At 42, I had a complete hysterectomy to remove a uterine fibroid mass that caused intense bleeding during my period. This would have automatically thrust me into menopause, were it not for the estrogen my gynecologist prescribed and which I dutifully took, few questions asked. I continued taking a low dose until five years ago, when I turned 60 and worried I was increasing my risk of getting breast cancer.
I never experienced a single menopausal symptom throughout my 18 years on estrogen. Days after I stopped taking it, however, my first hot flash came calling: Within seconds, my hair was dripping wet. I soldiered through about a dozen more of these lovely hot flashes over the next week or so, then went right back on estrogen. I’m not at high risk for breast cancer, so I figured I’d rather take the chance than suffer through these ridiculous flashes. Call me stupid, but that’s what I decided.
A year later, I wanted to see what would happen if I stopped the estrogen again, and, thankfully, I didn’t get a single flash. Other than losing my libido, which doesn’t especially bother me, I had no other menopausal symptoms. I’d rather never have sex again than have a hot flash. Really!
“I suffered through them for months on end,” one of my FOF sisters told me. “I’d wake up sopping wet,” she said. Now that so many FOF women are going through this dreadful period in their lives (excuse the pun), scads of products are being introduced to help them relieve symptoms.
Menopause has become big business.
The problem is, most treatments don’t work or don’t work well enough. Dr. Sharon Giese, a plastic surgeon I know, with impeccable credentials, traveled from doctor to doctor during the last year, to learn how to deal best with her own perimenopausal symptoms. She became discouraged and confused, upset with the inaccurate information that would have proved detrimental to her health. She should know. She’s a doctor!
“I was getting all kinds of advise about hormones and other treatments. It was a nightmare. Doctors contradicted one other and recommended therapies I knew wouldn’t work. It became more and more frustrating,” she told me. Determined to learn as much as she could about the causes and effects of menopause, she uncovered a treatment that she calls “a miracle,” which she is introducing at the FOF Beauty Bash on September 29 in New York. Dr. Giese is using it on herself and on one of her high-profile patients, Sonja Morgan, one of the “Real Housewives of New York City.” Sonja will be at the Bash, too, to tell everyone how well it’s working on her.
I promise FOF will explain the procedure to everyone after the Bash. For now, I hope every single FOF who is within shouting distance of New York will come to hear first hand what Dr. Giese and Sonja have to say about it. When Dr. Giese explained the treatment to me last week, I told her to “sign me up.” By the way, it also works wonders on women who have been through menopause. “You’ll feel fabulous and empowered. I promise,” Dr. Giese told me.
0 Responses to ““Sign Me Up,” I told Dr. Giese”
Sebastian Bird says:
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thanks
sac lancel says:
Think it similar to a journal or maybe a magazine connected with general interest for everybody to learn. Funny, witty, controversial, entertaining, useful, acerbic, thoughtful, serious, curious, unexpected comebacks are welcome.
Denise says:
I would be there if I could, I’m a fan of Sonja’s from RHONY. But I live in CA. Regarding menopause, my period stopped a few months ago and now I get around one hot flash an hour, it’s so uncomfortable. My doctor won’t prescribe hrt, I’m thinking of going somewhere else as I don’t have any of the hereditary risk factors. Sleeping at night is full of interruptions as the flashes and sweats wake me up. I have to drink fluids all night to keep hydrated. This is no fun, I too would give up sex to relieve these symptoms. Of course right now I have zero interest which isn’t helping my relationship. I am 54.
Karen says:
I found something that works for me! I started having drenching sweats two years ago that quickly evolved from a couple at night to one every hour or so all day long. I finally tried low dose hrt, but bled for three weeks, two months in a row and endured unnecessary testing when the Dr. suspected all kinds of scary diseases (it was just the hrt). I tried taking Estroven, black cohosh, eating more soy, exercising/sweating more…nothing. A few weeks ago, after a year of giving in and carrying cooling towels and hand-held fans everywhere, I tried evening primrose oil. I now feel the hot flashes coming on like before, but they just sputter and rarely make me sweat much, if at all. I take one in the morning, one at night. I increased the dose slowly from a 500 mg each time, to a 500 and a 1300, to a 1300 mg geltab twice a day. It feels like magic.
Kate Line Snider says:
Maybe I’m different. I took the pill for several years peri-menopause, then took hormones for three or four years after that. By the time I was 60 I had quit hormones cold turkey. After I lost 50 lbs. I had a few hot flashes- nothing dramatic- and for four years I have been taking an OTC “vitamin” – or something- that pretty much takes care of these inconvenient “power surges”. I sometimes have a “flash” early in the morning, but after that I am not bothered by them.
