Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

April 22, 2015

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: The two Components of ADHD

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity

The joy of being healthy cannot be compared with anything and cannot be quantify into monetary value. The problem we have today is that such important assets are seriously under immense threat and is being attacked by diseases from all directions and in all ages. Some of the diseases can begin even before conception and by the time one is born, the magnitude of the problem is unbearable. This link is objectively design to bring to your attention the health information from various health conditions and today we want to look at the available treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and even into adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). This condition has two important components to look at it from; the psychological interventions and medications. Doctor Akoury says that there are adequate evidences from various studies that medication alone may not effectively help the primary issues affecting the patients whether they are children or adult. Therefore it is very important that the patients’ needs to know more about this condition inside out to be able to successful while living with the disorder. That now introduces into understanding the symptoms of ADHD.

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Signs and Symptoms

Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age. Children who have symptoms of inattention may demonstrate the following:

They can easily be distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
Have difficulty focusing or concentrating on one assignment
Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable
Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new
Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
Not seem to listen when spoken to
Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
Struggle in following given instructions.

Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may demonstrate the following:

Fidget and squirm in their seats
Be talkative
Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything on sight
Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time
Be constantly in motion
Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.

Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may demonstrate the following:

Be very impatient
Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games
Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities.

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Treatments

Because of the nature of this condition treatment is very important to be administered in good time after evaluating the symptoms for the six months. Interestingly at the moment doctor Akoury says that the available treatments is majorly focusing on the reduction of the symptoms of ADHD and improving functioning. When you pay a visit to any health facility where ADHD treatment is offered like at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility established by doctor Dalal Akoury, when the relevant test have been done, treatments will include medication, various types of psychotherapy, education or training, or a combination of treatments. It is however very important to note that, these treatments will relieve many disorders symptoms even though there is no cure. When treatment is done effectively, many patients are able to get better and be successful in there academics for a better life in the future. A lot of studies are currently being done to establish the actual treatment and interventions of ADHD.

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Medications

Stimulant is the most common type of medication used for treating ADHD. Although it may seem unusual to treat ADHD with a medication considered a stimulant, it actually has a calming effect on children with ADHD. Many types of stimulant medications are available. A few other ADHD medications are non-stimulants and work differently than stimulants. For many children, ADHD medications reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve their ability to focus, work, and learn. Medication also may improve physical coordination. And even though medication will work better in offering solutions to ADHD patients and more so in children, it is important to note that the same medication may not work in the same manner with every child patient. In other words what works for one patient may not really work for the other. One child might react with the medication negatively and yet another may not. For effectiveness it may necessitate that different medications or dosages must be tried before finding one that works for a particular child. Therefore any child taking medications must be kept under close observation by their health professionals during this period.

Finally stimulant medications come in different forms including the pills, capsule, liquid or skin patch. Some medications also come in short-acting, long-acting, or extended release varieties. In each of these varieties, the active ingredient is the same, but it is released differently in the body. Long-acting or extended release forms often allow a child to take the medication just once a day before school, so they don’t have to make a daily trip to the school nurse for another dose. Parents and doctors should decide together which medication is best for the child and whether the child needs medication only for school hours or for evenings and weekends too. ADHD can be diagnosed and medications prescribed by medical doctors who are usually practicing psychiatrist though in some states the prescription could also be done by clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and advanced psychiatric nurse specialists.

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: The two Components of ADHD

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems

April 21, 2015

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems: Understanding the Herb Gotu Kola

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems

Over the years people have often embraced traditional medications for various types of illness. The practice is becoming acceptable even to the mainstream scientific medication. One of the ancient herbs that have been in use for decades is gotu kola and it is going to form part of our focus in this discussion. We want to look at the benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the stems in the treatment of various health conditions we do have today and even in the past. But before that Gotu kola is a swamp plant that originated and grows naturally in Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and many parts of South Africa. Its dried leaves and stems are medicinal and are used in herbal remedies. The active compounds in gotu kola are called saponins, or triterpenoids. Gotu kola is also used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat skin wounds. It is important to note that Gotu kola is not in any way related to the kola (cola) nut and doesn’t contain caffeine or stimulants.

