Clinic treats menopausal symptoms

Clinic treats menopausal symptoms

JAKARTA (JP): Here is a good news for middle aged women
currently being trapped in serious menopausal miseries.

A special clinic promises to give new hope for these women to
help them enter their midlife transition smoothly.

Called Menox clinic, a joint venture between an Indonesian
company and the Austrian-based Menox, offers various hormonal
(estrogen) replacement therapies, medical check-up,
consultation, and other medical facilities.

Established in l995, the clinic is the only private
institution in the country which provides such therapies for mid-
aged women. The other clinic belongs to the University of
Indonesia's Medical School on Jl. Salemba Raya, Central Jakarta.

The presence of such clinics has shown that people's awareness
on menopausal symptoms has started to increase.

Dr. Ali Baziad, gynecologist and oncologist at the University
of Indonesia, explained that up to the present Indonesian people
still regard menopause as a minor health problem that doesn't
require any medical intervention.

If our mothers or wives of 50s, for example, experienced
severe headaches, we may almost likely suggest them to take
parasetamol tablet to ease her pain, the doctor said. Another
health problem complained by many old women is rheumatism.

"Most women do not realize that they are going through
menopause. All of their complaints are likely caused by the
decline of estrogen in their bodies. Their medicinal intake do
not cure their core problems," the doctor said.

Baziad added menopause is critical matter. It deals with the
lives of thousands or maybe millions of Indonesian women.

Women of their 40s and 50s pose serious risks of heart attack,
high blood pressure, osteoporosis, migraines, temporary memory
loss, kidney problem and others if they do not receive proper
medical treatment, he said.

In the past, life expectancy of Indonesian women reached about
55 years old. Today, it increases between 65 and 70 years old.

"How can these women lead their lives in the next 20 years
after they entered menopause. They may experience various health
problems which can burden their families, society and the
nation," the doctor said.

Unfortunately, when women try to find a doctor who can help
them make their midlife transition, they often can't get the
information they need.

"Only a few doctors understand menopausal problems and ways to
solve them," he admitted.

But now, more and more women, the middle-upper society in
particular, are aware about menopause. Many of them seek medical
treatment abroad.

He cited an example, Yolanda Hussein (not her real name), is
72 year old, but her body tells different story. "She has a good
general muscle tone, her skin has less wrinkles. She has almost
no menopausal complaints like those experienced by women of her
age. It is almost unbelievable that she still drives her car,"
said the doctor commenting on one of his patient.

Estrogen replacement theraphy is her secret of her youthful
appearance. "She has been on hormonal therapy since 20 years ago
when she still lived in the United States. Now she continues her
hormonal therapy in our clinic," the doctor said.

The clinic targets to net this market--middle to upper class
middle age women who don't have to worry about money to stay
healthy and to feel young.

Before a woman gets hormonal therapy, she has to undergo a
thorough medical check-up which will cost between Rp 400,000 and
Rp 500,000.

"If she has other health problems which are not linked to
menopausal symptoms, we will recommend her to specialists. If she
experiences the symptoms, we will give her hormonal treatment,"
he said. The estrogen replacement is given through tablet or
extraderm.

In the first months, every patient should get therapy once in
a month. This is the adjustment period. After passing this
period, she can have treatment twice a year.

Each patient has to pay around Rp 50,000 for medical
consultation.

The doctor admitted that the cost for hormonal replacement
therapy, which should continues at least 10 to 15 years, is quite
high.

Unfortunately, until now, the most effective treatment for all
the woes of menopause is hormone (estrogen) replacement therapy,
he said.

The therapy may likely ease hot flashes, soothles vaginal
dryness, improves bladder problems, even out mood swings and
clear short-term memory loss. It also combats the more serious
effect of estrogen deficiency, osteoporosis and elevated risk of
heart attacks.

Estrogen is also effective to the thinning of bones that makes
older women so vulnerable to fractures, the doctor said.

He added estrogen improves memory of post menopausal women. A
study also found that hormonal therapy enhanced the mental
function of women with mild to moderate symptoms of Alzheimer's
disease.

In addition, hormonal therapy seems to help preserve skin
elasticity.

As research reveals the pros and the cons of estrogen, the
therapy popularity has flowed and ebbed. Previous researchers
showed the link between estrogen and the increase risk of uterine
and breast cancer.

"Many women fear estrogen will increase the risk of developing
breast cancer. But research is still going on," he said.

In a recent medical seminar in Sydney, Australia, doctors
still recommend hormonal replacement therapy which is found to
be the best way to cure menopausal symptoms and to prevent or
slow the aging process.

The doctor, however, was concern that the therapy is only
available for rich women.

He suggests the government include menopause problems in its
family planning campaign. The government can train medical
officers at public health center to provide necessary information
and medication for women of menopausal age, he said.

"Poor women completely ignore all menopausal problems because
of a lack of information and money to go to a nearest public
health center," he said.

It is true that menopause strikes all women, but money says
different thing. (raw)