Tests you need to know about and questions to ask your Doctor
“Doctors are gods in white” was the belief system I grew up with! You would never ask questions or doubt their opinion! I have to say this was neither helpful nor true. Thanks to Dr. Google, we can educate ourselves much better than we ever could before. Although there is also the chance that you could misdiagnose yourself and freak yourself out completely, so be aware and cautious.
Never let your Doctor put you down or not to take you seriously! You are the one that keeps him or her in their job. They are a service provider, and it is up to you to find someone that you can fully trust and feel cared for while being taken seriously. Only if we all ask questions and for good service will the system change.
Don’t give up before you find the right health provider for you. You deserve this and are worthy of having the best care possible.
You know you have a good doctor, when
1 He/she listens to you, your questions and your concerns
2 Takes his /her time
3 Considers natural and alternative approaches
4 Wants to go to the ‘root’ of a problem and not just treat “symptoms.”
When growing up, a Doctor was seen as a God in White, never to be questioned at all and in many cultures that seems to be the case still. My clients sometimes feel very uncomfortable when I send them with a list of questions and tests I want given to the Doctor. It’s like they are afraid to ask and I so understand this. However, this is your health and your body. I believe that we need a reform of healthcare in a big way. How about paying Doctors a retainer when we are healthy for them to prevent any sickness? And if we get sick, they won’t get paid anymore until we are well again. Ok, maybe that is a bit extreme, but think about it. In our modern world, there is no incentive for a Doctor to get you healthy, but the opposite is true. Pharmaceutical companies give them incentives if they prescribe their medication!
It is your right to seek the best care and your right to ask the right questions. Don’t let anybody tell you to get “over it” or tell you that there is nothing that can be done to ease your menopausal symptoms.
One lady in our tribe showed me again, how important it is stand up for yourself and gather the best team for yourself. I had written a blog about my own oestrogen dominance, my symptoms, and how I helped myself balance my hormones out. She showed the same symptoms and had such a hard time to even get her provider to give her the tests I had advised. After a while and changing Gynaecologist, she got her test, and yes, she was oestrogen dominant, but there was nothing they could do apart from HRT (not a fan as you will see in the chapter about HRT). After 6 months of nothing they could do about it, she was now diagnosed with the type of breast cancer that feeds on oestrogen! I was so angry and sad for her!
I do know that my advice is not the ‘just pop a pill” and all will be fine but that it is work and also lifestyle changes are necessary, and that supplements are expensive and the tests are expensive too if they are not covered by our providers – but – You only have this one body! I want you to have a full and happy life, so let's get your hormones balanced and your weight to normal! This is the best prevention.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor When Going Through Menopause
Here are some questions you might have for your doctor, with Probable Answers to help you get an idea of what your doctor might say:
What do I do about all of these hot flashes?
Probable Answer: Hot flashes are common throughout the menopausal period. You can take hormone replacement therapy if the hot flashes are severe (only if everything else fails however). There are many herbal remedies that may reduce the incidence of hot flashes. You also need to practice lifestyle changes, such as having a portable fan, wearing layers of cool breathable fabric clothing, such as cotton that can be peeled off in the event of a hot flash, and using light bed linens for night-time hot flashes. CBT has been proven to be very helpful for Hot Flashes (see also my online course on how to stop Hot Flashes with CBT)
Should I take hormone replacement therapy?
Probable Answer: Hormone replacement therapy means taking oestrogen and possibly progesterone to control hot flashes. They replace the hormones the ovaries are no longer making. While these are effective medications with hot flashes, they do have many risks. There is evidence that taking hormone replacement therapy can increase the risk of heart disease in some women and is connected to some cancers. It can also not be taken by women who have had blood clots, uterine cancer, breast cancer, or heart disease.
What do I do about night sweats?
Probable Answer: Night sweats can interfere with sleep as they cause you to awaken with drenched bed clothing and sheets. You need to wear light cotton bed clothing and use light cotton sheets with a light blanket over the top. The same lifestyle changes and supplementation for hot flashes applies for night sweats too.
What can I do about the mood swings I am experiencing?
Probable Answer: Mood swings are common during and prior to menopause. Some women can get by with things like stress reduction. Mindfulness would be helpful and talking to a therapist would also help. Balancing your hormones, a healthy lifestyle and creating a new meaningful new season of your life will help a lot.
I have terrible vaginal dryness. What can I do?
Probable Answer: Vaginal dryness can be combatted by using a vaginal moisturizer several times per week or by using vaginal lubricants. There are vaginal oestrogen products, such as vaginal cream, vaginal tablets, and a vaginal ring that can thicken the vaginal mucosa so that vaginal dryness can be controlled.
I experience pain during intercourse. What can I use for this?
Probable Answer: Pain during intercourse comes from vaginal dryness. Prior to having sex, you can use a vaginal lubricant, preferably of the organic and natural kind. If you are using condoms, make sure that the product is water and not oil-based because the oil-based products can break the latex of the condom. You can also use the organic and natural vaginal moisturizers regularly throughout the week.
I am suffering from brain fog in menopause. Am I going crazy?
Probable Answer: It is normal to feel some cognitive deficits during menopause and to feel as though you might be going through Alzheimer’s disease. Balancing your hormones will improve your memory for sure. My favourite supplement is bio-identical Pregnenolone. Try to keep lists of things you need to remember and try to be patient with yourself if you forget things or find your mind going blank.
I have urinary incontinence. What can I do?
Probable Answer: Urinary incontinence happens to many women during menopause and is due to sagging of the bladder and a decrease in the thickness and elasticity of the urethra. You can help this somewhat by doing Kegel exercises. These involve voluntarily contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor as if you are trying to hold back your urinary stream. This can strengthen the pelvic floor so that urinary incontinence does not become much of a problem.
What do I do about increased bladder infections in menopause?
Probable Answer: Bladder infections tend to increase in menopause. You can prevent