Should you try hormone therapy for menopause symptoms?

Hot flashes. Brain fog. Sleepless nights.

For years, Dr. Megan Lochner said patients would come to her office with these complaints, common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, saying they were miserable.

And even though she'd send many of them home with a prescription for hormone therapy if they were good candidates, often they'd report back saying they never started the medicine. 

"One woman told me her pharmacist asked if her doctor was trying to kill her," Lochner said. "Or if they got the prescription, they would see the "black box" warning — which was scary — and they would never start it."

That's changed since that warning was removed after federal recommendations were updated.

Now, Lochner’s waiting room is filled with patients looking for the treatment, and pharmacies are having a hard time keeping up with demand.

But how do you know if the therapy is right for you?

We spoke to Long Island doctors and women experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms about the different factors involved in making this personal decision. See what they had to say.

Is it perimenopause?

I woke up yesterday morning feeling like I was sweating all over. 

Now, I was wrapped in my comforter and we're in that time of the year where the temperatures fluctuate from the 40s to the mid-60s overnight. So that could be the reason.

But at 41, my brain's first thought is usually — is this perimenopause?

If you go by Instagram feed, perimenopause is to blame for everything. And there's usually a product being hawked to fix it — from peptides and supplements to protein powders and special diets.

But these experts gave us some good advice for putting those social media ads into perspective and separating fact from influencer fiction.

(These stories are part of Newsday's Women's Health series exploring what Long Island women need to know about perimenopause and menopause.)

Too much candy?

I was expecting a big trick-or-treating turnout this year with Halloween on a Saturday and the weather being fairly nice. Instead, the bowl I left out filled with five bags of candy looked barely touched when my crew returned home from trick-or-treating that night — with more bags filled with the treats my kids collected during our two hours in the streets.

If you're in a similar situation, Newsday found local places that are accepting candy donations to send to our troops. So after you've set aside a healthy sample of your family's favorites — like Reese's peanut butter cups — you can give the rest away.

Where the moms are

 

If you're looking to connect with more Long Island moms and get the latest stories, videos and guides about topics you care about, follow Long Island Moms on Instagram. One of our moms recently shared some amazing fall drinks she tried while enjoying a kid-free lunch date with her husband.