Menopause SymptomsHave you ever wondered, "what is happening to me?" "Am I going crazy?" Every woman will experience at least one of the symptoms listed below. Others will experience more than one symptom. About 80% of women experience the most common symptom, hot flashes with perhaps night sweats and eventually vaginal dryness. Any of the symptoms listed, if not cared for in the proper manner, could lead you to feel anxious and depressed. You do not feel like yourself anymore. But with the right approach and a positive attitude they can all be managed.
With age our skin becomes thinner and wrinkles start showing up because of the lack of moisture in our skin. Our hair becomes thinner and grays may start to show (if you don't already have them). Eyesight may become better for those who were nearsighted when younger. Some may complain of dry eyes and it is more difficult to wear contact lenses. My recommendation: staying out of the sun but if you truly enjoy the sun please wear sunblock and clothing that protects your skin. Sunbathe smartly (early morning or late afternoon). For your eyes- visit your ophthalmologist at least once a year and wear dark sunglasses to protect them. Get 25% Off Celebrity Replica Sunglasses! This has been devastating for me. Hormonal changes can cause certain types of headaches and they usually stop once menopause is reached and our hormonal levels are stable again. Headaches could also be related to other factors like lack of sleep or insomnia and stress. My recommendation: try to sit or lay down, close your eyes and relax your body for at least 15 minutes. If you continue to get severe headaches consult your physician. When I get headaches I become less tolerant so I tend to remove myself from people. If I am at work, since I cannot stay away from people, I become very quiet and focused on my work. (I tuned out the world) No one knows exactly what causes hot flashes, but one theory could be that during menopause we don't produce enough of the hormone that signals our brain to regulate the bodys' temperature. Due to low estrogen levels the bodys thermostat is confused and sends signals to the heart, blood vessels and the nervous system to work harder, which then brings an abrupt sensation of intense heat and you start to sweat. Then the body cools down, leaving you feeling cold. I have not experienced night sweats but I have read that they can wake you up in the middle of the night, causing sleep disturbances, which will not allow you to fall into deep sleep, which is the part of sleep when you rest your body and mind and your body rejuvenates. I recommend: for immediate results, the gel packs that you freeze and you purchase at any drugstore.They are normally used for sore joints or sore muscles, or for after surgery to bring down the swelling, they have worked wonders on me. I take one from the freezer, lay down in bed and wrap one around my neck. The sensation is great because you feel totally cooled down, I read a book and then fall asleep. You can also wear pijamas that are very light on your skin. For night sweats put layers of towels underneath your body, that way when you break a sweat you can just pull it from under you and throw it to the floor. There are plenty of natural remedies, like soy and black cohosh to help you with hot flashes and night sweats. To help cool you down at bed time you might want to try the chillow-pillow.
Change in Menstrual Cycles Many women will experience changes between 5 - 8 years before menopause and in others their period will just dissapear. The cycle could get shorter, experiencing more frequent than 28 days cycle. Bleeding could last fewer or more days. You will experience light and heavy flow of menses, sometimes only spotting. At times you will even skip a menstrual cycles. This is due to the lack of progesterone and estrogen production. These hormones are the ones responsible for regulating your menses. I recommend: What our mother's would say before we left the house: "Always be prepared." Carry with you extra tampons or sanitary napkins. You can also carry an extra pair of panties (just in case of an accident). This is where atrophy comes in as I mention in Sex During Menopause. Because the estrogen levels are lower, the vagina becomes less lubricated and therefore the vaginal lining becomes thinner causing irritation and susceptibility to vaginal infections. This is why sex is not as pleasurable as it use to be. Vaginal dryness is also associated with having little or no sex life, or at least not enough to keep the vagina lubricated. I recommend: using vaginal moisturizers for the itching and to soothe the lining of your vagina. For intercourse use a lubricant. Be careful, select one that does not harm you. During this time in our life there are many stress factors that come together with menopause; the death of parents or realizing that they cannot be alone anymore, divorce, empty nest or the realization of never having had children - these are all factors that can leave you vulnerable and moody. You need to try to understand that during this time your emotional state is fragile, you could have a great day one day and a not so great day the next and that is okay. The coping mechanism that you develop during this time will make a huge difference in your life. I recommend: Taking time to breathe and to get back in control of your emotions. If you