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Am I beginning Menopause?Whether we like it or not, menopause “the change” is going to happen to all of us women! Thanks to the internet we have so many choices from various websites to gather information about symptoms for perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. As women, we owe it to ourselves to be informed so we may ask our Doctors the right questions and get the answers that give us peace of mind. For instance, is 38 too young to experience perimenopause symptoms? Can I be screened for menopause? Am I losing my memory or could it be a menopausal symptom? Hot Flash! Did someone say HOT FLASH!? Is estrogen replacement safe? What are my heart health risks? How long does menopause last? These are just some of the questions that need to be addressed as you experience perimenopause, menopause or post menopause. You may also get more information about these topics at WebMD.com.
What is PeriMenopause?Perimenopause is the signal that your body is beginning its natural transition to menopause. During this time, your levels of reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate. This means your body will begin to have some menstrual cycles in which you do not ovulate. You can still become pregnant however during the times you do ovulate. Some studies have shown that if you have not ever had a baby, or if you have had, heart disease, cancer and cancer therapy or a hysterectomy, you could begin perimenopause at an early age. Some also believe that your mother’s and sister’s history could be a tale tell sign of when you would become perimenopausal. Perimenopause can begin around the age of 35, but usually begins around 40. One can never know when Perimenopause will begin or end, but it can last anywhere from a couples of months to 8-10 years with a variety of symptoms.
There is no one test to conclude if you have entered perimenopause. What you can do if you believe you are experiencing it, is to keep a menstrual cycle chart, gather a menstrual history from your mother and sister(s), make a list of all of things your body is feeling and for how long. This will come in handy when you contact your Doctor and will help in a diagnosis. Your Doctor may also do a hormone test and thyroid test as well. It is important to track these changes, as once you start to have irregular periods, that is a usually a good indication of perimenpause, but on occasion, the symptoms above accompanied by heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding in between periods, periods coming less than 21 days, and periods that last longer than 8 days, may be signs of something else gynecological occurring. Talk to your gynecologist about a low dose birth control pill to help ease the night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Even you don’t need a birth control pill, they have found these to be very helpful to most women. Talk you Doctor about the risks of birth control pills as well. If you don’t want to try birth control pills, another choice is just eating a good, healthy diet and making sure you get exercise most every day for at least 30 minutes to help prevent weight gain. A nutritious diet and regular exercise will also assist in the fight against osteoporosis and heart disease. A healthy diet is one that is high in fiber and low in fat and loaded with fruits, vegetables and whole grains and don’t forget to add calcium-rich foods or take a calcium supplement. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine, which could trigger hot flashes, will help too. Taking care of yourself in this way may also improve your sleep, strengthen your bones and can help you take the edge off and feel happier. What is Menopause?There are approximately 150,000 American women each year that reach Menopause, which means they have not had a period for 1 full year. What it also means is that you are producing less estrogen, (hot flashes are coming) and less oxytocin (nurturing feeling may be less) and less progesterone, so you may feel like a new and different you. The general age that menopause begins can be from your late 40’s through your early 60’s. As you know, it is very hard to predict a specific timeline, so where as it can begin in your 30’s or 40’s, it usually begins around 50 years of age. You’re on your way to saying goodbye to your periods! In the meanwhile, some of the common Menopausal symptoms are:
Post Menopause: Hormone (Estgrogen) Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Natural RemediesMany women feel better and more focused post menopause whether they use HRT or not. Some women go through menopause with hardly any symptoms and don’t choose Hormone (Estrogen) Replacement Therapy. Other women do want Hormone Replacements and need to know the facts about the latest studies. Hormones can present risks like stroke, heart attack and increase your chances of breast cancer. There in lies the controversy, the risk vs. benefits. There are several factors that would help decide if you are a good candidate for hormones. If you or your family history have had breast cancer, stroke or heart attack, hormones would may pose more of risk to you. However, if you are healthy and are taking a low dose estrogen pill, like Ortho Prefest, you may never experience any of the risks listed above. Hormone Replacements come in all different forms such as pills, creams, gels, transdermal patch, and vaginal ring. While Estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms and post menopause, there are also other options that may be less conventional, but still work for others. Natural Remedies such as Black Cohosh is one of the more thoroughly researched herbs which contains phytoestrogens. Prevedia, found at Nutrica.com is a natural menopause remedy that is composed of highly purified extracts of the herbal plants Tribulus terrestris L. and Black cohosh, as well as Calcium. Of course, talking to your Doctor is recommended before you try any product.
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