Mastering Menopause
Trio Says Don’t Just Cope, There’s Hope
From left: Drs. Michelle Katzarof, Lauren Weber and Teresa Whitley.
Everybody knows about hot flashes. And then there’s the mood swings. Night sweats…
But did you know that burning tongue syndrome can be a menopause-related issue and is highly treatable? So is brain fog, restless leg syndrome and a whole lot more.
Women “going through the change” often don’t realize those symptoms are part of the package deal that is menopause. They often just cope and hope their troublesome tribulations will fade away.
But they don’t have to put up with that. That’s the message of three NorthBay Healthcare physicians, all certified as menopause experts.
Drs. Teresa Whitley, Lauren Weber and Michelle Katzaroff have all earned their certifications as menopause practitioners through the North American Menopause Society and are ready to help menopausal women do more than cope. They are up to date with the latest research on hormonal and non-hormonal treatments.
“We want to find the best treatment for each woman. The tricky part is that one size does not fit all,” says Dr. Whitley. “Their problems are different, and the solutions are different.”
Dr. Weber agrees. “We can’t help them if they don’t speak up. We encourage women to come and talk about their concerns. Women going through menopause do not need to suffer in silence. In many cases, we can offer relief.”
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there about the effects of estrogen,” says Dr. Katzaroff. “Many women don’t realize that getting help can be as easy as a trip to their local pharmacy.”
Some of the lesser-known symptoms of menopause:
- Hair loss, skin changes
- Sleep disturbances, restless leg syndrome, snoring
- Anxiety, depression
- Painful sex
- Urinary incontinence, frequent urinary tract infections
- Chest pain/palpitations
- Brain fog (difficulty concentrating)
- Crawling skin sensation
- Burning tongue syndrome
And although not a symptom of menopause, these physicians all encourage women experiencing post-menopausal bleeding to come in for a consultation.
Drs. Whitley and Weber have offices at the Center for Women’s Health. Call (707) 646-4100 for appointments. Dr. Katzaroff has an office at the Center for Primary Care, a NorthBay Affiliate, in Green Valley. To book an appointment, call (707) 646-3500. Read Dr. Weber’s blog on women’s health issues at www.northbay.org.