need time to be alone - do so. Don't be afraid of crying, laughing or whatever you feel like doing (of course during the right time, not at work - people might think you have totally lost it). Try to develop hobbies that you are interested in. Exercising is wonderful for moodiness and helps you release stress. You also want to keep a healthy and active social life. Friends are wonderful to have, specially during this time. Meet with them and go to the movies, a theater or just for a coffee. With everything that our bodies are going through how can we not become forgetful. Between the hot-flashes, the moodiness, the headaches, the physical changes and lack of sleep, how can we possibly concentrate? I myself, find it quite distracting and difficult to focus. I start one task and I may need to go to the bathroom. On my way there, I will think of something I need to do, I start doing it, I forget I needed to go to the bathroom and forgot the first task I was doing. I can easily get distracted by one simple thought. This becomes very frustrating because I never seem to finish anything. Instead, I have a whole slew of projects that I have started and not completed. I am trying to become more focused and try not to overflow my to do list. My recommendation: This is one I myself am working on but I have found that writing everything down on a "To Do List" helps, as long as I do not get distracted by something. Keeping a notepad handy and writing down every task that needs to be done (when you remember it) helps. Having specific places to put things is very helpful, like for example putting your keys in the same place everytime you come in the door. Lack of estrogen weakens the bladder control muscles. Therefore, sneezing, coughing, laughing can squeeze urine through and you cannot control it. You will also notice that you are urinating more frequently than before. 30% of women in midlife will experience stress incontinence. My recommendation: do pelvic floor exercises, better known as Kegel exercises and you can use the FPT System
Recent studies show that a few extra pound (within limits of course) may be beneficial in later years. On the other hand, obesity, our most common health problem, also is a contributing factor in a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, arthritis, certain types of cancer, adult diabetes and heart attacks. My recommendation: Maintain a daily routine, including regular and adequate nutrition. In order to control weight and minimize other nutrition related health problems, all of us need to have a basic understanding of nutrition knowledge. Exercising will decrease your hot flashes, give you energy, and improve your mood. As we age we lose lubrication in the joints, causing aches and pains. The joints also swell causing stiffness. During midlife many women are diagnosed with osteoporosis. My recommendation: Most of all exercise, is the way to help painful joints. 10 to 20 minutes a day is all it takes. Have you ever heard "if you don't use it you loose it", well that is why exercise is so important, you have to move to avoid stiff joints. Whatever you choose to do, swimming, dancing, running, yoga, aerobic exercises, as long as you do something that requires you to move. See my page on exercises. Estrogen enables bone restructuring by allowing new cells replace old cells. This is how bones remain strong and dense. Because the level of estrogen decreases, the bones become brittle and can break easily. My recommendation: Take a daily supplement of calcium. The daily recommended dosage is 1000mg a day but women in menopause are recommended to take 1200mg a day. Eat leafy greens which are rich in calcium - spinach is a good example of it. See page on nutrition. It is very common to experience palpitations during a hot flash. It will pass once the hot flash has passed. It's normal to feel anxious specially if you have never experienced it. I recommend: To take a couple of deep breaths and relax. Stay calm, inhale and exhale slowly until you are stabilized. Take it easy with yourself. You know yourself, if this is something you feel frequently have it checked by your doctor. Though some women could experience an increased sex drive during menopause there are far more women that during midlife are experiencing a decreased sex drive. This is due to lower hormone levels. Also, the different physical and emotional changes that we go through that we might just not feel up to having sex. We are very tired and emotionally drained just trying to figure out what is going on with us. The last thing in our minds is "SEX", but the truth is, we need it and so does our husband. I recommend: Do not walk out on yourself or your partner because you are going through midlife and menopause. Love yourself and those around you. You need sex in order to not have genital atrophy (vaginal dryness, shrinking of the vaginal tissue). Remember that it is important to take time for you, relax and be good to yourself. If you have a positive attitude towards life, love making will come to you in the most natural way. Your partner should have respect and consideration for you in order to understand that you might not be in the mood today but tomorrow you might just be. So be tender to one another. Enjoy life and everything that comes with it. Read my page on Sex During Menopause. |
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