MENOPAUSE

A testimonial letter

My girlfriend and I were joking around the other day. I had mentioned I was hot and she said to me; "What are you having a hot flash?" We laughed and we went on with our day. Later that night I got hot again and thought back to what my girlfriend had said and started thinking when do you know you are going through menopause, what are the symptoms anyway?

So I went on line and did some research. Did you know that there are 35 Possible Symptoms Associated with various Stages of Menopause? What I have realized is that if you have at least two of these symptoms and you're close to 50 years old, chances are it COULD be the onset of peri-menopause. Many of the symptoms could indicate other problems too (such as thyroid), so it is always a good idea to make note of what you are experiencing and go see your doctor..

So I called my girlfriend to talk with her about all my research I had found and she also had some good advice she said; remember, some of these are normal effects of the aging process where the only treatment is acceptance and taking good care of yourself!

So I thanked her and went back online to write this letter about what I have learned and what to look for if you think you have menopause. This is what I found out.

On average, menopause occurs at age 51, but like the beginning of menstruation in adolescence, timing varies from person to person. Today, an estimated 50 million women in the United States have reached menopause and most women will spend at least one-third of their lives in or beyond menopause. Yikes!

Remember, there are 35 possible symptoms that can be related to the onset of menopause. Here they are but try not to get obsessed with them and know that it can just be normal aging and you are far from the days of menopause.

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
2. Bouts of rapid heart beat
3. Irritability, Mood swings
4. Sudden tears
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
7. Loss of libido
8. Dry vagina
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
15. Itchy, crawly skin
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
17. Increased tension in muscles
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain
26. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
30. Tingling in the extremities
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing' buzzing etc

Try not to get to depressed when you read this. Menopause is the last stage of a gradual biological process in which the ovaries reduce their production of female sex hormones.

Estrogen production in the body diminishes slowly over a period of years, commonly resulting in hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and memory loss. This gradual phase before the permanent cessation of menstrual periods is sometimes called perimenopause.

The process of menopause is considered complete when a woman has not menstruated for an entire year. Another type of menopause, known as surgical menopause, occurs if both ovaries are removed for medical reasons. This may be done at the time of a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).

Gee, doesn't that sound final?! Why can't they say oh yeah by the way you don't have to go buy tampons every month and you can wear white anytime you'd like and the pain the pain we deal with for two days or more will not be there and our moodiness we can no longer blame on our hormones Ok well that part isn't such a good thing but there are upsides ladies it is not the end of the world it is just a new beginning, like spring.

We do need to be careful however, about the loss of estrogen that occurs during menopause causes the following symptoms:

• Irregular menstrual cycles-menstrual bleeding slows, becomes erratic, and then stops permanently (the process takes about 4 years) Hot flashes, flushing of face and chest (may be accompanied by heart palpitations, dizziness, headaches)
• Night sweats
• Cold hands and feet
• Vaginal changes-dryness, itching, bleeding after intercourse
• Urinary changes-frequent urination, burning during urination, urinating at night, incontinence
• Insomnia
• Mood changes-depression, irritability, tension (usually occurs with sleep disturbances)
• Loss of skin tone leading to wrinkles
• Weight gain and change in weight distribution with increased fat in the central, abdominal area

Over time, depleted estrogen levels can contribute to the development of more serious medical conditions, including the following:

1. Osteoporosis
2. Cardiovascular disease
3. Alzheimer's disease
4. Macular degeneration (a serious eye disorder and the leading cause of blindness in the Western world)
5. Glaucoma · Colon cancer

So remember ladies, to laugh, grow older with grace and sophistication and pride but arm yourself with knowledge to better care for yourself. -- Anne Harmon

Medicines for Menopause

There are many medications available in the form of natural and synthetic hormones (estrogen and progesterone) to treat symptoms of menopause. Commonly referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), these medications are usually administered in pill form, although skin patches and vaginal creams may also be used.

Unfortunately, hormone treatment for menopause is still quite controversial. Many women find the conflicting information regarding whether or not to take hormones confusing, even frustrating. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, only about 15 percent of women who are eligible for HRT are now receiving it. This means that 85 percent of American women have either not been told about this option or they choose not to take HRT.

The following information represents a summary of the most commonly used hormone medications. A woman and her healthcare provider can discuss the pros and cons of all treatment options to determine which approach is most appropriate.

Estrogen

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) refers to the administration of the female sex hormone, estrogen. In addition to reducing the symptoms of menopause, ERT is thought to help prevent the devastating effects of osteoporosis and reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, particularly bad cholesterol. Most studies showing long-term beneficial effects for ERT have examined this hormone alone.

The decision regarding whether to take estrogen depends on several factors including a woman's risk for cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and osteoporosis, as well as the severity of her menopausal symptoms.

Studies indicate that estrogen helps to reduce hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also slow bone loss thereby minimizing fractures associated with osteoporosis, and improve cholesterol levels. Women who take estrogen appear to be at lower risk for Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer, and macular degeneration. Estrogen may also prevent heart disease in women who have never had the condition, but women who already have heart disease do not appear to share that benefit. Despite these potential advantages, some studies indicate that estrogen increases the risk of developing breast cancer, gallbladder disease, asthma, liver disease, blood clots and, if used without progesterone, uterine cancer. Side effects of estrogen use include bloating, nausea, and breast tenderness.

Estrogen is available in a variety of forms-estradiol is considered the strongest form and estropipate the weakest. Mixtures of estrogens (also known as conjugated estrogens) are also often prescribed.

Estrogens (or estrogen derivatives)
• Conjugated equine estrogens-available as tablet, cream, or injection
• Conjugated synthetic estrogens-tablet
• Dienestrol-vaginal cream
• Esterified estrogens-tablet
• Estradiol-tablet, cream, transdermal patch, vaginal ring, or injection
• Estriol-a weak estrogen; available in Europe in oral, topical, or vaginal gel forms; made in compounding pharmacies in the United States as tablet, capsule, or gel that include 10% estradiol, 10% estrone, and 80% estriol; serum levels of estradiol and estrone should be followed and the dosage adjusted if levels fall outside the therapeutic range
• Estropipate-tablet, cream Ethinyl estradiol-tablet

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