Menopause is a perfectly natural occurrence that indicates the end of a woman’s menstrual periods. It occurs when the ovaries stop producing sex hormones, which leads to the menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings. It also occurs when the ovaries are removed surgically or the ovaries stop functioning for any reason. This is known as “surgical menopause,” but the symptoms and treatment are the same.
Older women often have misconceptions and myths about menopause they learned from their own mothers. They think that life is useless and boring after menopause. However, today, many women begin the day with new discoveries and face challenges at their work during menopause. They know that menopause is a natural contingency in the process of aging. It carries no serious health risks. So, in order to formulate best health decisions, try to understand menopause symptoms and its treatment options.
The frequency and severity of menopause symptoms totally varies from woman to woman, but the most common menopause symptoms are hot flashes, irregular bleeding, urinary incontinence, mood swings, and vaginal atrophy. When hot flashes occur, sudden intense waves of heat and sweating are observed in the upper part of the body, especially the chest, face, and head. Flushing and sweating usually occur as well, followed by a chill. Some women feel their heart beating very fast and become worried.
Hot flashes can last from a few seconds to several minutes. This also varies from woman to woman. Women who have had hysterectomies are more likely to have hot flashes while most of the women experience their hot flashes in the first 2 years after menopause. However, some women have their hot flashes several years before menopause while some have them for 10, 20, or even 40 years or longer after menopause. In addition, these flashes can also affect your social life and work. They can disrupt your sleep if they occur night and the bed sheets of your bed can become wet with sweat.
Most women notice the symptoms of premenopause, most notably the irregular periods. In fact, changes such as shorter or longer periods, heavier or lighter menstrual bleeding, and varying lengths of time between periods may be a sign that menopause is near.
Menopause leads involuntary leakage of urine, infection, or painful urination.
Depression may also occur before menopause. However, it is unclear whether depression is linked to low levels of estrogen or to the many changes women face during their 40s and 50s (such as career or marriage pressures, or care of children or aging parents).
By knowing the four stages of menopause (and how to identify which one you are in), you will be better able to overcome the 35 (or more) symptoms of menopause which accompany it. Menopause does not have to be a traumatic, difficult time of your life that you have no choice but to suffer through. There is constantly new research being done that is helping women deal with - if not totally alleviate - the symptoms of menopause. Many of these therapies, once considered “alternative,” involve herbs or other methods that are helping aging women lead normal, healthy lives.
Karen
Menopause and Weight Gain
Menopause and weight gain are closely associated with each other. Women undergoing menopause seem to suffer the unwelcome results of weight gain. Nearly every woman struggles through it during perimenopause and menopause. A woman gaining from 10 to 15 pounds during this stage in her life is not unusual. What makes it even worse is that various studies also show that weight gain before and during menopause can actually increase the risk of breast cancer in women.
There are many factors involved that allows women to gain weight during menopause. One of them is hormonal changes with age. During menopause, women begin to experience having lower levels of estrogen in the body. Estrogen has been linked to weight gain in menopausal women along with the decreasing levels of testosterone.
Another factor that has a role in weight gain among menopausal women is the development of insulin resistance. This can occur during the menopausal years when the body becomes inefficient in metabolizing every calorie taken in, eventually converting it into fat. Eating mostly processed and refined foods can make the body resistant to insulin that is being produced in the blood stream over time. This is being cited as one of the causes of weight gain in women after the age of 40.
Another probable reason for weight gain in women during menopause is stress. Stress is a major factor involved in weight gain during menopause. When stress hormones are produced in the body, they signal it to go into storage mode, making weight loss even more difficult. The stress hormones enable the body to undergo what is also known as the “famine effect”. In this stage, the stress hormones lead the body into thinking that it won’t be getting food again for a long time so that it shifts to storing every calorie it takes in, thus causing weight gain.
It can be very difficult for women to undergo weight loss during menopause. What most women can do is to learn how to accept weight gain during menopause as a natural thing. Weight gain during this period of a woman’s life is not entirely bad. Weight gain may even provide some good. A little weight gained may help in lessening anxiety as well as hot flashes that are also the usual symptoms that is associated with menopause. Weight gain during menopause is also a means of the body to prepare itself from osteoporosis or other types of illnesses.
There is a way that women may be able to do in trying to keep weight gain during menopause in check. Eating a balanced diet may help make weight gain during menopause a benefit instead of a burden. Women should avoid the consumption of refined sugars as well as processed foods and instead fill up their daily diet with fruits and vegetables.
Women undergoing menopause and weight gain should also try to avoid crash diets. It will only makes things even worse as starving the body will only cause one’s metabolism to slow down and cause even more weight to be gained in the process. In the same way women during this stage in their lives should avoid losing large amounts of weight.
Drastic weight loss or becoming very thin during menopause can result in increased risks of developing osteoporosis later on. Remaining active may help in increasing metabolism and burn some of the fats in the body during or after menopause.
Steve Cownley
http://general-info.890m.com/generalinfo/category/fitness-and-health/weight-gain/
Viola
There are plenty of alternative treatments such as biofeedback and medical treatments, such as hormone therapy that can help a woman cope with her menopause symptoms.However, despite the available treatments, some women don’t only worry about the symptoms of menopause; they worry about entering menopause too early.
