Judith Sachs
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Judith Sachs |
OnlineHost: Judith Sachs has entered the room. Dearest: My guest tonight in Power Surge has been a writer and speaker for the past 14 years. She has authored more than 30 books on health-related subjects. Judith conducts workshops on preventive health care, sexuality, aging, menopause for several holistic health centers, universities and corporations. A professor, teaching stress management, she runs retreats for organizations as well. You've probably seen my guest on one of many TV talk shows on which she's appeared. Dearest: Judith is the author of 17+ books on women's health, menopause, etc. You can buy them right here on the Internet at the earth's largest bookstore -- amazon.com: "What Every Woman Needs To Know About Estrogen," "What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause," "The Healing Power of Sex," "Nature's Prozac" and many others Dearest: It is my pleasure to introduce you to... J U D I T H .... S A C H S Dearest: We have an opportunity to question one of the foremost authorities on women's health especially at menopause, so let's begin the Q & A session. Dearest: Judith, a warm welcome to Power Surge. Judith Sachs: It's a great pleasure to be here. Thanks for welcoming me. Dearest: While saying hello to a group of women very anxious to ask many questions, I wonder if you'll be kind enough to share how you got involved in this genre of writing. Thanks :) Welcome, Judith :) Judith Sachs: I'm the daughter and granddaughter of physicians, and we always spoke "Doctor" at home. But I wanted to do something more with healing, so I decided that being a health educator and speaking with women would be a better way to go. Dearest: And you certainly have done a great deal, Judith. So glad you're here :) CALIFSKIER, please go ahead. CALIFSKIER: Any suggestions for loss of sexual desire with menopause? I just got married! Judith Sachs: Yes. One of the first things you two should do is find out if the problem is physical, emotional, or has to do with not communicating. You need to explore your own sexuality by yourself a little to see if you can become aroused -- then you'll know if you need something simple, like a water-based lubricant, or something more complex, like discussing with your new partner things that really turn you on. Dearest: Excellent, Judith....... Cocograms, please go ahead. Cocograms: I'm 50 and have been on synthetic hormones. They cause me to bleed all the time, but if I go off I suffer with heat flashes. What can I do Judith Sachs: I'm glad you brought this up. I'm assuming you are taking both estrogen (Premarin) and a progestin (Provera). It does matter if you're taking this cyclically -- stopping after 25 days, or continuously-- every day. It's not unusual to have breakthrough bleeding for 6 -9 months after you start this regimen. The natural progesterone may still cause some bleeding, but apparently doesn't give the same types of unpleasant side effects that the progestin (Provera) does. You should talk to your physician about dosages and possibly about switching to the "natural" progesterone. Dearest: Beaver, go ahead. Beaver1048: There's so much being said about menopause. Is it possible to make yourself think you are going through the process because you are worried about it? Judith Sachs: Well, the typical signs that tell you you are surely through menopause are that you have stopped bleeding for over one year. Prior to that, whether you have hot flashes, vaginal dryness, palpitations, or any other markers or signs, you are in perimenopause (where I currently am!). The discussion about all the various things you may experience can be troublesome, if you happen to be suggestible. But there's only one marker -- that's that you've stopped bleeding for a year. Dearest: Thank you, Judith.. Mimi, go ahead. MIMISUSAN: What IS nature's Prozac? Judith Sachs: The book Nature's Prozac gives dozens (maybe over a hundred) different natural remedies and therapies for mental and emotional problems. It talks about using these whether or not you are currently on an antidepressant medication or wish to get off it. Dearest: Judith, we'll devote an entire chat to Nature's Prozac soon, okay? Judith Sachs: sure. Dearest: Great. Eleanorde, go ahead :) EleanordeW: Can you tell me if there is anything to watch for when taking St. John's Wort for mood swings due to menopause? Or perimenopause actually. Judith Sachs: Yes. You may experience some gastrointestinal upset and some dizziness. Also, you should take a break from it after 6 to 8 weeks. Putting more of it into your system can actually bring on some of the symptoms of depression. An herb doesn't act like a drug --it's a tonic for the whole body, mind, and spirit, which means that it's a powerful antidote and should be used carefully. Dearest: Judith, any difference if you take it with or without meals? St. John's Wort, that is. Judith Sachs: I don't think so. I have generally seen the administration as three cups of