The Food and Drug Administration has approved elagolix (Orilissa) for oral treatment of moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis, announced AbbVie and Neurocrine Biosciences; this approval makes it the first such treatment in more than a decade. Elagolix is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist and the first and only one developed specifically for managing this kind of pain. The approval is based on two 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3…

Cleveland Clinic nutritionist Kristin Kirkpatrick discusses the new field of nutrigenomics and how your genes may dictate what is your best diet.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid is changing the way it pays for prescription drugs, giving the boot to all pharmacy middlemen because they are using "spread pricing," a practice that has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions. Medicaid officials directed the state's five managed care plans Tuesday to terminate contracts with pharmacy benefit managers using the secretive pricing method and move to a more transparent pass-through pricing model effective Jan. 1. "It will provide volumes of…

Bold flavors give this simple chicken dish lots of pizazz. This recipe is from Holly Clegg's trim&TERRIFIC® Eating Well To Fight Arthritis.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s column describing our new website look with updated web site navigation, tools, terrific information and more!

I was wondering if my medical insurance covers non-surgical treatment CoolSculpting®?

I am just getting 1 or 2 hours of sleep a night as my hot flashes keep me awake all night. I have the air conditioning on as cold as I can without freezing others. After the hot flash I get cold, so all night I am pulling the covers off, then putting them back on. I can't have my husband lay close to me at all.

I am a Minister and when I speak to the congregation as soon as I start to move around or get excited the hot flash will start, and I am not able to give the best sermon or concentrate like I should. I can’t take black cohosh because it hurts my stomach. My forgetfulness is horrible and it is hard to remember what I just said or what I was talking about. It is hard to function at work and I am not giving my family the attention they deserve. My baby girl is getting married and I am doing everything I can to muster up the energy to remember and give my daughter the support from her mother. Please help!

I have stage IV breast cancer and take an Aromatase Inhibitor (Letrozole) as part of my treatment. I have severe vaginal dryness and atrophy, continuous UTIs and pain in the urogenital area. I recently read an article saying "Intrarosa 0.5% DHEA nightly vaginal suppository contains NO estrogen and is safe to use in women who have to avoid estrogen." None of my doctors agree that Intrarosa would be safe for me to use because of my ER/PR+ cancer. They claim that DHEA turns into estrogen, so I should not take it.

One gynecologist did suggest the possibility of me using Intrarosa (vaginal DHEA) when my regular gynecologist was out. What are your thoughts?

From the CDC and the ACIPThe CDC and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently released updated recommendations regarding the influenza vaccine for the 2018-19 “flu season.” This report updates the 2017–18 ACIP recommendations. The ACIP continues to recommend that all persons 6 months and older to receive routine annual influenza vaccination with a licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine, unless they have specific contraindications. Two of the three viral…

What would cause swelling in your fingers on both hands other than gout? My first finger started itching, feeling warm and then swelling.

Accidentally, it was discovered that my B12 blood test has been always running abnormally high. This has been since 2013 after a complete hysterectomy as I had an ovarian tumor removed which was of low malignant potential. Usually, it is running in the 1100s, and in 2014 was up to 3737.

I was sent to a hemotologist who ran more blood tests and said he could find nothing wrong and perhaps my diet was so good that I run high. I do not eat red meat, but I do eat chicken, pork and fish. Now my primary doctor wants me to repeat going to an oncologist, but not sure if I should as blood cancers were ruled out last time I went. Any ideas?

Read guest columnist and medical breast specialist Dr. Holly J. Pederson's column on direct to consumer home genetic tests for breast cancer risk assessment.

I am not able to use any form of hormone replacement due to severe headaches. I had a total hysterectomy at age 50, and I am 67 years old now. I have very severe dry vaginal tissue that breaks and bleeds, and I get urinary infections from the breakage. It has been 7 years since my husband and I have been able to have relations due to my issues. I am desperate for a solution.

The FDA cautions against energy-based procedures In July 2018, the FDA released a statement of concern reiterating the need for research and randomized clinical trials before energy-based device treatments can be widely accepted, and that they are currently cleared only for general gynecologic indications and not for disorders and symptoms related to menopause, urinary incontinence, or sexual function. The FDA stated that “we have not cleared or approved for marketing any energy-based devices…

The North American Menopause Society's September issue of Menopause e-Consult features expert commentary from Dr. Heather Hirsch on midlife-related clinical issues. Dr. Hirsch is a graduate of the Cleveland Clinic Specialized Women's Health fellowship program. ► Question: After she recently screened positive for BRCA2 mutation, a 42-year-old woman in my practice underwent risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO). Now that she is postmenopausal, she suffers from significant night sweats, poor…

This Italian favorite turns into an easy and effortless one-dish recipe with layers of chicken, marinara, cheese and topped with crunchy croutons. This recipe is from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC® KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence.

Dr. Camille Moreno discusses the signs of the Female Athlete Triad and what treatments are available to help girls and women suffering from the extremes of exercise and dieting.

What does it mean to have yellow, sometimes white, but always very opaque discharge shoot out and down your leg?