Experts Lay Out Options for Menopause Symptoms | WPN World People News

Women bothered by hot flashes or other effects of menopause have a number of treatment options -- hormonal or not, according to updated guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

It's estimated that anywhere from 50 percent to 82 percent of women going through menopause have hot flashes -- sudden feelings of extreme heat in the upper body -- and night sweats. For many, the symptoms are frequent and severe enough to cause sleep problems and disrupt their daily lives. And the duration of the misery can last from a couple years to more than a decade, says the college, the nation's leading group of ob/gyns.

Menopausal symptoms are common, and can be very bothersome to women. Women should know that effective treatments are available to address these symptoms.

The guidelines reinforce some longstanding advice: Hormone therapy, with estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin, is the most effective way to cool hot flashes.

But they also lay out the growing evidence that some antidepressants can help, said expert.

In studies, low doses of antidepressants such as venlafaxine (Effexor) and fluoxetine (Prozac) have helped relieve hot flashes in some women. And two other drugs -- the anti-seizure drug gabapentin and the blood pressure medication clonidine -- can be effective, according to the guidelines.

So far, though, only one non-hormonal drug is actually approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating hot flashes: a low-dose version of the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil).

And experts said that while there is evidence some hormone alternatives ease hot flashes, none works as well as estrogen and estrogen-progestin.

Experts now say that women should not take hormones to prevent any chronic ills. But when it comes to hot flashes, hormone therapy remains the most effective option.

To help minimize any risks, expert said, it's important to keep the hormone dose at the lowest level needed to relieve a woman's symptoms.

Expert agreed to start at a low dose, and that's enough for most women.

Women who should not try hormones, include those who've ever had breast cancer or a blood clot.

Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common menopause complaint. But vaginal dryness and pain during sex are also issues for many women.

The guidelines say that estrogen applied directly to the vagina -- in the form of creams, tablets or rings -- is effective. Very little of that estrogen gets into the bloodstream, so the risk of side effects is considered small.

And just this year, the FDA approved a new option for treating painful sex in postmenopausal women. It's a pill called ospemifene (Osphena), and it has estrogen-like effects on the lining of the vagina.

As for "natural" remedies, such as soy and black cohosh, studies have failed to prove they're effective for hot flashes and night sweats, the guidelines say.

There are some "common sense" tactics any woman can use to help ease hot flashes, the guidelines say. Those include dressing in layers, keeping the thermostat lower at home and drinking cool beverages.

But for women who need more than that, expert advised talking to your doctor about the benefits and risks of all your options. "Therapy should be individualized, since one therapy may not be optimal for all women."

Source: HealthDay News