What is considered early menopause? Early menopause is characterized by not having your period cycle for 12 consecutive months prior to being 45 years of age. Aside from early menopause there is also premature menopause which occurs before age 40, and is commonly known as premature ovarian failure (POF) if it occurs naturally. POF simply means that a woman’s ovaries are malfunctioning and prematurely shutting down in her 20’s, and 30’s, decades before they naturally should.
What is the cause of early menopause? Early menopause can occur for a number of reasons, some of which include:
Autoimmune disorders - It is estimated that 2/3 of women who suffer from POF have autoimmune disorders; a medical condition characterized by the body’s immune system malfunctioning and attacking itself. In the case of POF, the autoimmune disorder eventually results in the destruction of ovarian function.
Chromosomal Irregularity - This is a hereditary condition in which a woman has a defective X chromosome. In short, if one of a woman’s two X chromosomes is defective, it can interfere with egg production which can result in early menopause.
Total hysterectomy or Oophorectomy - When the ovaries and uterus are surgically removed (total hysterectomy), or when only the ovaries are removed (oophorectomy) a woman is put into menopause, regardless of her age.
Chemotherapy or radiation - Certain types of chemo and radiation treatments for cancer can damage the ovaries and put a woman in menopause right away.
Other reasons why a woman may experience early or premature menopause include:
Ovarian damage that results from surgery
Viral infections
Hyperprolactinemia (Overproduction of prolactin causes amennorhea - cessation of periods)
Thyroid disease
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (characterized by skipped or missed period cycles)
Cushings disease (characterized by overactive adrenal glands and can result in amenorrhea)
Family history
The following are the signs and symptoms of perimenopause (stage before menopause occurs) to watch for -
Irregular periods (Skipped periods or change in duration or frequency)
Infertility
Vaginal dryness
Hot flashes
Breast tenderness
Stress incontinence (bladder control issues)
Restless sleep and/or insomnia
Headaches
Gastrointestinal upset (constipation, diarrhea, nausea, bloating etc.)
Tingly or itchy skin
Thinning of hair or hair loss
Weight gain
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Moodiness
Anxiety
Irritability
Low sex drive
Mental fogginess
Depression
Extreme fatigue
Emotional detachment
Lack of concentration
How can you determine if you are experiencing early menopause? If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, or others that are not listed and you suspect you may be experiencing pre-menopausal symptoms, it’s time to bring your speculations to your doctor.
There are three main tests you can take to determine a menopause diagnosis -
1.FSH test - A follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test is used to test a woman’s FSH levels. If levels are high it’s a sign that the ovaries have stopped producing sufficient estrogen and could mean that the body has begun menopause.
2.Blood test - You can ask your doctor for a blood test to determine estradiol levels. Estradiol is a form of estrogen and the levels decrease when the ovaries begin to fail. Therefore, low estradiol levels may be a sign of early menopause.
3.Thyroid test - A thyroid test is a good idea because many perimenopause symptoms mirror thyroid problems. Therefore, this test will help you determine if what you are experiencing is indeed early menopause.
If you are diagnosed with early menopause, you will find that there are different treatment options to help you cope with symptoms. Be sure to talk to you doctor about all possible treatments.
Melanie
My mom has Menopause and read somewhere or saw on TV where they said (think it was Dr. Phil) where there are foods you eat and a special diet and you don’t get those terrible hot flashes all the time that my mom is currently getting.
Any advice or links appreciated!
Dean
There are several factors that may contribute to a woman experiencing early menopause (menopause before the age of 45), which include premature ovarian failure, surgery, cancer treatment, viral infections, thyroid disease and many others. No matter what the case may be, hearing that you’re going through menopause years before you were expecting to enter this transition can be very scary and intimidating, leaving you with many unanswered questions.
It’s so very important to realize that you can and will continue to be the same person - you’re not going to suddenly transform into an old lady, so don’t allow your mind to believe you will. You may be feeling like you’re less attractive or less desirable, but when these feelings of inadequacy pop into your head, remind yourself that you’re still a young woman and all that comes with it. You’re beautiful, sexy, capable and strong. Yes, your reproductive system isn’t what it was, but keep in mind that you’re much more than eggs and fallopian tubes - you’re a woman with so very much to offer.
Symptoms of early menopause can be uncomfortable, but fortunately there are many remedies that reduce and eliminate the discomforts of early menopause. Just as with menopause in an older woman, younger women experiencing early menopause will notice physical symptoms, such as:
• Irregular periods
• Infertility
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Insomnia or disrupted sleep
• Weight gain (especially around your mid-section)
In addition to the physical symptoms of early menopause, women may also notice some changes in their emotional state, as well. It’s not unusual to experience the following:
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Lowered libido
• Difficulty concentrating
• Confusion
• Fatigue
Coping with symptoms of early menopause can be emotionally difficult. Fortunately, lifestyle changes and other remedies can significantly reduce the physical symptoms of early menopause. Once you’ve conquered the physical signs it’s quite likely that you’ll begin to feel like your old self again and, as a result, you’ll become more optimistic and emotionally healthy. This is probably why many women choose to make lifestyle changes that have proven to effectively reduce the severity of symptoms associated with early menopause, perimenopause and menopause. For instance, it’s extremely beneficial to avoid triggers that have been known to cause hot flashes, such as hot beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, hot weather and warm rooms.