Some clinical trials have looked at the use of gotu kola and its compounds in people with poor blood flow, usually in the legs. These limited studies suggest that gotu kola may help reduce swelling in the legs and feet, although more scientific studies are needed. Other research that has looked at gotu kola in humans has been limited by small numbers of patients and problems in study methods. Although at least one laboratory study of tumor cells showed reduced cell growth with gotu kola, available scientific evidence does not support claims of its effectiveness for treating cancer or any other disease in humans. Therefore to help us get the answers to some mostly asked questions, we are going to be talking to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility whose primary objective is to transforms people’s lives through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. As we progress into the discussion, if you have any concern about your health and the medications you are using whether herbs or scientific, you may want to schedule for an appointment with this great medical professional who has been in practice for over two decades and she will be of great help to you professionally and in confidence.

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems: How is Gotu kola promoted for use?

A lot of theories are being used when it come to the application of gotu kola. Some experts who support it use have reported that gotu kola possesses numerous curative qualities. At the same time some physicians maintain that gotu kola eases fever and relieves congestion caused by colds and upper respiratory infections. It is also reported that some women have used gotu kola for birth control, and some herbalists claim that gotu kola is an antidote for poisonous mushrooms and arsenic poisoning. Some believe that it can be applied externally to treat snakebites, herpes, fractures, and sprains. It is evident that gotu kola has several opportunities through which its application is being promoted. Like for instance in some folk medicine traditions, gotu kola is used to treat syphilis, rheumatism, leprosy, mental illness, and epilepsy. It is also used to stimulate urination and to boot out physical and mental exhaustion, high blood pressure, eye diseases, diarrhea, asthma, liver disease, dysentery, urinary tract infections, eczema, inflammation and psoriasis. Some manufacturers of the herbal supplement claim gotu kola can be used to treat cancer as well. That is a testimony of a host of applications opportunities and this introduces us to our next point of concern “what does it involve?”

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems: What does it involve?

Over the years this herb has been evolving and each time new development for it applications is being discovered. A lot of improvement has been made on it and today gotu kola is available in capsules, eye drops, extracts, powder, and ointments from health various food stores across the globe and over the online market (Internet). Doctor Dalal Akoury states that dried gotu kola can be made into dust form and be used as tea. She continues to state that if you are purposing to use this herd in whichever form, it would be advisable that you consult with your healthcare provider for advice on the right dosage. This is because the right and recommended dosage depends on the condition being treated and there is no general agreeable dosage. Now that you are up to date with its usage, let us walk you through the history journey of gotu kola herb.

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems: What is the history behind it?

Like we have already stated in the introduction, this herb (Gotu kola) has a long history in the folk medicines of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar including South Africa and is still widely used in these countries to date. For a very long time this herb has been used for generation to generation in India to promote relaxation, improve memory, and aid meditation. In traditional Chinese medicine, the herb is believed to promote longevity. The Chinese name for gotu kola translates to “fountain of youth.” A Sri Lankan legend says that elephants have long lives because they eat gotu kola. It therefore means that gotu kola has a very rich history and anyone wishing to join the history can do so.

Finally when opting to use gotu kola or any herb for that matter, it is not just enough to get information from the internet and by reading books and without further finding more go ahead and start using these herbs. Majority of herbal medications may not pose any threat but the fact that no tangible scientific evidence has been established about them, makes them only applicable on the instruction of the professional. Therefore I will advise you that before opting for gotu kola, seek for more information with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care.

Benefits of Gotu kola leaves and the Stems: Understanding the Herb Gotu Kola

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women

April 21, 2015

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women: Positive Early Breast Cancer

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women

Endocrine therapy is an important systemic treatment for all stages of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and has seen significant advances since Beatson first made the link between the endocrine system and breast cancer more than 100 years ago. In the past few decades, modern endocrine therapies, such as the orally administered selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) tamoxifen, have revolutionized early breast cancer therapy, offering a real improvement in terms of both disease-free (DFS) and overall survival. Treatment guidelines now call for the determination of estrogen and progesterone receptor status in all primary breast tumors and endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women. Nonetheless it is important to note that these therapies are only recommended for women with known hormone receptor-positive disease.

Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care are stating that unlike advanced disease, early detection of breast cancer is hypothetically curable. However treatment of early breast cancer may involve adjuvant therapy consisting of systemic endocrine therapy, chemotherapy or both. This can be done after initial surgery to remove the tumor to prevent or delay tumor recurrence. The ultimate goal of adjuvant endocrine therapy is to increase the chances of curing invasive early breast cancer, with as low a level of adverse side-effects as possible.