tea or two dropperfuls of extract or 2 capsules twice daily -- which would probably end up being around mealtime anyway. Dearest: Thank you, Judith... BYRDIEH, go ahead, please. BYRDIEH: What can be done for mental lapses? Judith Sachs: When we go through menopause, and aren't getting as much estrogen throughout the bloodstream, we lose the responsiveness we've had between the estrogen receptors in the brain and the neurons that promote good memory. Judith Sachs: You will get this back!!! I promise!!! Meanwhile, I recommend lots of common sense (and FUN) activities like mind games -- "I packed my suitcase," where you sit around and say which items you are putting in a suitcase for a trip in order. You can also do matching word sets -- try to remember "a harmonica and a cow" " a toaster and an astronaut," " a washing machine and a glove" and then say them in order. It's best to do these exercises with friends. Dearest: Matching word sets.. like "temporary memory loss" Tom mylad" (tom selleck) :) BYRDIEH: Thanks!!! Dearest: JPLJAXX, go ahead. JPLJAXX: Is it likely that tremendous mood swings (recently worsening) could be a symptom of perimenopause even when no other symptoms are apparent? Currently on antidepressant for history of depression and moodiness. Should I consider HRT? Judith Sachs: HRT can be used with antidepressants; you should certainly speak with your gyn about talking to a therapist as well. Tremendous mood swings, yes, can be a sign of perimenopause, because as hormone levels change, the endocrine system gets unbalanced. But there are many more factors at play -- what's going on in your life? relationships? work? self-esteem issues? sexuality? JPLJAXX: good stuff right now Judith Sachs: HRT won't "cure" anything, but may balance the hormonal raging. However, meditation, exercise, diet, and herbs may do the same. Dearest: Wingy, go ahead. Wingy54: I'm taking 400 mg natural progesterone, on day 1-10, I am still only spotting. Am I at risk for uterine cancer? I'm taking .5 mg estrace, do I need more? Judith Sachs: Unfortunately, the verdict is still out on how much natural progesterone equals the amount necessary to protect the endometrium. The 400 mg. is a pretty good dosage, and if your doctor is okay about the spotting, you should be too. I assume you've discussed doing an endometrial biopsy after 6 mos. or a year, and perhaps having a transvaginal ultrasound in between? Dearest: Judith, I read somewhere that the FDA was going to issue some kind of statement about the levels of progesterone being too high. Have you heard about this? Even with regard to the natural progesterone creams. In short, that we can do as well with less. Judith Sachs: No I haven't. However, the problem remains that there's no equation between the standard dose of 5 mg. Provera and whatever natural progesterone is useful. There are certainly women who may be overdosing on Progest creams -- taking too much just in case. However, it's still safer to do that and suffer the mood swings and bloating, etc. than end up with a hyperplasia of the endometrium. Dearest: Thanks, Judith. Slinky, go ahead, please :) Slinky351: Hi Judth, I am 44 went through the "change" 2 yrs ago and am facing a total hysterectomy in 3 weeks. Will I suffer the menopause symptoms again? Judith Sachs: You might. Hysterectomy can speed up menopause by about 5 years because blood flow to the estrogen-producing ovaries is jeopardized. You can, however, take some natural remedies around the time of your operation -- echinacea for 10 days before surgery, and evening primrose oil after, to try and forestall the flashing and uncomfortable dryness, etc. Dearest: What does the echinacea do before surgery, Judith? Judith Sachs: It's an immune booster, and will help you recover from anything faster. Dearest: Ahhhh.. thanks. PFWLJ, go ahead. PFWLJ: Please explain what you meant that an herb doesn't act like a drug by defining both. Judith Sachs: A drug acts like a bullet, zinging its way to a target organ and manipulating it in some way. An herb, which has many (sometimes as many as 100) various different chemicals within it, works on your system by influencing several systems at once. For example, motherwort may be good for post-partum depression because it affects the brain and central nervous system, but it also helps to nourish the blood and immune system. So it's good for several things at once. However, it takes a while -- sometimes a few months -- to see all of these effects. PFWLJ: Thanks, Judith Dearest: Excellent answers, Judith.... thank you! Beaver, go ahead, please :) Beaver1048: I had partial hysterectomy 20 yrs ago. You said one clear sign of menopause is that you stop bleeding for year. I do not get periods so how else do I tell? And do you always gain weight when taking HRT? Judith Sachs: Except 20 years ago, you were probably in your 30s, and therefore in your reproductive cycling. But after a hysterectomy, you have no endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus that gets sloughed off once a month