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Dr. Alan Altman's Archives  

  



Dr. Alan Altman's Archives Q&A's
Name: Jan

Question:
I am 52. For about 18 months, I have been using Revival shakes once a day to control hot flashes and night sweats. In the past month, these have become very difficult to manage. I called the Revival Dr., who was helpful and recommended I take the combo St. John's wort/kava kava to manage the symptoms. I didn't want to drink more shakes every day. While I feel less "blue," the hot flashes and night sweats haven't subsided. I bought Healthy Woman, thinking a bit more soy would help (55 mg. plus the 160 in the Revival). Is this too much? It doesn't seem to be helping anyway. My mom had b

Answer:
I can understand your feelings about HRT, but it doesn't sound as if you are responding to herbal therapy. I'd still recommend that you go on low dose estrogen, for a short period of time to get rid of the symptoms and then gradually wean off of it to stay rid or the symptoms. The research is showing that women can take estrogen for up to five years without a concern. As far as how long this will last, there are women who have hot flashes until they are eighty, so unfortunately it can last long, but I hope it won't be that way for you.

Dr. Alan Altman

Author of "Making Love the Way We Used To...Or Better."

Visit AlanAltmanMD.com

The information provided by Dr. Altman is general in nature and should not be construed as a substitute for an visit to and examination by your own personal physician.

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