Читать книгу Sex For Dummies - Pierre Lehu A., Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer - Страница 76

Medical science found a way of alleviating many of the symptoms of menopause through hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Studies proved that having a woman take estrogen to replace that hormone she is no longer producing alleviated many of the symptoms of menopause, as well as protected against certain kinds of cancers, especially cancer of the cervix. But other studies subsequently have shown an added risk of various diseases, including heart attack and breast cancer, for some women using HRT. This very confused picture means that any woman beginning menopause should consult her doctor to find out what options are available to her. You may decide against HRT, or if you have severe menopausal symptoms, you may opt for short-term therapy. To relieve vaginal dryness only, a very small dose of estrogen applied directly into the vagina can relieve this problem without adding significant risk (see Chapter 19).

Because I’m not a medical doctor, and because the news about HRT seems to change regularly, that’s all I’m going to say about the physical effects of menopause. (If you’re a woman approaching the proper age bracket, I recommend that you go out and buy Menopause For Dummies, 2^nd Edition, by Marcia Jones, PhD; Theresa Eichenwald, MD; and Nancy Hall, MS [Wiley] to better understand all the changes happening to your body. Then talk to your gynecologist to get the latest information about HRT and to help you decide whether to use the treatment.) The issue of menopause and sex, however, is a topic that I cover in Chapter 19. I’ll give you a preview of that discussion by saying that my philosophy is a very positive one concerning sex in the later years.