with a period. With no endometrium, you never have any periods. In natural menopause, your body is responding to the fluctuation between brain hormones (FSH and LH) and ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone). When you stop menstruating naturally, then it's a year of no bleeding. With a surgical menopause, it's instantaneous. Sorry -- I should have specified this. Dearest: Thanks, Judith... Windock, go ahead, please :) WINDOCK1: Your thoughts please on DHEA..... and any side affects...??? Judith Sachs: I am VERY leery of any woman taking DHEA. First of all, the number of different types on the market spell disaster -- it's impossible to know which are pure and which are adulterated. Second, the studies indicate that it stimulates liver enzymes, particularly in women and can bring on conditions similar to hepatitis. Although the research on animals indicates that it can be great for everything from aging to sexuality to memory loss, the verdict is still out on humans. (It seems to have fewer side effects in men, but because it has a high component of a testosterone-like hormone, women don't tolerate it well. Please don't take it. Dearest: DGordon, go ahead. Dgordon97: Seems to me like HRT is pushed on us by the docs. I took 10 mg of provera for 10 days each for 1 year and then didn't get a period. Stopped taking it, and now feel better although my periods are pretty irregular. Have been going through perimenopause for 3 years and question whether to do HRT. Dearest: Please try to keep your questions as brief as possible. Thanks :) Judith Sachs: I'm not quite sure what your regimen was, but whether you have a period or not isn't really the point. (I mean, it's nicer not to have one, but what you're concerned about is what the drug would do for you.) If you're at high risk for osteoporosis or heart disease, there is a reason to consider HRT. And you might not want to consider it now, if you're around 50, but might want to take natural remedies for the next ten years or so and when your risk factors for both diseases are higher, try the HRT. Dearest: For your own copies of Judith's many exemplary books on health and menopause, you can buy them right here on the Internet at the earth's largest bookstore -- amazon.com: "What Every Woman Needs To Know About Estrogen," "What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause," "The Healing Power of Sex," "Nature's Prozac" and many others Dearest: Thanks, Judith... Zipit, your turn :) Zipit2: My doctor put me on b.c.pills. Is this HRT, and will I feel like my old self again? How long? Judith Sachs: No, birth control has estrogen and progesterone in much higher proportions than hormone replacement. It's usually used when you're in perimenopause to regulate the cycle, rather than do the protective stuff I was talking about earlier for the heart and bones. Feeling your old self again??? Hmm. I would hope for you that you would feel like a NEW self, but if the b.c. pills haven't done anything, you should ask your doc why he prescribed them. Dearest: Excellent, Judith..... Olivia, go ahead. Olivia822: Need advise on calf cramping, especially within 14 days prior to my period? Am on lowest doses of Premarin daily and Provera 1-10 Judith Sachs: I would suggest calcium (1000 mg. daily if you are on HRT; 1500 if past menopause and not on HRT) and magnesium (half the amount of the calcium). Also, particularly before bed, do leg stretches-- extend the leg, flex the ankle and turn in circles, first one way and another. Self-massage (or partner) is also wonderful. Olivia822: Thank you Dearest: Wingy, go ahead. Wingy54: Are there any herbs to help with thinning bones? Bone density test showed bone loss. I am taking fosamax and HRT, have exercised on a regular basis always. I am 43. Judith Sachs: Other than calcium and magnesium (and obviously daily weight-bearing exercise), you might try comfrey, also known as "knit-bone." You can make an infusion and drink it as a strong tea. Also, very strongly recommended are yoga and tai chi chuan, which build strong bones many ways. Dearest: Califskier, go ahead with your question, please :) CALIFSKIER: Could you recommend a book on herbs for meno? I currently take only Premarin and a prenatal which seems to help with all "usual" side effects. Would like to go more "natural". Judith Sachs: Definitely read Susun S. Weed, THE MENOPAUSAL YEARS. Dr. Susan Lark is also good. And, you should pardon my plugging myself, my own book which talks about natural as well as conventional methods of treatment. We haven't yet talked about eating soy products, which can make a difference if you are willing to make a substantial change in your diet. Dearest: Judith, let's plan on devoting an entire chat to soy and St. John's Wort in another chat, okay? Judith Sachs: Sure. Dearest: In short, an entire "natural" conference :) (which doesn't mean everyone come nude :) SASS, go ahead. Sass4851: I'm 46 and have been taking Prempro for a year, I am experiencing uncomfortable vaginal dryness not always