Read This to Uncover Menopausal Myths

Instead of a long narrative on the state of menopause, hormonal therapy and sexual dysfunction, I thought this would be a good place to simply list a number of myths and facts, so that the reader can better distinguish between what is real and what is hype in the media and marketing that surrounds us all. Each statement will be followed by "True" or "False".

Menopause is a disease that needs to be treated. False

There are many ways to treat postmenopausal symptoms, both hormonal and non-hormonal. True

All estrogen products have the same risks and benefits. False

You can only stay on postmenopausal hormone therapy for 3 to 5 years. False

Pharmaceutically produced, non-oral estrogen products contain bioidentical estradiol. True

Estriol, often prepared in compounded skin creams, can help protect against breast cancer. False

Overall, non-oral estrogen delivery systems are much safer than oral estrogen delivery. True

Oral estrogens can increase the risk of blood clots, while non-oral estrogen has been shown not to increase the risk. True

Transdermal, compounded, natural progesterone cream, rubbed on the skin daily, protects the lining of the uterus from developing uterine cancer. False

Since the WHI report frightened so many women away from taking their estrogen, we have seen an epidemic of vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse due to the lack of estrogen. True

Vaginal estrogen use can be very helpful for vaginal health, maintenance of pleasurable sexual activity and minimal absorption into the general circulation (blood stream). True

Appropriate postmenopausal hormone therapy, begun at the appropriate time, can lower the risks of heart attack, dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and "total mortality" (the risk of dying from any cause). True

Men and women experience the same phases of sexual response. False

The main treatment for low or absent sexual desire (drive) is testosterone. False

Many men experience some degree of erectile dysfunction, and vaginal atrophy can make this problem even worse. True

Many medications, especially anti-depressants, can diminish sexual drive and responsiveness. True

Mostly all sexual problems in women are due to hormonal and physical problems. False

Many women, as they age, find that their sexual desire is no longer spontaneous, but instead is responsive to being stimulated or aroused first. True

Decreased or absent sexual desire in postmenopausal women is frequently due to vaginal atrophy causing painful sex and the resultant anxiety or fear of having sex. True

All sexually active women have experienced orgasm. False

Women can produce an ejaculate-type fluid during orgasm. True

This is the kind of content that will be in this section of the website. It will be revised every quarter. You can read news here, as well as follow on my Twitter account, what may be happening and what's up to date in menopausal and sexual medicine.