DINNER WITH A DOCTOR: MENOPAUSE
THE SEASON OF OUR
MAXINE HEADLEY, 50 FINANCIAL ANALYST
Discontent Emory Medicine invited a handful of women to dine with a doctor who specializes in women’s health during midlife and menopause.
RUTH STANFORD, 52 ARTIST
BY Sylvia Wrobel
On a sweltering summer Despite having just met, the women—all in their early 50s—are talking like old friends, sharing women gather around a stories of night sweats, crying jags, hot flashes, and candlelit table covered with brain fog. Laughter floats through the humid air, amplified by the instant camaraderie that common sparkling glasses, deviled frustrations can forge. eggs, peach salad, North “I just can’t run as far or fast as I used to,” says Carolina trout, and roasted one woman, an avid runner whose mile speed has rapidly diminished. “It happened so dramatically sweet potatoes. and quickly.” “Nights are the worst for my hot flashes,” she adds. “I have a fan and a space heater next to each other in the bedroom.” “After a few nights of no sleep, I will cry about anything,” says another. No matter the individual symptoms, the women’s questions centered on a common theme: How long does this last? “Well, usually two to five years for the most severe symptoms, but up to 12 years,” says obstetrician/gynecologist Mary Dolan, one of a handful of certified menopause practitioners in Georgia. “And technically forever, since what we are talking about is a lack of periods and a diminishing of estrogen.” A lot is happening during this time in a woman’s life, says Dolan, from physical changes to emotions surrounding children leaving home and caring for aging parents. Many doctors and even specialists are not trained in how to treat women during this phase. “Other health concerns, such as heart conditions or breast cancer, tend to get more attention,” she says. “After all, you don’t die from menopause.” evening, a group of six
JACQUELINE WHITE, 53 FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
MELANIE WILSON, 53 COURT MANAGER
KARLA CAYLOR, 52 RESEARCH NURSE
Fall 2016
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