associated with sex, any suggestions? EleanordeW: LOL Dearest: (Eleanor just got it) Judith Sachs: I always recommend Astroglide (probably named by a man), a wonderful product you can use at any time. The Prempro on its own may not get right to the source of your problem, so you might ask your physician if you could decrease the oral dosage and try a vaginal estrogen cream instead. Dearest: (could've been worse, he could've named it Astrobabe) THRV Cincy: lol Dearest: Bucher, go ahead. PAVinson: ::Dearest feeling feisty tonight:: Dearest: :) PFWLJ: Or could have been called Slip N Slide Buchermj: If you had a partial hysterectomy (10 years ago), do you still get estrogen if your ovaries are still in tact? If not should I consider estrogen? I am 53 Judith Sachs: Yes, you still get estrogen, however, during the surgery, arteries from the uterus to the ovaries are cut, so the blood flow (and therefore, the hormones that move through the blood) is impeded. You also get a weaker form of estrogen, called estrone, which is manufactured by your adrenal glands. You should consider HRT if you are very concerned with heart disease or osteoporosis, and have no history or family history of estrogen-dependent cancers. Dearest: Wonderful answers, Judith.. what a barrel of knowledge you are...Cocograms, go ahead :) Cocograms: I seem to be sweating a lot during the day time, am I overdosing on vitamins? I take B complex and now taking a herb for menopause. Judith Sachs: If you're just taking 100 mg. of B, that shouldn't make you sweat -- the menopause formulas don't have that much of anything in them. I'd say you're still having hot flashes. You can try up to 400 IU of vitamin E twice daily. Cocograms: thank you Dearest: Thanks, Judith.... Slinky, go ahead. Slinky351: Is it true HRT therapy can aggravate asthma? And how much evening primrose and echinacea daily? Judith Sachs: Yes, you might have some problems with HRT and asthma -- there are several studies on allergic reactions, too. The evening primrose oil can be taken three times daily; 500 mg. each time. Echinacea would be a dropperful (20-40 drops) three times daily. Dearest: For your own copies of Judith's many exemplary books on health and menopause, you can buy them right here on the Internet at the earth's largest bookstore -- amazon.com: "What Every Woman Needs To Know About Estrogen," "What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause," "The Healing Power of Sex," "Nature's Prozac" and many others Dearest: Dgordon, go ahead. Dgordon97: What is it that estrogen has that we miss? Does estrogen give us energy & self esteem? Is there an herb that can replace it and give us energy? Judith Sachs: Well. Estrogen is pretty magical stuff. It affects over 300 tissues in the body -- from the heart and bones to the brain and gonads and skin, and...you name it, estrogen helps it. The problem isn't that we lose estrogen entirely, either. We have 3 types of estrogen (estrone, estradiol, an estriol), and although we drastically lose E2 (estradiol) at menopause, we have pretty good reserves of the other two throughout the lifespan. But hey, it's not enough! And yes, we can do lots of stuff naturally to boost it -- eating soy, taking herbs and vitamins, etc., but it's really the dramatic drop in our natural production (from 100% to 20% of what we had during our reproductive years) that sends our systems into wild imbalance. Men, the lucky stiffs, have a very, very gradual decline in testosterone production. They just go downhill slowly, slowly, slowly, whereas for us, the bottom drops out all at once. Dearest: Judith, what would you say to a physician who said "soy is absolutely useless?" Judith Sachs: I would say, thanks for your opinion, but I can show you statistics from the Far East that indicate it does an enormous amount. There is no word in Japanese for "hot flash." Wonder why... Dearest: Thank you, Judith. I appreciate that because I'm a believer in phytoestrogens and soy. Thank you.. Lizzie, go ahead. MsLizzieB: What natural remedies can help with chronic sinus congestion associated with perimeno? thanks Judith Sachs: Anything that will open mucous membranes. You could try some chamomile tea. Also cut out dairy in your diet. Dearest: Ariel, go ahead. Ariel2200: Dr. prescribed PremPro based on my symptoms (no blood test). 