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Menopause Symptoms Can Be Serious
But Many Doctors May Not Take It Seriously

Women are exchanging recipes for herbs to cool down hot flashes and talking with friends about how to deal with emotional mood swings, mental lapses, night sweats, insomnia and possible bone loss - all common symptoms of menopause.

Women may be talking to each other, but a survey of menopausal women finds that many women aren’t talking about these symptoms with their doctors.

Why? Women are not always certain what to expect from menopause and when they do try to ask for guidance, doctors often trivialize symptoms and leave decisions about treatment up to their patients.

Women Express Dissatisfaction
The J.D. Power and Associates survey, commissioned by the National Consumers League (NCL), surveyed more than 800 women who were not currently taking hormone therapy. According to the survey’s findings, nearly one-third of the women said they’re not discussing their symptoms with doctors.

They found that, as the severity of menopausal symptoms increases, satisfaction levels with doctor-patient relationship decreases. The survey also found that the severity of symptoms made a difference in the impact on daily life and the relationships that women were able to maintain with their doctors and families.

The women who answered the survey reported that the perceived physical, emotional, and personal impact of symptoms increased along with their severity.

Clearing Up The Confusion
In the past, doctors would just recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as the usual way to stop symptoms. Menopause is the result of a woman's body producing less estrogen as her childbearing years draw to a close. HRT replaced the naturally occurring estrogen.

Last year a major study of the benefits of HRT was discontinued when it became clear that there was a very high risk of breast cancer and other negative outcomes associated with this treament.

“Women are clearly confused about menopause and their treatment options. Last summer’s news of the Women’s Health Initiative left millions of menopausal women wondering ‘what should I do about my symptoms?’” said Linda F. Golodner, NCL president.

The Washington-based consumer organization, an advocate for strong doctor-patient dialogue, launched a campaign that will help women recognize, understand, and deal with menopausal symptoms. The group also hopes to prepare menopausal women to begin productive discussions with their healthcare professionals.

“Women say they need help, but telling them to talk to their doctors is obviously not enough. Many menopausal women don’t even understand what they are going through, so beginning conversations with their doctors about symptoms is impossible,” Golodner said. “NCL is trying to change that.”

Survey Highlights
J.D. Power and Associates surveyed 851 women, between the ages of 45 and 59, who represent a wide demographic range, to reveal attitudes about menopausal symptoms and perceptions of their impact on women’s lives. The survey also gathered information from doctors who treat menopausal women.

Patient Dissatisfaction
Most women want more information about menopause to improve the quality of dialogue with their doctors.

• Almost one-third of the women surveyed indicate they are not talking with their doctors about their symptoms.
• Nearly one-third (32 percent) say that doctors tend to trivialize menopausal symptoms, and 43 percent of doctors agree.
• Most doctors also report that they don’t understand exactly what women go through during menopause.
• More than 80 percent of doctors say that, in general, doctors don’t know everything about menopause.
• More than three-quarters of women (76 percent) say menopause-related treatment decisions should be a collaborative effort between a woman and her doctor.
• Nearly two-thirds of the women surveyed (65 percent) say treatment-related decisions are left up to them.

Demographic Differences
Women of different ages and ethnicities experience menopause differently.

• Women between the ages of 45 and 49 were more likely to report severe symptoms than older women (between the ages of 50 and 59).
• African-American (44 percent) and Hispanic (56 percent) women say they are very concerned about bone loss (osteoporosis) as compared to other women.
• Hispanic women were more likely than other women to report that menopausal symptoms negatively affect their work relationships.
• Asian women are less likely to report night sweats, and more likely to report vaginal dryness and painful intercourse.

Symptom Severity Differences
Based on reports from respondents, women’s menopausal symptom experiences can be classified into three categories of severity.

1. Severe — Seventeen percent report severe symptoms, which greatly impact their daily lives: 43 percent of women in this category say their symptoms put a strain on their relationships with family and friends; 60 percent report that they feel moody, irritable, and are subject to crying; and 74 percent report decreased sex drive.
2. Moderate — Thirty-four percent report moderate symptoms, which impact their daily lives: 40 percent report that they feel moody, irritable, and are subject to crying; and 48 percent report decreased sex drive.
3. Mild — Forty-nine percent report mild symptoms: their symptoms have only a slight impact on their daily lives, but the majority (61 percent) say they experience hot flashes. While women who report mild symptoms say they are satisfied with their doctor’s advice regarding menopause (88 percent), that reported satisfaction declines for women with severe symptoms (67 percent).

MenoPAUSE: Take Time to Talk about Your Symptoms
NCL has launched a new national education campaign, MenoPAUSE: Take Time to Talk about Your Symptoms. The goal is to provide millions of women who experience menopausal symptoms, particularly those that are moderate to severe, with tools to help them recognize their symptoms, understand the impact they have on daily life, and partner with their doctors to make treatment decisions.

At http://www.nclnet.org/menopause, consumers can download checklists made for assessing symptoms and guidelines to help women have productive discussions about their symptoms with healthcare professionals.

“Just as every woman is different, every woman will have her own menopausal experience,” said Ann L. Honebrink, M.D., University of Pennsylvania Health System. “Some women have no symptoms, while others will experience frequent, disruptive symptoms. Women need to talk to their doctors not just about the symptoms, but also about how the symptoms affect daily life. Then, they can work together to make appropriate treatment choices.”

The J.D. Power and Associates survey and MenoPAUSE are made possible by an educational grant from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. To learn more about MenoPAUSE, visit www.nclnet.org/menopause.

Source: National Consumers League - Newswise