Let's talk about Sex: Menopause and a low libido
" You are in complete and total charge of your life
and happiness, and that includes your sexual happiness."-Suzanne
Somers, The Sexy Years
Why does Menopause cause a low sex drive? During Menopause
your estrogen levels decline to such a negligible level that
you begin to experience all of the all too familiar symptoms:
hot flashes, night sweats, itchy
skin, vaginal dryness, sleepless nights,
memory loss or foggy thinking and most importantly
the loss of interest in sex.
Why does all of this happen? Because Estrogen is your primary
sex hormone and after menopause, estrogen is no longer being
produced at a normal rate and the lack of estrogen causes
all of the symptoms listed above. This is especially true
for women who have had either a
hysterectomies (even if the ovaries were left in) or an
oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries)
In addition, while your estrogen levels are dropping simultaneously
your testosterone levels are dropping. Why is testosterone
important? Even though Estrogen is a woman's primary sex hormone,
testosterone plays an important role as well in a woman's
sex drive. It is all about the balance.
One cannot have the Yin without the Yang and still function
normally.
Could low testosterone levels be to blame?
Women who experience low testosterone levels present with
most of the following symptoms:
It is easy to confuse these vague and non-specific symptoms
with life. Financial stress, work stress, family stress could
easily contribute to any of these symptoms.
However, women that are menopausal, post-menopausal or in
surgical menopause (hysterectomy) and who are on some sort
of HRT therapy and still not getting relief from hot flashes,
night sweats, fatigue and diminished sex drive probably are
experiencing low testosterone levels.
Testosterone Explained
As a woman ages her hormone levels decline. Including her
estradiol level and her testosterone level, both of these
hormones are vital to a woman's sex drive. Without normal
Estrogen levels a woman will experience vaginal dryness, atrophic
vaginistis (thinning of the vaginal walls) all of which makes
sex very painful. Meanwhile, their testosterone levels are
declining causing their desire for sex or libido to decline
as well.
Normal testosterone levels for a postmenopausal woman are
between 7 to 40ng/dL.
Normal testosterone levels for a premenopausal woman are
between 10 and 55 ng/DL.
Testosterone in the body is controlled by (SHBG) or the sex
hormone binding globulin and estrogen. When your testosterone
is bound up or unavailable, it results in the decreased amount
of free testosterone available in your body.
Free testosterone is important because it is unbound and
biologically active in the body. Without enough free testosterone
in the body any woman will experience a decreased libido.
What should you do? Get your hormone levels tested
and get rebalanced!
Test your testosterone levels
(including your Free testosterone levels) and your estradiol
levels.
It is possible to have normal Testosterone levels and still
have your free testosterone levels below normal. If the test
indicates that you are low in testosterone or you suspect
that you are low than you need to supplement your hormone
replacement therapy with DHEA, a natural
testosterone boosting gel.
Benefits of DHEA:
- Increases your libido, naturally
- Decreased fatigue, so that you can be awake for sex!
- Increased vigor
- Less hot flashes
- Better sleep
- Increased sex drive "Can be used as a topical clitoris
stimulator, apply 45 minutes prior to sex
Also, many women who have low testosterone levels often times
have low estradiol levels. This can easily be corrected with
Estro-all, a phyto-estrogen cream.
If your test indicates low progesterone levels, than use
Natural progesterone cream.
If you do not want to wait until your hormone levels to get
rebalanced to enjoy sex, then use Fempower,
a topical clitoris stimulating gel. Fempower creates a
warm and tingling sensation when applied to the clitoris.
Many women love this product!
Case study: Josie, a 66 year old woman who had a hysterectomy
Josie, a vibrant recently retired MD began taking Premarin
10 years ago when she had her hysterectomy. She began to notice
a decreased interest in sex when I met her. She had just recently
begun to wean herself off of Premarin and started using the
Natural progesterone cream.
She was complaining of not only having a decreased interest
in sex, but that sex was painful for her now. She said that
her vagina felt dry and that made sex painful making her no
longer interested in sex. However, her husband still wanted
to have sex and so she felt desperate to do something. She
also began to have hot flashes again. In the past Josie had
used Avlimil without much success.