Historically, tamoxifen was the first successful hormonal treatment and became the ‘gold standard’ adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women. It has been shown to be more effective than chemotherapy in women of over 50 years of age with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. These findings have prompted its investigation as a chemo-preventive agent in women at risk of breast cancer. Bearing in mind that this study had a short follow-up, tamoxifen was found to be associated with almost 50% reduction in new tumors compared with placebo. As a result, Nolvadex™ (tamoxifen citrate) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for reducing the incidence of breast cancer in women at high risk of developing the disease. However, despite its proven effectiveness, tamoxifen therapy is still linked to a number of serious side-effects including an increased risk of endometrial cancer and sarcoma and thromboembolic disorders all of which are potentially life-threatening. This clearly limits its use both as adjuvant therapy (where it is usually recommended for up to 5 years) and in particular, as a preventative therapy. This shortcoming has prompted the search for, and development of, new agents with equal or improved efficacy and fewer side-effects.

Alternatively postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer may be offered adjuvant therapy with either tamoxifen or with an aromatase inhibitor. Aromatase inhibitors belong to a class of drugs that work by reducing the levels of estrogen in the body. Even if you have stopped menstruating, your body may still produce small amounts of estrogen in the adrenal glands, fat tissue and even breast tissue. These drugs for over two decades have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer. Such drugs include anastrozole (Arimidex^®), exemestane (Aromasin^®) and letrozole (Femara^®).

Postmenopausal women with hormone-positive tumors may do just as well or perhaps a bit better with an aromatase inhibitor when compared to tamoxifen. It is not recommended for these women to undergo ovarian suppression as adjuvant treatment since their ovaries are not producing estrogen. Oophorectomy would be considered in this case in women who are BRCA 1 or 2 mutation carriers or have a strong family history of ovarian cancer as a preventive measure. Experts recommend that patients who are diagnosed with early stage non-invasive breast cancer (DCIS) may be given tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer from occurring in the unaffected breast. But in all this, it is important to understand that the use of aromatase inhibitors in postmenopausal women with DCIS is under investigation.

Many women stop menstruating after receiving chemotherapy, often for several months or even a few years. This does not necessarily mean they are postmenopausal. It is possible that these women could still have functioning ovaries and premenopausal hormonal levels despite the absence of their menstrual periods. Also, ovarian function could still return unexpectedly. That said, women who are premenopausal, regardless of whether they experience temporary menopause because of treatments, should not be prescribed aromatase inhibitors (unless they are participating in specific clinical research studies). Aromatase inhibitors are typically reserved for postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women: Side effects of aromatase inhibitors

Like in all other medications aromatase inhibitors are also having their side effects which are generally mild and well-tolerated. They may include the following:

High cholesterol – You may need routine screenings. If cholesterol becomes a problem, you may be asked to reduce your intake of fat from meats and other animal products.
Hair thinning
Hot flashes
Decreased interest in sexual activity
Mood swings
Joint stiffness and pain, including carpal tunnel symptoms – In a small number of patients, this can be quite severe. If you develop severe symptoms your doctor may recommend that you temporarily stop taking it and then try another kind of aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen.

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women: Complications

The use of aromatase inhibitors may trigger complications where the patient loses the bone density. It is therefore advisable that all women who are considering using aromatase inhibitors to consult with their doctors about having a bone density study (DEXA scan). Besides that such patients should also take at least the minimum recommended daily allowances dose of calcium and vitamin D. and for those patients with some evidence of bone loss, your doctor may recommend that you increase your exercise level or take a calcium supplement. However if you are still experiencing problems with bone loss, a prescription of bone building drugs like a class of medications called bisphosphonates may be recommended. The drug Evista^® (raloxifene) is quite similar to tamoxifen and in general should be avoided by women who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer.

Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women: Positive Early Breast Cancer

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention

April 21, 2015

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention: Taming the unstable Free Radicles

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention is just the beginning, a lot more can be done

The human health is always in danger of attacks from all manner of diseases. People literally spend more than half and sometimes all their lifetime saving on medication. This trend if not addressed may render economies of many states to a halt. For every state to be productive they need to produce and there will be no production without man power. When the citizens are sick the economy is also sick. Cancer is one of the major life threatening health conditions today that needs to be addressed. Therefore we want to help you in this article with some tips you can use to be safe and healthy. Our focus is going to be on the application of antioxidants for cancer prevention. This is a very interesting discussion that you don’t want to miss. The experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury gives the following attributes and definitions of antioxidants:

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer.
Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals may have caused. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A and other substances.
Antioxidants are chemicals that interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage. Antioxidants are also known as “free radical scavengers.”
Antioxidants are chemicals that block the activity of other chemicals known as free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive and have the potential to cause damage to cells, including damages that may lead to cancer.
Free radicals are formed naturally in the body. In addition, some environmental toxins may contain high levels of free radicals or stimulate the body’s cells to produce more free radicals.
Some antioxidants are made naturally by the body. Others can only be obtained from external (exogenous) sources, including the diet and dietary supplements.
Laboratory and animal research has shown that exogenous antioxidants can help prevent the free radical damage associated with the development of cancer.
Research in humans has not demonstrated convincingly that taking antioxidant supplements can help reduce the risk of developing or dying from cancer, and some studies have even shown an increased risk of some cancers

From the briefs above it is evident that we deal expeditiously with free radicles if we are to be safe. Therefore in many cases the body will make some of the antioxidants it uses to neutralize the free radicals. These antioxidants are called endogenous antioxidants. However, the body relies on external (exogenous) sources, primarily the diet, to obtain the rest of the antioxidants it needs. These exogenous antioxidants are commonly called dietary antioxidants. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are rich sources of dietary antioxidants. Some dietary antioxidants are also available as dietary supplements. Examples of dietary antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E (alpha-tocopherol). The mineral element selenium is often thought to be a dietary antioxidant, but the antioxidant effects of selenium are most likely due to the antioxidant activity of proteins that have this element as an essential component (i.e., selenium-containing proteins), and not to selenium itself.

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention: Can antioxidants prevent cancer?

The question that lingers in everybody’s mind is “can antioxidants prevent cancer?” Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, the findings according to recent clinical trials were non-committal. Which then brings us to the next point of concern and that is “should people already diagnosed with cancer take antioxidant supplements?”

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention: Should people already diagnosed with cancer take antioxidant supplements?

Experts in several randomized controlled trials have investigated whether taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment alters the effectiveness or reduces the toxicity of specific therapies. Even though their findings were not consistent, there was evidence that people who took the antioxidant supplements during cancer therapy had worse outcomes. This result was very evident especially with those patients who were smoking. With the inconsistency it leaves room for more studies to be done to get the clear scientific evidence about the potential benefits or harms of taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment. In the meantime patients opting for the use of antioxidant supplement needs to consult with their doctors for direction.

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention: Which foods are rich in antioxidants?

As a matter of guidance, it is very important that you are aware of some of the food stuff that is rich in antioxidants. Most of such food stuff are in various kinds of fruits and vegetables besides other foods like nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish. The following are just but a small collection of such food:

Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich in beta-carotene.

Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.

Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.

Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3, 4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, and also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.

Finally cancer is not a disease you would want anywhere near you by all means. If you have never gone for checkup for cancer it is never too late to do it right now. Your health is worth the effort and for any pending concern you may have, you can call doctor Akoury today for assistance.

Application of Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention: Taming the unstable Free Radicles

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women

April 20, 2015

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Breast Cancer

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women are very essential in the cancer treatment for all women of all ages

At the mention of the disease cancer people frown and frustration follows almost immediately. Knowing how the kind of pain and suffering the cancer patients go through, a painless treatment solution would be highly recommended. Unfortunately as things stand now this is not the case further complicating the painful lives of cancer patients. Even though cancer does not discriminate on gender or otherwise, women are hard hit by this unhealthy condition. A lot of treatment procedures are being used including the endocrine therapy for premenopausal and postmenopausal for women. Speaking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about this condition, she states that women who have been diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer will often most likely be prescribed for daily oral medication after all other treatment ends. However, it is important to note that for endocrine therapy prescription will be done differently for each patient depending on whether they are premenopausal or postmenopausal.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal Women

Under normal circumstances premenopausal women with breast cancers that express the estrogen or progesterone receptor (ER or PR-positive) will in most cases advised to take tamoxifen for sometimes normally up to five years. This drug impacts the effects of estrogen in cancer cells and helps reduce the risk that the breast cancer will recur in women of any age by almost 50 percent.

