Caregiving Challenges
Your “Healthy Ways to Overcome Caregiver Burnout” article (February/March 2025) alerts a caregiver to many of the symptoms of burnout. However, more emphasis needs to be given to Kristi Horner's comment, “Caregivers often can't identify their burnout.” I experienced this as the full-time caregiver for my wife, who had progressive supranuclear palsy. I had no idea I was getting burned out until my two youngest daughters pulled me aside and told me it was time to get help. I encourage caregivers to listen to friends and family members when they approach you on this subject. — Allen Nixon, Farmington, CT
The February/March 2025 issue spoke to me as I am a caregiver for my husband with Parkinson's disease. I belong to a Parkinson's caregivers support group on Facebook. We all feel similar in dealing with the many issues caregivers have to navigate, but sadly, we all feel invisible. I've been advocating for Parkinson's caregivers to wear orange necklaces in public. Orange is the color for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. My hope is for the necklaces to make us more visible. I hope it catches on. — Deidra Bish, Meriden, CT
Impact of Menopause
You should print more articles on perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. My journey included trying to get on hormone replacement therapy for over seven years. I had extensive blood tests done during this time, thinking I might have a vast array of illnesses. My symptoms included tinnitus, memory loss, depression, migraines, brain fog, weight gain, hands going numb, arthritis, and anger. I am proud to say that I have been on bioidentical hormone replacement for a little over a year now. I slept the very first night. I was back to my old self in less than two weeks. I have now lost 29 pounds. All of my previous symptoms went away. I was able to get off of my migraine medication. I am loving life again at 52. — Chris Gibbany, Harrison, AR
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Hormonal replacement is not for everyone, and the benefit-risk ratio needs to be considered, says Teshamae Monteith, MD, FAHS, FAAN, professor of clinical neurology and chief of the headache division at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. For example, some people with migraine are hormone-sensitive, so headache frequency may increase. People with a history of blood clots or stroke also should avoid supplementation. There is little research on the impact of bioidentical hormones on brain health, Dr. Monteith adds. The decision for hormone replacement therapy often requires a multidisciplinary approach with gynecologists and internists taking the lead. However, the emerging subspecialty of women's neurology may help address neurologic symptoms associated with hormonal fluctuations and the transition to menopause. See our story about perimenopause, menopause, and brain health for more information.
Seeking Information
I enjoyed "The Amazing Race Host Phil Keoghan's Dedication to MS and TBI Awareness" (February/March 2025). My mild traumatic brain injury was caused by an accident while riding a bike. The helmet dissipated some of the impact but not all. Bikes are becoming more popular, but are the safety practices as good as they can be? I love riding my bike, but finding safe roads is challenging. Consider doing an article about cycling, helmets, injuries, and the LoveYourBrain organization [a nonprofit benefiting people affected by traumatic brain injury]. As a cyclist for 53 years, I can definitely say we are a car culture. — Joe Barrett, Asheville, NC
Please consider having an article about people coping with multiple neurologic disorders. In my case, I have both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Questions to consider: How to coordinate care? What resources exist for these situations? Who is doing medical research on this? What does “symptom management” involve? — Michael Purcell, Mundelein, IL
My husband and I read your magazine with great interest, but he wonders if you could do an article about trigeminal neuralgia. He has this on the right side of his face; it is extremely painful some days, and always painful to some degree every day. It affects not only a person's face, but the pain also affects their attitude. Fortunately, he naturally is a very upbeat person; otherwise, this condition might put him into, at minimum, a serious depression. It would be most helpful to read about others with this condition and be aware of the latest research on it. — Kandy Baumgardner, North Logan, UT
While I have seen references to narcolepsy in the content of other articles, I have not seen a comprehensive article on narcolepsy in your magazine. My family has multiple members who suffer from narcolepsy, and the biggest difficulty is that it presents differently in each one. How we have to manage it and how much and what kind of medication we need differs with each individual. It is nearly impossible to explain to anyone, including medical professionals, what it means to have narcolepsy and what we need in order to treat it specifically. — Marilyn M. Russell, PHD, Cheney, WA
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for the suggestions. We will consider them for our editorial calendar.
