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Symptoms

Usually self-diagnosable, a combination of symptoms can cause anxiety or depression. I have been in postmenopause since 2005 and I am almost 52 years old. So I have also been on hormone therapy ever since then. So many ups and downs go along with menopause. It is a new journey and part of life for most women. I had too many cysts on my ovaries and had to have a full hysterectomy.

Symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, night sweats, pain during intercourse, increased anxiety or irritability, and the need to urinate more often. Menopause can also cause hair dryness or loss of scalp hair,  anxiety, dry skin, irritability, moodiness, reduced sex drive, or vaginal dryness. It isn’t easy, but it can be managed. I have experience brain fog as well.

Everyone is different and may experience every one of these symptoms differently. The night sweats were the worst for me. Always hot, but waking up in a swimming pool is the worst. No way to get comfortable or get any sleep. My husband froze in winter because I needed the window open.

Types of Menopause

Menopause is a time of transition and change in a woman’s life that results in permanent ending of reproductive fertility and the end of monthly menstrual cycles. This change typically occurs when a woman is in her late 40s to early 50s. By definition, menopause is recognized when a woman hasn't menstruated for 12 months. If a woman misses a few periods, then has a period, then menopause is not considered to have taken place until 12 months after that last period.

 Perimenopause

This can include a year or more leading to menopause, where symptoms related to menopause appear. You may start to experience hot flashes, night sweats, sleep and mood changes. You might experience months of severe symptoms, bellowed by months of no symptoms.

Post Menopause

This will be 12 months after the last menstrual cycle. Menopause is what happened 12 months ago. Post menopausal women can still experience hot flashes, night sweats, sleep and mood changes for years. Hormone patterns will have an effect on our health and quality of life…for the rest of our life. Each of us has a different hormone need and management. We are not all a one size fits all.

Artificial (surgical) menopause 

This is a consequence of surgical removal of both ovaries or destruction of the ovaries by some cancer treatments. With artificial menopause there is a sudden drop in hormone levels and menopausal symptoms begin abruptly. Often the symptoms experienced are more severe than those experienced with natural or premature menopause. Unfortunately this is what happened to me with a hysterectomy.

 

"Menopause is a transition that may show up in many different ways.
There are actually 12 different Menopause Types®.
Treat each woman according to her own Menopause Type®.
Treatment choices must include diet, lifestyle, nutrition, 
herbs, hormone precursors and natural hormones." by Joseph J. Collins, RN, ND

In menopause there are a number of possibilities:

     Estradiol & progesterone are both adequate.
     Estradiol is deficient.
     Progesterone is deficient.
     Estradiol & progesterone are both deficient.

Add to those four possibilities the fact that:

     Testosterone may be normal.
     Testosterone may be low. 
     Testosterone may be high.

Source from Dr. Joseph Collins, RN, ND

 

Seeing a good doctor is so important to help us manage our symptoms so we can live a normal life…or as normal as possible. I do experience brain fog and some forgetfulness on top of mood changes still. I do have the night sweats and hot flashes under control. I used to take a Premarin pill once a day, usually at night. It seemed to help me sleep better. I have switched to a patch now, and no longer worry about blood clots as a side effect. That doesn’t happen to everyone, but it was something I did worry about. 

Every woman is different, traditionally every woman has received one type of menopause therapy--a "one-size-fits-all” hormone solution. This is the first book to offer women an individualized treatment for the specific symptoms of menopause. Click on the book above and read a bit about it. It may be something to help you out if you are in any menopausal state.

 

Signs and Symptoms 

Periods may become lighter or heavier, longer or shorter, the time between periods may increase and there may be occasional missed periods. These changes may occur gradually in some women, and more abruptly in others.

There are also a wide range of physical and psychological signs and symptoms associated with menopause. In some women they are very mild while in others they are more severe. They may last for only a few months or may continue for several years. The average length of time for menopausal symptoms to be experienced is three to five years.

  • Hot flushes (occurring in approximately 60% of women)
  • Sweats (often at night)
  • Tiredness 
  • Headaches
  • Joint and bone pain
  • Palpitations
  • Thinning hair
  • Dry skin
  • Unusual skin sensations
  • Vaginal dryness, incontinence and infections of the urinary tract and vagina may occur due to the thinning of the vagina and bladder walls.

  •  Psychological signs and symptoms may include:

  • Anxiety

  • Reduced interest in sex

  • Irritability and mood swings

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Loss of confidence

  • Forgetfulness

  • Difficulty sleeping 

  • Depression

If symptoms are problematic, or a woman is at high risk of developing osteoporosis or heart disease, medical treatment may be recommended.  Ultimately, the decision to have treatment is a very personal one and should be made by the woman only after receiving a full explanation from her doctor of the advantages and disadvantages of the various treatment options.

Do you think you are in menopause at all? What do you do to help you symptoms? Share with others so we can help each other out.

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As a valued subscriber, you'll be the first to receive our latest articles, delicious recipes, creative homemaking ideas, and insights on embracing the empty nest stage. We hope our content brings you inspiration, encouragement, and a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings in your life.

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