah.com and Suzanne Somers’ latest selling books, Knockout: Interviews with Doctors Who Are Curing Cancer and how to Prevent It and Break through: Eight Steps to Wellness, and her book, Ageless: the Naked Truth about Bioidentical Hormones dedicates and entire chapter to BodyLogicMD. Florida Trend cover story December 2009, features BodyLogicMD as the national leader in the growing anti-aging industry. BusinessWeek cover story March 2006, features the BodyLogicMD start-up story.

Menopause Symptoms and Memory Loss- Check Out here!

Written by Liana Badea

While you may experience the misery of hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia as you enter menopause, one thing you can’t blame on menopause is memory loss.

In the latest studies that blame menopause as a cause of memory loss, researchers compared the memory of hundreds of women who had entered menopause to those who had not, and found very little difference. in four out of the five tests, there were no statistically significant differences in the two groups of women.

The reality is that when women go into menopause, they don’t need to worry about cognitive decline. the researchers said the myth of memory loss during menopause is a perception some women have because as they went through menopause, they felt their memory wasn’t as sharp as it had been before.

Studies suggesting that hormone replacement therapy might protect against dementia strengthened the belief that memory loss is caused by the hormonal imbalance at menopause. However, a large study later found that in older women, hormone replacement therapy not only didn’t help protect women from dementia, but could actually increase the risk. so what is the truth?

The truth is that as you enter menopause that does not mean you’ll develop memory loss. as you’re going through perimenopause and experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, you may feel lousy and have trouble sleeping, which might temporarily affect your cognitive skills. how many times you felt your brain doesn’t work right after a night of insomnia, even if you are not menopausal?

As a final thought, I urge menopausal women to stop blaming menopause for their short or long term memory loss. Memory loss is not caused by the imbalance of estrogen and progesterone at menopause, therefore any hormone replacement therapy will not improve your cognitive skills.

On my-menopause-solutions.com website everyone can find a whole lot more details about memory loss.

I was just wondering if anyone knows of a good herb over the counter, for symptoms of perimenopause and menopause symtoms that really helps. and do you know if it's safe? I'm so afraid to take anything, but my hot flashes at night are pretty bad. I can't take hrt yet because I still get my period. I"m actually pretty young for this. I'm not quite 41 yet and this has been going on for about 2 years. my dr. put me on antidepressants because they help with hot flashes, but I weaned off of them recently because I heard they can age your face. anyway if anyone personally knows of anything that can help please let me know. and is it safe?!
Thanks!

I've had serious pain in my prostate area for almost three months now. sometimes it's pretty centralized in my groin area, and other times it feels like it has moved down into my inner thigh area. This started not too long after I had a pretty serious urinary tract infection. Other than the "prostate" pain, I also have "hot flashes" in my pubic region. Feels like I'm sweating, but there's no moisture. Also, there is sometimes a prickly feeling in or around my urethra! There is no discharge that I can tell. good grief!!!

I went to my physician. My prostate is enlarged (3 on a 10 scale). he said it sounded like a prostate infection, and prescribed antibiotics. I've taken three weeks worth of doxycycline and two weeks of cipro. It hasn't made much if any difference.

The "prostate" pain is much worse if I do a lot of sitting. if I'm up moving around a lot or lying down, the pain lessens after a while (like by the next day).

My partner (f) got an STD screen and was negative. Now what?

Sounds like a job for a Urologist partner.

Menopause Treatment Part 1: Forget the Damn Rocking Chair!

The Day my Doctor and I got into A Screaming Match

OK, I’m exaggerating. we weren’t really screaming – just ‘raising our voices’ a bit. I went to him to talk about my menopausal symptoms, and I have to admit they weren’t nearly as severe as some of my women friends. Basically, I had two:

Weight gain – a LOT of weight Hot flashes

When I tried to talk with my doctor he didn’t listen very long … then he reached for his prescription pad. He explained that I should take hormone pills for an extended time, the length of which was undetermined.

When I asked him if there weren’t other alternatives he impatiently cut me off. I asked “awkward” questions like: how women survived menopause for thousands of years without hormones? the side effects of hormones? what these hormones would do to for my menopausal symptoms?

His annoyance grew to the point of an argument between us that grew louder and louder.

I left and never went back. and I started searching for answers of my own, answers that did not include adding artificial hormones to my body.

Meet Dr. Holly Lucille …

Then I “met” Dr. Holly Lucille. She is a “Beverly Hills” doctor who also entered Hormone Hell. She says, “I had to hit 175 pounds and watch my own energy and sex drive hit the wall before I did something about it.”

My question: ONLY 175? I outdid you (past tense!) Dr. Holly!

