Menopause Welcome to the Affordable Drug menopause information page. If you are of menopause age you may be interested in learning more about menopause. Here you can learn about post menopause, menopause signs and symptoms, menopause treatments and even why menopause is associated with depression and insomnia. You can also find the best prices available on menopause medications. The content contained on this page is not intended to replace the professional advice of your physician.
What is menopause? Menopause is the term used to describe the physical change in a woman in which she moves from the ability to bear children to the inability to bear children. Women are born with a specific number of eggs. As these eggs are released and the woman ages, the woman naturally moves closer to menopause. After the last egg is released from the ovaries, there is little to no use for the monthly process of preparing and then shedding of the endometrial lining (the lining of the uterus). Therefore, the female body stops producing the hormones needed to create and then shed that lining in addition to the hormones used for ovulation. The most common symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, weight gain, inability to conceive children, reduction in sex drive, dry vaginal area and cessation of menstrual cycle.
What age does menopause occur?
There is no set age for menopause to begin, but generally speaking, perimenopause often begins as early as 45 years of age. Perimenopause is the onset of menopausal symptoms. These symptoms will first appear sporadically with fewer and fewer menstrual cycles happening each year. This is often when women ask their obstericians the question, "what is menopause?".
In a growing number of cases, women find themselves asking what is menopause earlier in life thanks to complete surgical hysterectomies. Unlike natural menopause, complete surgical menopause causes the sudden onset of menopausal symptoms due to the removal of the uterus and the ovaries. If the ovaries are left intact, the female hormones will continue being released and natural menopause may not occur early.
How will I know when menopause is approaching?
There are both physical and psychological changes that take place in the body as menopause approaches. The first physical symptom is most often a change in the pattern of the menstrual cycle. The cycles will often become less heavy and the time between the cycles will lengthen. Some women experience one or two menstrual cycles a year for the last few child bearing years. Other physical changes to look for include difficulty sleeping, itchy skin, fatigue, achy joints, incontinence, breast tenderness, indigestion, gas and nausea.
Women asking what is menopause are often surprised to find out there are psychological symptoms associated with menopause. These psychological symptoms can be directly related to the hormonal changes or related to the fear associated with losing the ability to bear children. Some women approach menopause with the feeling they will be less of a woman once they are unable to have children. In addition, menopause can cause feelings of depression, loss of memory, anxiety, irritability and mood swings.
Perimenopause, or the time between the onset of menopause and full menopause, can last anywhere from five to fifteen years. The symptoms of menopause can begin as early as 35 years of age.
Menopause Causes Menopause is a naturally occurring process in women that begins after a lack of menstruation for a full year. One of the causes of menopause is the discontinued function of the ovaries. The ovaries control the menstrual cycle and produce the necessary hormones which allow a woman to ovulate and carry a baby. Once the ovaries fail to produce these hormones, ovulation and menstruation no longer occur.
The main hormones that the ovaries produce are estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen has a wide range of functions throughout the female body. One of its most important functions is maintaining bone density. However, estrogen's crucial role is in the regulation of the menstrual cycle. Once menopause begins, estrogen production decreases significantly. However, other organs, like the adrenal glands, can produce estrogen if they are functioning well enough. Progesterone production is controlled entirely by the ovulation process. Once ovulation ceases progesterone levels are nearly undetectable.
The extreme reduction of these hormones can be a very difficult experience to process. Menopause causes a woman's body to struggle to produce and regulate hormones through different pathways. This is when she may experience the side effects associated with menopause. Menopause causes hot flashes, digestive changes, mood swings, insomnia and a decreased libido.
Besides regulating reproductive hormones, the ovaries also house all of the eggs, or ova. At birth, a girl will have several million eggs. The number of eggs a woman has decreases over the course of her life through menstruation and a process called atresia, the dying off of eggs. By the time a woman reaches menopause she may have only a few thousand eggs. However, the lack of viability of these eggs to be released is one of the causes of menopause. This normally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 but occasionally a woman will go through early menopause.