Remember that this medication (Tamoxifen) can also be helpful in the reduction of the risk of developing a new breast cancer in the portions of the breast not affected yet. In some cases, women who are younger than 35-40 may also be considered for combined endocrine therapy with medications that temporarily stop ovarian function.

Doctor Akoury registers that in many cases majority of women stop menstruating after receiving chemotherapy, often for several months even though this may extend to a few years. It is also possible that these women despite this changes they are experiencing could still have functioning ovaries and premenopausal hormonal levels despite the absence of their menstrual periods. Besides, the ovarian function could still return unexpectedly. That said, women who are premenopausal, regardless of whether they experience temporary menopause because of treatments, should not be prescribed aromatase inhibitors (unless they are participating in specific clinical research studies). Aromatase inhibitors are typically reserved for postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Side effects of tamoxifen

Like with all other drugs the side effects of tamoxifen are generally mild and decreases with time. They include:

Hot flashes
Decreased interest in sexual activity
Weight changes
Insomnia or trouble sleeping
Vaginal discharge
Fertility issues
Memory loss
Fatigue
Joint pain
Headaches
Hair loss
Skin changes
Menstrual irregularity
Increased sweating
Nausea
Mood swings

Note that some side these effects can be alleviated through symptom management and other positive lifestyle changes.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Risk Factors

Serious complications with tamoxifen are rare, especially in women below the age of 50. Some of the complications may include blood clots (deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) or uterine (endometrial) cancer.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Ovarian Suppression or Ablation

For premenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors, ovarian ablation or suppression (stopping ovary function) may be an option. Since a premenopausal woman’s ovaries are the main source of estrogen production, temporarily or permanently shutting off their function has been shown to be effective (when used alone) in reducing the chances of a breast cancer recurrence. Studies are now confirming their usefulness when given with tamoxifen instead of chemotherapy or after chemotherapy. This is called ovarian ablation or suppression and can be done through surgery (permanently) or monthly hormonal injections (temporarily). The injection of medication will prevent you from ovulating or menstruating and will put you in temporary menopause. Surgery will prevent you from having to undergo monthly injections, but will put you in irreversible menopause. You should speak to your doctor regarding any plans to conceive children so that together you can decide which option is best for you and your family.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Ovarian Ablation

A bilateral oophorectomy or ovarian ablation is the surgical removal of your ovaries. This procedure is sometimes recommended if you have been identified as carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation and have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The surgical removal of your ovaries will reduce circulating estrogens in your body down to postmenopausal levels. This surgery is permanent and cannot be undone. For premenopausal women, an oophorectomy will prevent you from conceiving children and will cause permanent menopause.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Ovarian Suppression

Ovary suppression can be achieved by hormonal drug injections known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LH-RH or GnRH) agonist. This works by temporarily suppressing ovulation and, as a result, limiting the amount of estrogen circulating in your body. Estrogen levels usually are reduced to postmenopausal levels within two weeks. Treatment is generally administered by monthly injections. Although you will be in a temporary menopause while taking this drug, it is important to note that this is generally reversible and menstruation often begins shortly after treatment stops. This is not a fail-proof birth control method so you should use a non-hormonal form of contraception too, like an IUD or barrier methods such as condoms or a diaphragm. Side effects are similar to menopausal symptoms and include decreased sex drive, hot flashes, weight gain and bone pain. And to maximize on its effectiveness, ovarian suppression drugs and tamoxifen can be prescribed alongside.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Drug interactions

Antidepressants – It is estimated that as many as 30 percent of all breast cancer patients in the United States are prescribed an antidepressant at some time during their treatment. However some of these antidepressants may interfere with how tamoxifen works and therefore should be avoided. The following are some of the antidepressants which are expected to interfere with tamoxifen:

Paxil^® (paroxetine)
Prozac^® (fluoxetine)
Wellbutrin^® (bupropion)

In conclusion the endocrine therapy for premenopausal is conclusively addressed in this article and we are going to be concentrating on the postmenopausal in the next article. We want to request you to stay on the link for more health information. But in the meantime, if you have any concern you can about such treatments, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for more professional clarification.

Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal and Postmenopausal for Women: Breast Cancer

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