I am 77 years old and had a bladder suspension previously. I have taken a number of medications for my overactive bladder, but the side effects have been prohibitive. When I get the urge, I immediately use the restroom. I still have a leaky bladder. I also have a bulging bladder and have used a pessary, but it does not always work. Is there anything I can do for the bulging bladder and leaky bladder?

Dr. Holly L. Thacker shares 14 tips for a healthy heart.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s column on guns, safety and self-defense.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising obstetricians and other health-care professionals who care for pregnant women to test them for Zika infection if they show symptoms after visiting more than a dozen countries and territories where local transmission of the virus has occurred.The interim CDC guidelines focus on pregnant women who have fever, rash, muscle aches or conjunctivitis (pink eye) during or within two weeks of their travel to any of those locations. A positive…

Read Dr. Heather Hirsch’s article on planning for a health pregnancy and what exercises are safe during your pregnancy.

This magnificent dish is gourmet-on-the-go and takes minutes to prepare and has been one of Holly Clegg's most popular salmon recipes. This recipe is from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Eating Well to Fight Arthritis cookbook.

I was recently diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica and stopped the medicine, prednisone.

I have noticed continued hair loss, fatigue, and painful shoulders. Do you have recommendations on how to help my symptoms other than medicating with over the counter pain relievers like Tylenol?

I am postmenopausal and I am getting frequent urinary tract infections and yeast infections with vaginal soreness, irritation, and burning.

Is this possibly due to vaginal atrophy? I will be consulting with a uro-gynecologist at the end of the month. Is there anything I can apply topically for relief?

In 2004, I had a mastectomy of the right breast and lumpectomy of the left breast, removal of 9 lymph nodes under my right arm (4 were positive and cancer had gotten into the chest wall a little). I also had chemo & radiation, Herceptin once a week for a year, Tamoxifen for 5 years and I am working on finishing 5 years of Femara.

My cancer was the type that is so-called “estrogen positive”. Now I have vaginal atrophy and since I can’t take systemic estrogen my GYN physician told me there is nothing I can do except use KY-jelly or a similar item for my discomfort, but nothing was going to help it get better.

I’m 55 years old and this is very depressing news. The vaginal atrophy is very uncomfortable. Is their anything that I can do? I have a family history of breast cancer on both parents sides, and my mother had breast and ovarian cancer when she passed away.

I am having some vaginal bleeding and slight burning when I urinate. I put some H2O2 on my vagina and I nearly died from the amount of burning pain I had before putting it on me. It doesn’t bother me through the day, only when I urinate.

I recently had a vaginal ultrasound and I realized that after I left there and came home to wash the gel off, that I had this burning issue. I haven’t had intercourse in weeks. I looked at my vagina and it is very, very RED. Please give me some indication of a diagnosis? And can this be done with over the counter medication?

January 2016 -- Dr. Holly Thacker joins The Dr. Drew show to discuss women’s health, specifically with regards to women going through menopause.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s column on eating an anti-inflammatory diet that helps reduce joint pain.

What’s the difference between pre menopause, perimenopause and menopause? How will I know when I’m there?

Dr. Holly L. Thacker discusses a new study that finds a link between menopause age and depression.

Less than 10 ingredients, you have a satisfying bowl of chili with minimal preparation and maximum taste. Recipe from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Eating Well to Fight Arthritis.

I had a hysterectomy at 39 (55 now), and I have been told that I no longer need a Pap test, is this correct? I lost a sister at 42 years of age from 4th stage squamous cell cervical cancer and I am concerned. Thank you in advance.

Dense breasts are not a strong independent risk factor for breast cancer, according to a study of more than 52,000 mammograms.

What to do when there's more hair in the drain and less on your head. Hair loss is a natural but unloved part of aging. If you're concerned about thinning hair, here's what Dr. Holly L. Thacker and other experts say about prevention, effective treatments and realistic goals. HAIR LOSS IS A NATURAL but unloved part of aging. But sometimes bald spots or thin patches are signs of a medical condition or dietary deficiency. The first step in seeking a remedy is finding out the cause. Male or…

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroid disorder. My labs show me ’in normal range.’ My endocrinologist did not recommend thyroid hormone replacement until necessary (she said it could be years), and my GP prescribed me the thyroid hormone and thought I’d start with half a pill and "see how I feel".

Most of my symptoms are hyperthyroid, and my latest labs from one month ago show me ’slightly hyper.’ I am not taking hormones as of yet, as I’m worried they will make me MORE hyper. I am on propranolol to assist with high blood pressure that literally occurred overnight after years of no issues.

Meanwhile, I feel my body is simply deteriorating. The last 4-5 months I’ve had cracking of bones, a feeling of my connective tissue being compromised, and most recently a pretty bad case of psoriasis that itches and nail-pitting. I feel like my body is deteriorating, quite frankly and I’m not sure if this is Hashimoto’s OR something else going on?

If it is Hashimoto’s, would starting thyroid HELP with some of the tissue/bone sensations? Frankly, my endocrinologist even told me to just keep my management to my GP and check in with them once per year.

My second question, my psoriasis has been under treatment for 2 weeks now with no improvement and my doctor says to just stay the course. It itches so much and feel/looks like hives - very itchy welts on my lower legs, buttocks, hips. thighs and elbow. Is there another ’rash’ that often accompanies hashimoto’s patients? If this is psoriasis, it sure is stubborn.

Arising from concerns raised during the Town Hall at the 2013 Annual Meeting of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), Dr. JoAnn Manson spearheaded a Working Group that determined that current labeling for low-dose vaginal estrogen used for vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) indications was not evidence based, overstated risks through extrapolation of findings from trials of oral systemic hormone therapy, and did not accurately reflect the safety profile of low-dose vaginal estrogen. Under her…