Women experience a broad spectrum of symptoms as they approach and experience menopause, with many symptoms, including weight gain, more connected to hormone levels than they may realize, according to Rachel Fidino, an award-winning expert on hormones, aging and weight management.
Fidino, a double-board certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with a Doctor in Nursing Practice and certifications as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and in Advanced Genetics Nursing, founded New U Women’s Clinic and Aesthetics to combine her expertise in hereditary cancer syndromes, comprehensive women’s health, hormone replacement therapy, and state-of-the-art aesthetic procedures.
According to Fidino, women should have their hormone levels checked starting as early as 35 years old, given their importance in addressing common health concerns.
“Women have often seen several providers by the time they make it to my office,” Fidino said. “Those who are perimenopausal may come in with subtle symptoms, such as changes with their menstrual bleeding pattern or not sleeping as well at night to severe vasomotor symptoms. The list of symptoms that we often hear from women in perimenopause and menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, decreased sex drive, sleep issues, thinning hair, fatigue, decreased stamina, decreased muscle mass, and much more.”
The varied symptoms do not appear in isolation, and are often accompanied by a correlation between hormones and weight gain, which is important to consider when managing perimenopause and menopause. Thanks to her patient-centered approach, the women who come into Fidino’s office are able to open up about the full spectrum of their symptoms, allowing her to identify root causes, leading to long-term success in their treatment.
“Hormones are like a delicate dance that must be in harmony to achieve balance,” Fidino said. “Once I identify the hormone causing most of their symptoms, I delve into the treatment options. Most women, once they no longer need birth control, are not keen on returning to it, as they often don’t feel great while on it. I discuss FDA-approved bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which involves giving the body back the hormone(s) they are lacking. This type of therapy isn’t synthetic and complements the patient’s natural hormone production.”
Along with natural menopause, some women experience artificial or surgical menopause, often through hysterectomy and the removal of ovaries. As a result, they require hormone replacement therapy, which greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer of women.
Estrogen also reduces appetite, and for women with ovulatory dysfunction, a lack of estrogen could increase the risk of obesity.
“Many women think that ‘going through the change’ means that they have to sacrifice their quality of life, and this is just the way things have to be; however, this is quite the opposite,” Fidino said. “Unfortunately, women are told that this is part of the aging process, and they have to deal with this. I was told the same thing when I went into menopause. I simply refused to accept this from providers and discovered that menopause can be a time of fulfillment and joy, especially with the help of hormone replacement therapy.”
When hormones are managed, women can achieve long-term weight-loss success, which is one of the main reasons Fidino’s patients do not regain weight after completing her program.
Fidino’s supervised weight management program is the result of her 13-year study of weight loss success and her own journey of losing over 40 pounds. The program is tailored to each patient’s goals and expectations, and that personalized approach has led to several patients losing more than 100 pounds.
“Hormones and weight loss go together. If a female is seeing me for hormone therapy, there is typically a conversation on weight concerns,” Fidino said. “It’s rare to see a patient for hormone concerns and their weight isn’t an issue. Once a patient feels good on the inside, she will focus on the outside, whether that be weight loss or aesthetics. Our slogan here at New U is Where Wellness Meets Beauty.”
TMX contributed to this story.