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send email to: emptynestmomsite@bellsouth.net
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More Q & A's from Dr. Judy
QUESTION:
Dear
Dr.Judy,
I am
experiencing irregular
cycles. Every other cycle is
slow to start, very little
flow and the discharge just
isn't the normal. I believe
one of my ovaries is not
ovulating properly. Is this
something to be concerned
about or is it something I
can just live with?
Thank
You,
Ann
Dear
Ann,
Women
commonly believe that they
ovulate from first one ovary
and then the other in
alternate months. I don't
know that this is true, but
I have an alternative theory
for you with respect to the
variations in your cycles.
Your
irregular cycles suggest
that you are no ovulating on
a regular basis. In a
normal cycle, the ovaries
produce rising levels of
estrogen in response to
signals from the pituitary
in the form of release of
follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH). The increased
estrogen causes the
menstrual cycle to slow and
stop as the increased
hormonal levels heal and
thicken the uterine lining
in preparation for a
theoretical pregnancy with
the next release of an egg.
Midcycle, the pituitary
sends out a surge of
luteinizing hormone (LH)
which causes the release of
an egg, and the ovary begins
to produce progesterone to
support that pregnancy
should it come to pass.
This predictable fluctuation
of hormones leads to
characteristic vaginal
changes, mid-cycle mucous
(which is like egg white in
consistency) and the usual,
expected flow at cycle's end
if fertilization does not
occur.
In an
anovulatory (no ovulation)
cycle, the ovaries fail to
respond to FSH signalling,
perhaps due to the approach
of menopause which is
associated with a depletion
in the number of egg
follicles still capable of
stepping up to the task.
FSH levels continue to rise
as the pituitary 'screams'
at the ovaries to get with
the ovulation thing. The
lack of ovulation changes
the pattern of the cycle,
but perhaps the strong
signals of one failed cycle
cause ovulation to occur in
the next. Thus, you might
have one usual cycle
alternating with one screwy
one.
I
don't know this to be true,
but it may explain what
you've noted. At any rate,
what you describe is quite
common in my medical
practice, and should not be
of concern to you.
Best,
Judy
QUESTION:
Dr. Judy:
I'm 30 years old and trying
to conceive with my husband
for the last few months. My
cycle ranges from 29-31
days. I have a once a month
regularly, but I don't
always have the clear
cervical mucus before
ovulate. How I can determine
when I am ovulating if my
period is a day or two off?
Can I still get pregnant if
I do not have cervical mucus
consistently before or
during ovulation? Can I
still get pregnant if my
period has 3-4 days of flow
followed by very light flow
and light spotting for
another 2 days? And since I
have a pretty regular cycle
do recommend I try
"Fertility Blend" to help
with cervical fluid or will
it change my cycle? Please
advise.
Thank you,
R
Dear R,
I am not a fertility
specialist, so I don't have
a good answer for you. I
looked up midcycle mucous as
it relates to infertility on
Medline, and only found
articles from the 1980's
which certainly qualifies as
yesterday's news in the
world of medical research.
One article in particular
mentioned 'hostile mucous'
as a possible cause of
fertility. In other words,
some factor, perhaps
anti-sperm antibodies,
caused the death of sperm in
the normally welcoming clear
midcycle mucous. So perhaps
cervical mucous is not
always helpful nor always
necessary.
I urge you to find
up-to-date answers to your
questions about fertility.
I am completely unfamiliar
with 'Feritlity Blend,' but
I do know I've never heard
that recommended to my
patient's who've sought
consultation on the
subject. If you and your
spouse have been
unsuccessful for some months
now at achieving pregnancy,
please ask your gynecologist
to recommend a fertility
specialist to you.
Best,
Judy
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Judy,
I am 53, empty nest, happily
married. About 2004 I began
unintentionally losing
weight. I had always been
about 5'6 and a half and
weighed about 125. I was a
very skinny, skinny kid
until I hit puberty. I had
this idea that I was
reverting back to my old
self. It seemed to me that
I was in perimenopause; my
periods were completely
regular. I got skinnier and
finally got blood work done,
thyroid was normal,
supposedly my hormone levels
were fine.
In fall 2005, I began
skipping periods and had my
first hot flash. After a
couple months it stopped and
I was back to normal,I even
gained weight over the
winter. Then the weight
loss/hot flash cycle began
all over again. I had my
last period in December,
2007. I had horrendous hot
flashes all spring. I got
down to 110 pounds. Everyone
was asking me if I was okay.
Recently I began taking that
Hot Flash stuff. The
directions said to allow a
full month before expecting
results. I thought this was
fair. However, it literally
worked overnight. I have not
had a hot flash since, and I
seem to be settling in at
115 pounds. I'm just sort
of am amazed at how well the
Hot Flash works, and hope
it's all right to take. I
only take one a day though
the directions say to take
3.
Do you have an opinion on
this? Sorry to make you wade
through my life story but I
wanted to give you some
background. Usually women
seem to *gain* weight with
menopause.
Much thanks,
Carol
Hi Carol,
You're right, weight loss is
not usually a complaint I
here from women our age. I
also lost weight around age
50 coincident with
exercising just one hour a
week quite vigorously but
not near enough to explain
the way the weight melted
off. I don't have an
explanation for you on that
one.
I'm always amazed when meds
or supplements work quite
quickly, it makes me wonder
if it isn't a coincidence
when it happens. As I read
through the ingredients of
Hot Flash, I again have no
explanation for you
especially since one pill
daily is giving you such
small quantities of these
herbs. Black Cohosh has
mixed data on efficacy. I
have read that it can cause
autoimmune hepatitis and, in
fact, had one patient who
did develop that very
problem while taking it.
Licorice can cause high
blood pressure, but again
the quantities you're taking
are small. I suspect it's
the chaste berry or vitex
that is giving you the
benefits as this herb is the
most hormonally active in my
experience.
While I can't explain this
weight loss thing, it makes
me concerned for your
overall health over time as
you are apparently so
sensitive to the loss of
hormones. Be sure to check
your bone density. Estrogen
withdrawal symptoms such as
hot flashes tend to diminish
with time. Estrogen
deficiency symptoms such as
loss of bone density, loss
of lean body mass, vaginal
atrophy, and mood and memory
disturbances tend to
increase in time. I don't
know that you'd be more
susceptible to these
troubles, but do be aware of
that possibility.