The causes of menopause earlier in life can be from a disease, such as cancer or diabetes. These diseases can tax the body's functions and disrupt the normal hormonal cycle or destroy the eggs. Getting a hysterectomy is also one of the causes of menopause if the ovaries are removed along with the uterus. Some disease treatments, including chemotherapy, can damage the ovaries and cause menopause to occur.
Menopause Depression Does menopause cause depression? Most people are aware that menopause and depression are linked. But exactly how are they linked? One school of thought says the fluctuating levels of the hormones, in particular serotonin and estrogen, bring on depression. Serotonin is the �feel good' hormone, credited with regulating mood, and estrogen is the female sex hormone, made by the ovaries. As these two hormones decrease during menopause, a woman can have intense feeling of sadness, anxiousness and hopelessness: menopause depression.
A second theory is that just the idea of menopause is enough to depress some women. Many females feel a loss of identity along with the loss of the ability to have children. Plus, several symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, can raise the likelihood of depression. For example, one remedy for depression is exercise, but hot flashes can increase during exercise. A menopausal woman wanting to avoid hot flashes, may also avoid exercise. In turn, lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, which is yet another cause of depression in women. All in all, a vicious circle that is difficult to break.
Studies have shown that anywhere between eight and fifteen percent of women are affected by menopause depression. These percentages are based on menopausal women who have been clinically diagnosed; if one considers all women who have not been officially treated for depression, the numbers could be much higher.
If you are suffering from severe menopause depression seek help. First of all, talk to your doctor. Many times he/she will recommend non-medicinal remedies such as exercise and a healthy diet. If exercise is unproductive, a calming form of activity such as yoga or meditation can reduce depression. Positive results have been achieved with prescription anti-depressants and hormone replacement therapy, but be sure to discuss all possible side affects with your doctor, especially when taking these drugs as a cure for menopause depression.
Other places for help can be found in one's own family and social network. Staying connected to the people around you can ease depression for a menopausal woman. Try to remain socially active, have a low level of stress, and seek professional help if you need to. Menopause depression is a real medical condition and should be taken seriously. Without treatment, menopause depression can have serious and permanent effects.
Menopause Hormones When a woman's body has no more need of the ability to reproduce,
usually between the years of 45 and 55, it enters into the phase known
as peri-menopause, which may last for weeks or months, where the
hormone levels are fluctuating, causing symptoms which indicate
menopause will follow. These hormones are chemicals which control the
woman's fertility cycle each month, while she is still of child
bearing age. A woman has completed the peri-menopausal stage and
entered menopause when she has not experienced monthly periods for one
year.
The same hormones involved in puberty, when the body was being made
ready for child bearing activities, are involved in the process of
menopause. The time involved in moving from fertility to the inability
to reproduce is as short as a year or two, or can take up to nearly a decade, all
depending on factors individual to each woman.
Levels of estrogen and progesterone, the menopause hormones made in
the ovaries, rise and fall slightly more or less efficiently during
the time before the ovaries cease production altogether. This is what
causes the typical symptoms such as hot flashes, dryness of skin,
irritability and unusual monthly bleeding patterns.
While still in the peri-menopause phase, the levels of estrogen and
progesterone are at lower levels than before, and the cycle of eggs
released and available to be fertilized becomes disrupted. One month
may be a normal cycle, while the next is not, so the hormone estrogen,
which comes from the egg, falls, and eventually the womb lining, the
destination of a fertilized egg, is not produced at all, or shed every
month in the form of bleeding. As the menopause hormone levels drop,
the body does not receive its chemical cues to prepare for a possible
pregnancy, and after 12 months with no monthly bleeding, true
menopause begins.
In full menopause, the levels of both estrogen and progesterone are
lower, monthly bleeding has ceased, but other hormones involved like
androgens and testosterone reduce at a much slower rate, in fact, the
ovaries continue to produce testosterone after menopause, which may
lead to development of extra hair on the face and body.
Synthetic hormones are often used to lessen troublesome symptoms; they
vary with the woman's situation. A patient who has undergone a
hysterectomy, that is the removal of her womb, would be prescribed
estrogen to help control strong symptoms, where a patient with her
womb intact needs both estrogen and progesterone. The replacement of
menopause hormones is a serious consideration for women, especially if
their symptoms are very severe. Replacement therapy can help to guard
against many diseases associated with aging, such as losing bone
density and heart disease.