9 days later, I began cramping, heavy bleeding, passing clots. Going on for 16 days. Is this typical for PremPro and any other thoughts re: PremPro. Judith Sachs: No, it's not typical. Most docs will not let you bleed heavily past 10 days -- if you had just started the Prempro, I don't think it can be attributed to your first dose. I would, however, be concerned about stopping the bleeding a.s.a.p. -- you can take Vitamin A, 10,000 IU twice daily, or antihistamines (the non-drowsy kind). Also, Naproxen is good for cramps and bleeding. In the meantime, you can try horsetail tea. But it would be a good idea to have a vaginal sonagram to check for fibroids, or even a hysteroscopic exam to look into the uterus, which might need cauterization. Also, with heavy bleeding, you don't want to become anemic and should be taking a multivitamin with iron. Ariel2200: Thanks Judith Dearest: Thank you, Judith.... Judith has to leave shortly. Please make your questions brief. Thanks. Windock, go ahead. WINDOCK1: I'll pass and get the book, and thank you for being here this evening. Dearest: Thanks.. Wagsy, go ahead. Wagsy2: I lost an ovary due to endometriosis at the age of 23, I am 40 now. Does having one ovary mean I am producing half as much estrogen and cause me to go through early menopause? Is there something I should be taking to replace the ovary I lost? Judith Sachs: No. Your one ovary is working twice as hard. The reason it's good to have two ovaries when you're young is that they can switch off each month ripening a follicle in case you need an egg to ovulate that you'd like to get fertilized with a sperm. But if you're not concerned about pregnancy, you're in good shape with one ovary, which will do its job and give you as much estrogen as you need on a regular basis. Dearest: DAN96, go ahead, please. DAN96OR1: Been on estraderm patch 1 year- how do I wean off, how long will it take? Judith Sachs: If you are wearing a patch that you change every 3 days, you can ask your physician if you can work your way down to changing it once a week for two weeks, then stretching out to once every 10 or 12 days for 2 weeks, and so on, giving yourself about eight to 12 weeks to stop entirely. But you should ask your doc how s/he would advise you to do it. Dearest: Cincy, go ahead.. make it brief, please. Thanks :) THRV Cincy: What is a safe dose of Vitamin E? I have hypertension and take 10mg Vasotec and 20 mg Lasix to control it. Also on 50 mg Zoloft for "moodiness". Judith Sachs: A standard dose of Vitamin E is 400 IU a day; but you can safely take twice that amount, once in the morning, once in the evening, if you are using it to control flashing. THRV Cincy: Thank you Dearest: Last question, Judith, is from PAV. PAVinson: I am taking Dong Quai for hot flashes & sweats - breast cancer survivor, estrogen positive tumor. What is your opinion of Dong Quai? Judith Sachs: Dong Quai is a highly estrogenic herb. This is fine for most women, but in your case, I am concerned because we don't know how much dong quai will give you how much estrogen back into your system. I would switch to a vitamin E and B-complex mix and ditch the herb. Dearest: Judith, thanks for spending this hour with us in Power Surge. The information you've provided has been SO invaluable in our education process during the many changes of midlife and menopause. Dearest: For your own copies of Judith's many exemplary books on health and menopause, you can buy them right here on the Internet at the earth's largest bookstore -- amazon.com: "What Every Woman Needs To Know About Estrogen," "What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause," "The Healing Power of Sex," "Nature's Prozac" and many others Dearest: Let's all thank Judith Sachs for joining us in Power Surge this evening. ~~~~~~~ Thanks, Judith ~~~~~~~ Cocograms: thank you and can we get a copy of this chat THRV Cincy: {S applause} THank you Judith SGETT: {S applause PAVinson: Thanks, Judith MarSea249: {S applause LORACURA: {S applause LMossholde: Thanks MIMISUSAN: {S women Ariel2200: Thanks Judith :) Iconclst: thanks Judith SASCREAT: Thank you, I've learned much Dearest: Thanks SO much, Judith. you were wonderful! MsLizzieB: Very informative, thank you NanPhil995: applause Buchermj: Thanks Judith:) THRV Cinda: Hi Amaakick, Welcome to Power Surge! Olivia822: Thanks so much Judith! THRV Cinda: Thank you Judith and please come back soon! Judith Sachs: I certainly will ! This was really great! EleanordeW: enjoyed it (G) RGVY: THANK YOU JUDITH MIMISUSAN: {S women MarSea249: Thank you - You were so informative and interesting. Wingy54: Thank you, Judith DNoland180: Thanks--I came in late but what I caught was great! LeggyBlnde: terrific terrific terrific MarSea249: What a wonderful guest Cocograms: thanks again it was great bye all SASCREAT: I'm so full of knowledge, she was great! Going to get books BYRDIEH: GREAT Ariel2200: Congrats to all for observing Protocol...... I've been in "protocol" chats before that have been absolutely chaotic!!! SGETT: We run a tight protocol chat!!! :~) LORACURA: {S power Sass4851: thanks a bunch Judith SGETT: {S psurge Cdgee4: Thanks Judith Read Dr. Judith Sach's second transcript Read Dr. Judith Sach's third transcript Read Dr. Judith Sach's fourth transcript Disclaimer: Every guest in Power Surge is a highly respected professional whose opinions are his/her own. An appearance in Power Surge does not constitute an endorsement of a guest's views. None of these transcripts may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Power Surge™ and the respective guest. Read other transcripts by returning to the Library. Dearest aka Alice Stamm Power Surge Founder, Facilitator, Host Copyright©1994-2008 by Power Surge. All Rights Reserved.