CONTINUED- Called to Medicine..... Called to Community An Intimate Chat with Dr. Jelisa Timmons
DZ – Our male counterparts find it hard to believe that women’ s bodies change and with it come unpredictable waves of emotions. It is almost dismissed as drama. Can you explain PMS and Menopause Mood Swings? What is happening to our bodies? What can we do lifestyle wise to lessen the experience?
JT – To the men out there, I promise we are not just being dramatic! Hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, aren’ t just about periods or pregnancy— they actually affect the brain. They impact areas that control emotion, memory, and stress( like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex). When these hormones rise and fall, they influence mood, energy, sleep, and how we handle stress. When hormone levels dip, like before a period or during menopause, we may feel irritable, quick tempered, emotional, weepy, anxious, overwhelmed, experience poor sleep … It is not just in our heads, there are real chemical shifts happening in our bodies.
Having mood changes can be normal. However, when you have more severe changes in mood, that can be considered premenstrual dysphoric disorder( PMDD). If you are concerned about that, you should see your doctor. We do sometimes have to consider medication management in these cases. Things like exercise can help your mood. Being intentional about diet – higher protein and fiber, limiting sugars – as this can reduce“ crashes” that come from blood sugar swings. Getting good sleep can help your mood. Also, giving yourself a little grace around those times can go a long way too.
DZ – At what age should women have annual pap smears? When does that change for us?
JT – 21! Regardless of sexual activity, you start getting your cervical cancer screening at age 21. From age 21-29, every 3 years if normal. From ages 30-65, every 3-5 years depending on if human papilloma virus( HPV) testing is done as well. At the age of 65, paps stop if you have had had normal paps on your routine screenings or you have had a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons.
DZ – Do you have any advise for women who are battling with weight and considering managing with the injections available today?
JT – I am sure we have all heard about the weight loss injections, and they are great. However, I think that we need to look at these weight loss injections as a tool to aid in weight loss and not a magic drug. How you eat and how much you move is still very, very important to your overall health. I would be careful of a lot of the online advertisement or social media advertisement. Make sure you talk to a doctor to make sure it is a good fit for you. There are some non-injectable options that are also great tools as well.
DZ – What are some symptoms of early Diabetes? What can be done to manage and prohibit it from advancing? What foods and lifestyle habits contribute to diabetes and high cholesterol?
JT – The challenge with things like diabetes and high cholesterol is that you usually don’ t feel anything until it is either too late or too far along. Now, for really high blood sugars you can experience excessive thirst, excessive urination and changes in vision. If you are experiencing any of those things, please go see a doctor. Many times, with pre-diabetes( high blood sugars that are not yet diabetes) you may not feel anything. It is really important to make sure you are having regular physicals to check on these things and get labs.
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