Replacement therapy involving menopause and hormones has made great
strides forward in the last decade, alleviating difficult symptoms and
allowing women greater control over their lives in this phase. Talking
to a family doctor is strongly recommended when any form of
replacement menopause hormones are being considered, as dosages in
medicines sourced from plants varies more than synthetic menopause
hormones which are specially designed to always contain the same amounts.
Weight Gain Menopause Even though it is a sign of the loss of youth, one thing about menopause that many women like is not having to deal with that monthly inconvenience any more. However, another thing they definitely DO NOT like is the inevitable weight gain and change in body shape. Menopausal weight gain is one of its foremost symptoms of "the change" and is considered normal. About 95 percent of women gain some weight during the menopausal years.
It's common for women to gain 15-20 pounds starting with the onset of menopause, known as perimenopause. The weight can be gained at the rate of a pound a year, sneaking up and catching them by surprise. This menopausal weight gain does not distribute like normal weight gain. It tends to settle around the abdomen rather than hips, thighs, bottom and abdomen. Unfortunately, redistributing that weight and regaining an hourglass shape may be next to impossible.
Weight gain and menopause can be depressing and damaging to the fragile menopausal psyche. Often, even if you eat the same way you always have and exercise often, you can't get back or maintain your old weight. As menopause goes on, it can be almost impossible to lose weight. This is not your fault. Menopause and weight gain come hand-in-hand because of the changing hormonal levels in your body. Appetite, metabolism, and fat storage are strongly influenced by the changing balance of hormones.
� Depleted estrogen levels are one cause of menopausal weight gain. Estrogen levels drop rapidly during menopause and your body stops producing ovulating. When this happens, your body tries to find estrogen from another source, and this source is fat cells. Your estrogen-deprived body works to convert calories into fat in order to increase estrogen.
� Progesterone production also slows drastically during menopause. The lack of progesterone can lead to water retention, thus giving the appearance of weight gain and causing your clothes to fit tighter.
� The hormone androgen increases during menopause and this hormone is the culprit that sends menopausal weight gain we have right to the mid section.
� The last of these hormones to affect menopause and weight gain is testosterone. Like estrogen and progesterone, it's levels decrease. Testosterone creates muscle out of the calories we ingest, so without enough of it we lose muscle and without muscle our metabolism lowers.
The only "treatment" for menopausal weight gain is the same for losing weight for any other reason: a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.
Menopause Insomnia Whether you've spent most of your life with the ability to sleep all through the night, or have suffered from bouts of sleeplessness, menopause can change your relationship with sleep. Menopausal insomnia is quite common but it's hard to pinpoint just how many women suffer from it because they often don't mention the problem to their doctor.
Menopause insomnia can occur for several reasons.
HORMONES - The hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to decline when you get older changing how your body functions. Hot flashes and night sweats from the hormone changes can wake up even the soundest of sleepers.
SLEEP APNEA - Since weight gain is common in menopause, it can cause sleep apnea which disrupts the sleep cycle.
STRESS/LIFESTYLE CHANGES - Whether it's relationships, teenagers or your job, the demands being placed on you at the menopausal time of life can cause you to alter your lifestyle. Maybe you consume too much caffeine or too much alcohol. Maybe you smoke or even have begun to take supplements or medications. All of those changes can affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
There are several things that you can do to alleviate menopausal insomnia.
SET BEDTIME - Having a regular bedtime can signal to your body that it's time to sleep.
ROOM TEMPERATURE - Make sure that the temperature in your bedroom is a few degrees cooler so that when you do have hot flashes and night sweats you will be more comfortable.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES - Avoid alcohol, tobacco, caffeine and some supplements during the day and especially before you go to bed.
EXERCISE - Regular exercise can help tire you out and keep excess pounds at bay. Try to schedule your workout early in day, the closer it occurs to bedtime the greater the chance it will disrupt your sleep.
NO NAPPING - Avoid taking naps during the day so that you will be sufficiently sleepy at bedtime.
OVER-THE-COUNTER - If making simple changes doesn't help, there are several over-the-counter sleep remedies that can be taken for short periods of time. There are not just medications, but herbal supplements that can help as well.