About Dr. Holly Lucille, N.D.,R.N. & Author

Dr. Holly Lucille is a licensed Naturopathic Physician and past president of the California Naturopathic Doctor’s Association. She has worked with the LA Free Clinic providing health education, promotion and prevention in the public health system and last year was awarded the "SCNM Legacy Award" for her "contribution to the advancement and development of the field of Naturopathic Medicine".

Dr. Lucille is on the clinical staff of Renaissance Malibu, an addiction and recovery center, where she applies the principles of Naturopathic Medicine to aid people in recovery. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of both Enzymatic Therapy and Integrative Therapeutics, Inc. and has a private practice in Los Angeles.

Dr. Lucille lectures throughout the nation and has been featured on Lifetime Television for Women and the Discovery Health Channel as well, been a guest on a number of radio show speaking on naturopathic medicine. She has recently joined forces with Jon Benson, the author of Fit Over forty to develop "Naturopause".

What Dr. Holly said made total sense to me.

The Solution is to restore your hormones, not “replace” them.

Band Aid Menopause Drugs

Dr. Holly calls the various drugs prescribed for menopause “band aid drugs” because they treat symptoms but they don’t really take care of the cause!

It took a decade of research, and one year of working with fellow health professional Jon Benson, to develop a 100% GUARANTEED solution to this problem — one that works to restore hormones, boost them higher using natural methods, and, if you are on HRT, supplement your life with specific nutrients to help keep you safe.

Here are some of the valuable clues I gained from Dr. Holly:

The real, absolute, without-a-doubt cause of nearly all your symptoms—and how to get rid of them, make you feel better, and radically boost your mental, emotional, and physical health—all at the same time why 95% of doctors never treat this hormonally-based cause—and why you still feel bad and have down-right dangerous side effects from all the drugs and “happy pills” they keep giving you A top-to-bottom, “treat the cause” Solution that’s proven, tested in clinics and the real world, and based in fact and medicine that’s been successful for thousands of years Throw away those expensive and dangerous drugs in favor of less expensive natural options … or, if you use HRT, discover the 5 things you absolutely must know to help ensure your safety Remember what it’s like to be sexually on fire instead of “burning up” from hot flashes and night sweats Put an end to the psychological damage you are experiencing by feeling “old”, “not sexy”, or “used up” — and how to use this time to achieve greater respect, love, nurturing, and honor Eat simply, deliciously and successfully … and uncover the hidden foods that help cause your problems The “mother of all hormones” — and why your doctor may be killing you by lowering it What is really causing your weight gain, and how you can shed the pounds naturally and permanently The “smear campaigns” that drive you away from alternatives that are cheaper, safer, and more effective

NaturaPause

Dr. Holly’s program is called NaturaPause and includes:

6 CDs The NaturaPause Study Guide Audio Transcripts Holly’s breakthrough book creating and Maintaining Balance: A Guide To Safe, Natural Hormone Health!

Can anyone tell me what their experiences with these were? what were the first signs, physically and emotionally and at what age did they occur? How did you feel? I am 42 with no children.

Missed periods, fatigue, sore breasts, hot flashes……

Here are the most common menopause symptoms:

* spotting during menopause
* sore breasts and menopause
* the dreaded menopause sweating

And below is the most common perimenopause symptoms which are also often a part of menopause:

* weight gain during perimenopause
* decrease in energy levels
* chronic sleep disruptions

Latest Menopause News

TUESDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) — Acupuncture may help reduce the severity of hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, according to a small study.

The research included 53 postmenopausal women, with about half receiving traditional Chinese acupuncture twice a week and the others given sham acupuncture treatments.

After 10 weeks, the women in the traditional acupuncture group had significantly less severe hot flashes and mood swings than those who’d gotten the fake treatment. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of vaginal dryness and urinary tract infection.

The beneficial effects of traditional acupuncture, according to the researchers, did not appear to be associated with changes in levels of hormones that trigger menopause and its associated symptoms.

The findings were published online March 7 in Acupuncture in Medicine.

Though the researchers acknowledged that they did not monitor how long symptom relief lasted, they suggested that traditional acupuncture may offer an alternative for women who can’t or don’t want to use hormone replacement therapy to ease menopause symptoms.

– Robert Preidt

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. all rights reserved.

SOURCE: Acupuncture in Medicine, news release, March 7, 2011

CHICAGO – Hot flashes that bedevil many women in menopause might actually be a good thing, depending on when they strike, according to new data from a long-running government study.

Women who had hot flashes at the start of menopause but not later seemed to have a lower risk for heart attack and death than women who never had hot flashes or those whose symptoms persisted long after menopause began.

The research involved more than 60,000 women followed for an average of almost 10 years. It’s the first to examine timing of menopausal symptoms and subsequent risks for heart problems and deaths, said co-author Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Recent studies linked hot flashes with higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which could suggest a higher risk for heart problems, but the new research offers a more detailed look, Manson said.

