Prime Time - Jane Fonda [101]
The hormones can be administered in several ways. Some women, like me, prefer the estrogen patch. The Vivelle-Dot seems to be a favorite. These patches provide transdermal creams, which may not go through the liver as much as oral doses. The Vivelle-Dot patch is small and transparent; the only way you see it is because it’s shiny. It also comes in different concentrations. If you don’t want to wear a patch, there are now very good gels, creams, and a spray that deliver estrogen through the skin. It’s not true for all women, but I took oral estrogen for six years and it went right through me—didn’t even register when they tested my blood levels—and it was probably creating those sticky teddy bear–like globulin proteins from the liver that killed off all my free testosterone. But who knew? Then, for many years, I used a low-dose Vivelle patch twice a week. But when a noninvasive cancer lump was discovered in my right breast (and removed), I had to stop all estrogen therapy.
Some women prefer and benefit from oral estrogen therapy because their good cholesterol (HDL) goes up. For some, the estrogen by itself is enough to raise their sex drive. For others, some testosterone, either in patch or gel form, will jump-start their libido and increase their energy and sense of overall well-being. For testosterone gel, you smooth a nickel-sized blob on your abdomen or inner thigh. It doesn’t take long to experience the results. Talk to your doctor!
The type of doctor we need to turn to for HT should be an ob-gyn who practices postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, as opposed to one who specializes in pregnancies and deliveries. Dr. Michelle Warren calls such doctors “menopause-friendly” and says they can be internists as well.
Human Growth Hormone
While we are on the subject of hormones, let me say a few things about human growth hormone (HGH), which has become a popular drug at many anti-aging clinics. HGH is naturally produced in the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, and serves to fuel growth throughout childhood. Around the time a person hits thirty, the pituitary gradually reduces the amount it produces. Injections of synthetic HGH stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more of the hormone, and this can increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. But there are no free lunches. HGH can be harmful, causing aching joints, fluid retention and swelling, and carpal tunnel syndrome; most important, its long-term use may cause cancer by fueling the growth of small tumors. We won’t even go into how expensive it is! As I said in Chapter 5, many doctors believe that the best way to stimulate growth hormones naturally is to get enough sleep, because that is when growth hormone and testosterone production peak.
In conclusion, hormone replacement therapy is a very individual matter—as are many of the current sexual-enhancement drugs—so please make sure you have a doctor who is knowledgeable, experienced, and up to date on the newest research when it comes to hormone therapy. And if you are still interested in making sexuality a part of your Third Act, why not consider paying a visit or two to a sex therapist with your partner—just for a little tune‑up to your largest sex organ: your brain!
CHAPTER 15
Meeting New People When You’re Looking for Love
Love is everything it’s cracked up to be.… It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for.
—ERICA JONG
IN THE NEW WORLD OF SERIOUS LONGEVITY, “TILL DEATH DO US part” has become profoundly challenging. Centuries ago, when that phrase was embedded in the marriage vows, we didn’t live eighty, ninety, even one hundred years. Face it: It is hard to find a mate who is not only right for us in the early, family-building years but still pleasingly appropriate for our middle and autumn decades. As I said in a previous chapter, I am a believer in the value of long-term