If your sleep patterns have become disrupted, try to avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine. Also, it’s a good idea to read or take a hot bath right before bed so that you’re relaxed and more likely to fall into a nice sound sleep.
If you transform your diet into one that is healthy and includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you’ll notice a tremendous improvement in your overall health and just how much energy you have. You’ll want to avoid saturated fats, oils and sugars, and consume approximately 1,500 milligrams of calcium, plus 400 to 800 international units of vitamin D each day. Supplements may be required to reach these amounts. If this is the case, talk with your doctor to be certain you’re getting exactly the right dosages and ensure you’re on your way to as easy a transition as possible.
You’ll be absolutely amazed by what a regular exercise program can do to reduce and even eliminate many symptoms of early menopause. If performed correctly, exercise will protect you from conditions that are common among post-menopausal women, such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. In addition to preventing these conditions, exercise will eliminate the weight gain associated with menopause and will also provide you with energy that you thought may not ever come back. Exercise has also been proven to reduce the occurrence of hot flashes.
Hormone therapy (HT) also is quite beneficial in reducing many symptoms of early menopause. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that the risks of HT, which include heart attack, stroke and breast cancer, may outweigh the benefits. While these studies may have changed the course of HT, estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for many early menopause symptoms. If you have not done so already, talk with your doctor to find out if a very low dose of estrogen will provide you symptom relief.
Finally, I know that this is very difficult for you and you’re likely very confused. Perhaps you were planning on having children, which may no longer be possible. Even if you weren’t considering a pregnancy, early menopause can be emotionally devastating. Please remember that you are young, you will remain young. You will no doubt get through this, because you’ve shown your strength simply by logging onto the Internet and searching for options and treatments. You’re beautiful and you have a strong resolve; I believe this and I want you to believe it too.
Jorge
Do women look older because of menopause? I have read it can affect the facial bones and skin.
Bonnie
I have had symptoms of my period since friday today is wednesday I have nothing but still have the symptoms. My kids are 20, 17 I had a tubaligation done 17 yrs ago, but they only guarantee it for 7 years. How long should I wait to take a test ?
This may help I am crampy, bloated, sick, bitchy, sleeping alot,
legs ache, back ache. The only thing I am not doing is bleeding and eating chocolate. (that is usual) also I am going to be 37 in OCT. But, I also know you can start menopause at 35. HELP!!!!!!!!!
Micheal
were you depressed? or was it just a case that depression is a symptom of the menopause?
Alexander
What I mean is that tamoxifen and drugs try to cancel the effects of estrogen and progesterone. That shouldn’t even be applicable to women past menopause!
Cynthia
Menopause is a completely normal phase of life for women, and when it happens in healthy women it is accompanied by certain physical changes which could be distressing, unless the women experiencing them understand why they are occurring. Many myths and untruths have arisen around the subject of menopause, however, including the one that during menopause the ovaries will shrivel and eventually disappear.
Menopause Starts In The Thirties Or Forties
Research ahs shown that in some women menopause can begin as early as the thirties and forties, and early menopause may be a sign that those experiencing it simply have too much stress in their lives. The entire process of menopause will take at least a decade to complete, and its fully pronounced effects will be visible in most women by the time they reach their mid-fifties.
So the average age of menopause is usually between the mid-forties and the mid-fifties, but science has yet to come up with a method for pinpointing the onset of menopause. The general rule of thumb is that any woman who has not menstruated for twelve consecutive months is in menopause. Another factor used to determine the average age of menopause is the age when a woman’s mother reached menopause, as most women will experience menopause at around the same age as their mothers.
Ethnicity, birth control use, the number of children a woman has had, or the age at which a woman began menstruating have no effect at all on the average age of menopause. Research does indicate, however, that smoking can cause early onset menopause.
The Stages Of Menopause
Menopause occurs in three distinct stags; perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. The ages at which they occur can be a factor in the average age of menopause.
There are three types of menopause to consider which are perimenopause, menopause as well as postmenopause that can help determine the average age of menopause. But the most accurate way to gauge the average age of menopause is to keep track of when a woman first experiences changes in her menstrual periods.
If her periods become lighter and last for a shorter time, she is likely to have entered perimenopause. But some women can experience full menopause and the cessation of menstruation in their thirties, while others may continue to menstruate well into their fifties. So the average age of menopause can be difficult to estimate. For more info see http://www.menopausesymptomshelp.com/Post_Menopause on post menopause you.
Women who begin menstruating early in life tend to have a delayed menopause. But women who have had a hysterectomy, research shows, are likely to experience menopause about four years earlier than the average,. Finally, perimenopause can affect the average age of menopause because it lasts anywhere from ten to fifteen years.
Jamie