MORE BLOG POSTS — Thyroid
Hair Loss in Women After 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
One of the most common complaints I hear from my female patients over 40 is that they're losing more hair than they used to—even if they haven't changed a thing. Sometimes it's the growing collection of hair wrapped around the shower drain. Sometimes it's the increasingly crowded hairbrush. Other times it's a ponytail that seems noticeably thinner than it once was. The truth is that some degree of hair shedding is completely normal. Most people lose dozens of hairs every day as part of the natural hair growth cycle. But if you're noticing more hair than usual in your brush,...
When Osteoporosis Isn't Just Menopause: Knowing When to Look Deeper
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Most women expect some bone loss as they age. After all, declining estrogen levels during menopause accelerate the breakdown of bone, making osteoporosis one of the most common health concerns facing women over 50. Because of this, many women—and even some healthcare providers—automatically assume that osteoporosis is simply part of getting older. But that isn’t always the case. The most important questions to ask when osteoporosis is diagnosed is whether it appears to be occurring as expected or whether something else may be contributing to the problem. In other words, is this simply age-related bone loss, or is osteoporosis acting...
Healthy Habits That Backfire After 40
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Some habits wear a halo they didn’t earn. They look healthy. They sound responsible. They’ve probably been recommended by a friend, a fitness app, or that one overly enthusiastic morning show segment. But after 40, your metabolism isn’t playing by the same rules it did at 25. Hormones shift. Stress hits differently. Recovery slows. And suddenly, a few of those “healthy habits” start quietly working against you instead of for you. If your weight isn’t budging—or your energy feels like it left the building years ago—one of these may be the reason. Let’s take a look under the hood. Eating Too Little This...
Thyroid Hormone Testing Explained
Posted by Lena Edwards MD on
Confused about thyroid hormone testing? …You’re not alone. In fact, most patients AND health care practitioners have difficulty understanding hormones in general and thyroid hormone in particular. One reason for this confusion is that many things can affect the way thyroid hormones work in the body. This can result in a patient having numerous symptoms of thyroid hormone imbalances despite having ‘normal’ blood work. Adding to the challenge of diagnosis is that some thyroid hormone levels can’t be tested in the blood. BUT…one major reason thyroid hormone imbalances go undiagnosed or aren’t properly treated is that thorough testing is often not ordered by...