Exercise seems to help a lot of the post-menopausal symptoms. Being lazy and not particularly athletic,I don’t exercise a lot. I walk about 3 miles per week and follow a low-calorie healthy diet, which probably does something good, too.It’s good to keep moving and, since I am retired, keep busy. I am more bothered by arthritis than by menopause.
We’re all different. but I really believe doing the health thing can’t hurt anybody. Also,I love my husband but I wouldn’t mind if he had his own room- he snores.
Geri says:
Hi Norma,
I LOL at your line “Gimme the pills!” and post-menopausal nutties is hysterical. I am actually sorry I stopped taking the estrogen because i did have instant bone loss and then had to take Actonel. So instead of breast cancer, I risked LOCK JAW.
We all have to be our own docs to an extent, I’ve learned.
We should put together a comedy routine and hit the road. Where do you live?
Geri
Norma Byrd says:
Geri, glad you got a giggle. I live in Durango, Colorado. It’s a little provincial town in the Rockies and you have to drive four hours to get to the nearest CostCo, two hours to a Target. Never mind any high-end shops like JCP. I’d love to take you up on the comedy routine but I’m told I’m funnier in black and white than in color.
Norma Byrd says:
I too had a complete hysterectomy at a very young age due to massive endometriosis. The day after surgery the GYN prescribed hormone replacement beginning immediately. I said “You mean I have to take this the rest of my life!? What if I don’t?” He said simply “Instant old age.” I said “Gimme the pills!” That was 43 years ago and I’ve taken them ever since, OF COURSE with constant monitoring by my GYN. The dosage has been decreased over the years, and I have all the testing and annual mamograms with no sign of cancer or heart problems. Two weeks ago I related the original Dr’s. comment to my current GP and he said “And he was right.” I never had a hot flash in my life. I never had the post-menstrual nutties. And I never had a depletion of libido, even now. My theory is If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. My sister was talked into stopping hormone replacement some years ago and replacing it with a “safer” treatment. It resulted in devastating bone loss and she still has hot flashes at nearly 80. Go figure.
Still Blonde after all these YEARS says:
I can’t make it now, I hoped I could. I will be in town on Friday (done by 5 with my roundtable event), if I can lend you a hand on Friday night with your preparations..just text or call me.
In regards to never having sex again…have you seen my husband? …On estrogen now, I’d have to figure out something!
Debra S says:
Okay I will be completely open and honest here- when men-o-paused- and was hot- that is when the sleeping together situation REALLY went into the red zone between hubby and I.
We had already been growling a lot over the bedroom routine- HE adores to have the TV on to SLEEP TO!!!! We long had not agreed over just WHAT to have on, either- of course he puts on mind-stullify-ing sports all the time. Or the political talk shows over and over and over.. you get the picture.
Besides the hot flashing/sweaty nights, I began the most mind-blowing insomnia with the men-o-pause. So, I became a midnight rambler. I tried to not look at the clock- it would say 1 then 2 then 4AM…..
Also I became a Pillow thrasher! hahaha I kid you not- I broke two bedside lamps with the tossing and pillow punching at night. *sigh* Trying to get to sleep!!
We decided we did not really NEED to SLEEP together in the same room. He has his own room now. PEACE. He now has that bloody TV on ALL NIGHT. I had him turn off the heat zone to my bedroom so it can be a nice 64 in there all winter! I have my own TV, I can watch movies not talking heads if I want to!! I can get some nice sleep when I finally DO sleep. My bedroom is now my “Woman Cave”. My peaceful retreat.
Oh- I was so desperate to sleep I begged my doc for some sleep aid and tried Ambien. OH yes it worked. It gave me back my life. No more getting up and finding something to do at 2AM cause I just could not sleep.
I think I am past the worst of it now. I still adore the colder room at night, but I don’t get the drenching sweats anymore. And I do still not sleep as much as I did when younger, but I do sleep now for at least 5 hours straight!! And feel good in the morning.
Wendie says:
“I’d rather never have sex again than have a hot flash.”
How sad for you!! I wouldn’t trade my libido for anything.
Geri says:
thanks for your concern, Wendie.
Connie says:
Really? This looks like some kind of an injection in the abdomen! Really??? Aren’t we suffering enough??!!
Connie*
Geri says:
hi connie, the injection Dr. Giese is doing in the photo is NOT the one I’m talking about. This one is in the tush and it is not at all painful.
if you live in NY, come to the Beauty Bash on Sept. 29 and learn about it!
best,
geri
Connie says:
Gee, Geri, I wish I still lived in New York. Unfortunately I live in the wilds of San Diego. Can’t get there. Thanks for the invite, tho.
Connie*