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR - If your menopausal insomnia continues long-term, you will want to seek the advice of your doctor. Your doctor can make recommendations, which may include a prescription, that are taylored to your needs.
What is Perimenopause? Perimenopause is the transitional stage of a woman's reproductive life. It occurs as the female's body begins to prepare itself for menopause.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause occurs in the years leading up to menopause. During this stage, the production levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fluctuate. Estrogen levels rise and fall, and menstrual cycles may lengthen or shorten. It is possible to have menstrual cycles in which you do not ovulate. For some women, the perimenopause stage can last just a few months, or for up to ten years, and ends twelve months after menopause begins. Perimenopause usually occurs when women are in their 40s, but it can also start in women as early as their 30s.
What Are Symptoms of Perimenopause?
Symptoms of perimenopause can be subtle, and not-so-subtle. Hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep issues may be signs of perimenopause. Mood changes can also be an indication. Depression, anxiety, and irritability could be caused by the hormonal fluctuations. If sleep problems occur, the mood swings may be caused by sleep deprivation. The decreased estrogen production can result in vaginal dryness, which may cause intercourse to be painful. The hormonal change during the premenopausal stage can also decrease the libido. Menstrual cycles may become irregular and may be heavier, shorter, lighter or longer. The onset of urinary problems may be due to perimenopause, including an increased number of urinary tract infections and urine leakage while coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Thinning hair or hair loss, changes in body and breath odor, and breast tenderness can be symptoms of perimenopause. Other indications are crashing fatigue, Tinnitus, changes in fingernails (cracking, softening, and easy breakage), and weight gain around the waist.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Perimenopause
If you think you are entering the premenopausal stage, make an appointment with your gynecologist or physician. Make detailed notes of your symptoms, and discuss them with your doctor. Since perimenopause is a gradual process, it can be hard to detect and may require several tests, such as blood tests and hormone level tests. A Thyroid check may also be needed to diagnose perimenopause. However, perimenopause can also be diagnosed by menstrual history, age, and body changes. Many women treat their perimenopause symptoms by toughing it out and adapting to a healthier lifestyle by exercising, eating healthier and reducing stress. Others may choose to discuss symptom treatments such as oral contraceptives and progesterone therapy with their doctors.
Post Menopause Health experts consider a woman to be in post menopause a year after she has stopped having her monthly period or immediately after having surgery that would naturally cease her menstrual cycle, such as having surgical removal of the ovaries. A doctor can also confirm that a woman has entered into post menopause by measuring a hormone called the follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, with a simple blood test. In post menopause, ovaries decrease in size, although testosterone is still produced in them.
Often, post menopause is an extremely joyful time in a woman's life, as the taxing symptoms of menopause have ceased and energy has been renewed. Many women feel like a new chapter of life can begin, and go about learning new things and discovering new interests.
However, there are increased health risks at this period of a woman's life due to the lowered levels of estrogen in her body. A woman is more at risk for osteoporosis and heart disease during post menopause, but these risks can be lowered with exercise and the proper diet. Ten to fifteen percent of women also experience vaginal dryness, which can lead to painful intercourse, and decreased libido and incontinence are also issues women can face at this time. Bleeding during post menopause, while almost always a result of hormone fluctuations, must be checked out immediately by a doctor because in some cases, it signifies a serious underlying medical issue.
If a woman experiences uncommon vaginal discharge during post menopause, it could be a sign that the walls of her vagina are weakening and deteriorating. Women can also continue to experience hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, fatigue and heart palpitations during post menopause. These conditions and symptoms make it very important for women to continue seeing their gynecologist for routine check ups, which include mammograms, breast exams, Pap smears, pelvic exams and blood tests.
It's also vital for women to use a good multi-vitamin during post menopause. Vitamins D, B6, B12, K and others all provide key nutrients, and calcium and magnesium supplements are also a step in the right direction. These vitamins help a woman's body adjust to the hormone variations and increased risk of disease at this time in her life.
Post menopause is an exciting and enjoyable new time in a woman's life, but also a time to take preventative measures against health risks and conditions.
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