Lead author Dr. Emily Szmuilowicz, an endocrinologist with Northwestern University’s medical school, said the results should reassure millions of women who experience hot flashes or night sweats, which are essentially hot flashes that can be bothersome enough to awaken women.

The results suggest “there may be a positive side” to having these annoying symptoms, Szmuilowicz said.

The study was released in the journal Menopause.

Dr. Elsa-Grace Giardina, a Columbia University specialist in women’s heart disease who was not involved in the study, said the research has several limitations and that more rigorous study is needed to prove the results.

Few women developed hot flashes long after menopause began, and for at least some, previous use of hormone pills may have increased their risks for heart problems, Giardina said.

But more than one third of the women with late-onset symptoms never used hormones, and Szmuilowicz said the researchers took past hormone use into consideration and still found timing of symptoms played a role.

Menopause occurs when women stop having periods and estrogen levels dwindle. Most women experience symptoms including hot flashes that can last for several years. But they don’t usually persist indefinitely or begin long after the beginning of menopause.

Hot flashes aren’t well studied but are thought to result from blood vessels dilating in response to the normal hormone fluctuations of menopause, Manson said. If they occur long after menopause begins, it could signal a blood vessel abnormality that could also affect the heart, she said.

The research involved 60,027 women from the ongoing Women’s Health Initiative observational study, examining disease risk factors and health outcomes and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Women were in their early 60s on average, about 14 years past the start of menopause, when they answered questionnaires about their health, education history, and symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats. Cardiovascular problems and deaths were tracked during almost 10 years of follow-up.

More than one third, or almost 25,000 women, had early symptoms – hot flashes at the onset of menopause that had stopped before they enrolled. Just 1,391 had late symptoms – hot flashes at enrollment but not at the start of menopause.

About 2.5 percent of women with early symptoms had heart attacks, compared with 3.4 percent of women with no symptoms and 5.5 percent of those with late symptoms. also, about 6 percent of the early-symptom women died, versus 11 percent of the late-symptom group and 8 percent of the symptomless women. Women who had persistent hot flashes throughout menopause had risks similar to those without symptoms.

Giardina noted that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity – which all can contribute to heart problems – were more common among the late-symptom women.

But the researchers said they accounted for that and still found that timing of menopause symptoms played a role in later heart attacks and deaths.

Tags: life, health

Have you been experiencing hot flashes? Night sweats? Insomnia? Anxiety or mood swings?  these and other symptoms may be due to hormonal imbalances and can occur during menopause or peri-menopause, which is the ten to fifteen year period that leads up to the menopause. these symptoms can make you feel desperate, or at least annoyed. Know that you are not alone with your symptoms and that relief is in sight.

Chinese medicine offers wonderful natural treatments for menopause. One of my favorite herbal remedies for treating menopausal symptoms, is Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan. This formula tonifies kidney yin and clears the excess heat from the body, relieving night sweats and often helping with insomnia, dry skin, irritability and other problems.

What is kidney yin deficiency?  Kidney yin deficiency is the primary cause of menopausal symptoms, according to Chinese medicine. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys, in particular kidney yin, are responsible for birth, growth and reproduction. As the yin of that organ declines, so does the kidney’s ability to support a woman’s reproductive cycle. Yin, among other attributes, is the cooling and moistening element in Chinese Medicine; yin steadily declines as women age and approach menopause. Yin deficiency makes us more prone to dry skin, hair, eyes; day and night sweats; bone loss; stress; and other symptoms. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help support our bodies as we go through these changes by smoothing our energy or qi, building our yin, and strengthening our bodies.

During  menopause, and preferably before, women can also ease this transition by eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits and healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, fish oil and flaxseeds. getting regular exercise and practicing regular relaxation techniques such as meditation, qi gong or tai chi is also very beneficial.

My typical cycles range from 29 days to 35 days, so an average of 31 days. last month I was on Clomid 100mg from days 3-7, I did ovulate but did not conceive. I do ovulate on my own, i just have very irregular cycles. I have never missed went over 35 days without a period. However my hubby and I decided not to take fertility drugs this month as sort of a "break"…but still trying on our own.

My last cycle started Sept 13…today is day 23 of this cycle. I am about 5-8 DPO today. My breast have a very weird feeling, it is like an ache but deep inside. They do not hurt to the touch I have no nipple sensitivity. also this past Sunday (day 21 of cycle) I ended up getting extremely sick from the smell of meat balls. I ended up puking several times. I am having some slight uterine cramps and hot flashes like crazy. Hubby and I have had intercourse everyday since day 9 (except day 13…hubby was out of town).

Anyone have this deep breast ache and end up getting a BFP? My next expected period should be here next week…but with being irregular it hard to guess.