We suspected that the natural progesterone cream wasn't helping
her and that she needed the Estro-all, a phyto-estrogen cream.
Josie's next step was to get her hormone levels tested with
a saliva test. The saliva test results showed that she had
an extremely high progesterone levels, and very low estradiol
levels and almost no testosterone in her body. All of which
would explain her recent returns to hot flashes and decreased
interest in sex, and painful intercourse.
She immediately began Estro-All, a Phyto estrogen cream to
raise her Estradiol levels, DHEA, a natural testosterone boosting
gel to raise her almost non-existent testosterone levels and
Fempower, a female clitoris stimulator to get her excited
about her upcoming vacation with her husband to the Virgin
Islands.
Recently, she emailed me while on her vacation reporting
that she was now experiencing less vaginal dryness and intercourse
was no longer painful! She feels better and her husband is
happier too!
Let's talk about sex: Avlimil, via crème,
KY jelly, and KY warming gel and other sex stimulation products.
There are several types of libido increasing products on
the market right now.
Avlimil
Avlimil is designed to make women want to have sex, restore
a natural balance to women's lives and to promote a more energetic
love life.
It works because several of their active ingredients like
Black Cohosh and Isoflavones promote estrogen production in
a woman's body. And as we have learned before, estrogen is
the primary sex hormone.
Avlimil, however, may not help every woman. Some women are
not low in Estrogen, some are low in testosterone and there
could be danger in taking extra estrogen.
Avlimil is expensive! Depending if you order on-line or call
the price can range from $ 45-$55.00 for a 30day supply.
If you would like to do more research on Avlimil here are
some good links:
http://www.coreynahman.com/avlimil.html, a complete study
of Avlimil and the company's history. About the author: Corey
Nahman is a registered pharmacist in the state of New York,
pharmacist since 1983.
www.avlimil.com The products
home page.
A newspaper article on Berkeley Premium Anthracitic, mentions
the history of Berkley and consumer complaints regarding Berkley.
[The Cincinnati Enquirer; James McNair]
Sexua stimulants orl Libido Enhancers:
The other types of sexual libido enhancers are products such
as: Alura, via crème and via gel. All of these products
basically contain the same ingredients: L-arsine and Menthol.
When applied, this combination creates a tingling sensation
on the clitoris. These products do work for topical stimulation.
What they won't work for is restoring your libido. Your libido
is decreased because your hormone levels are out of balanced.
These products can be expensive, varying in price from $1.00
per application up to $7.00 per application. Some of the means
to apply the cream are not very sanitary, one of the products
uses a wand that is applied directly to your clitoris and
then you dip it back into your product. Thus contaminating
your product with bacteria.
KY jelly, KY warming liquid
These help to provide lubrication, which is a common complaint
for menopausal women. They work well, but they are not permanent
solutions.
What should you do to restore your libido and enjoy sex
again?
While there is no perfect solution and each woman is different
the best option is to get your get your hormone levels tested.
Including your testosterone levels, estradiol and your progesterone
levels. This way you will have the perfect solution that will
work specifically for you.
If you need something tonight, use Fempower
a topical clitoris stimulator. It will make you feel sexy
again!
If you are experiencing vaginal dryness, check out our Vaginal
moisturizing cream, it will help relieve the vaginal dryness
and painful intercourse.
If you are low in estrogen or have low estradiol levels,
then use Estro-All, a phyto-estrogen
cream. It will help restore your estrogen levels back
to a normal level. Once again, estrogen is your primary sex
hormone and low estrogen levels may be the reason that you
are experiencing a decreased interest in sex or low libido.
If you are low in testosterone, use DHEA.
It will gently raise your levels back to normal. In addition,
DHEA may be used as a topical stimulator.
It works by pushing the nerve receptors closer to the skin
making your clitoris more sensitive to stimulation. Rub some
on your husband as well, he'll love it!
Admittedly, there is no easy answer. Every woman is unique.
However, you now have the tools to find the perfect answer
for you. You are in control.
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