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)