A cool autumn day, Sue Ellen and their teenagers watch football when suddenly Ellen seems to be flushed and sweating. Sue Ellen asked if it was correct. "Oh, it's a hot flash," says Ellen. "What happens to me a couple times a week, even at night. At first I did not know what happened, but my doctor told me that the symptoms of menopause." Sue laughed and said: "Yes, I remember the hot flushes, but they are now."
Menopause or "change of life 'is different for every woman. For example, hot flashes and sleep in May disturb your sister. Meanwhile you will enjoy a new sense of freedom and energy. And your best friend may not be aware of a change at all.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a normal part of life, like puberty. It is the time of your last period, but symptoms can begin several years earlier. Some symptoms of menopause can last months or years later. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones in the ovaries can lead to these symptoms.
This time of change is known as the transition of menopause, but she is also known by many perimenopausal women and their doctors. This can begin with a number of years before the last menstrual cycle. Perimenopause lasts 1 year after your last period. After a full year without a period, can you say you are "through the menopause. Postmenopause follows menopause and lasts the rest of your life.
The average age of a woman with the last period of the menopause is 51. But some women have their last period of quarantine, and later in the fifties.
Smoking can lead to early menopause. So, some types of transactions. For example, an operation to remove your uterus (called hysterectomy) will make your periods stop, and the menopause. But you may not be the symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes right then because if your ovaries are intact, they are still hormones. Over time, when the ovaries begin to reduce estrogen, menopausal symptoms can begin. But sometimes both ovaries are removed (called oophorectomy), usually with your uterus. It is also the menopause. In this case, the symptoms of menopause can begin immediately, regardless of your age, because your body has lost its main supply of estrogen.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Women are different in May of signs or symptoms of menopause. That's because estrogen is used by many parts of your body. So, if you have less estrogen can have different symptoms. Here are the most frequent changes that you may have noticed in the middle of life. Can a part of the age of menopause.
Change your period. That might be your first message. May your periods more regular. They may be shorter or longer. You may bleed more than normal or more. These changes are normal, but to ensure there is no problem, consult your doctor if:
- Your periods are very close together
- You have bleeding
- You have spotting
- Your periods of more than a week
Hot flushes. Many women have hot flashes during menopause. They may be linked to changing levels of estrogen. Hot flushes last May, a few years after menopause. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck flushing. May appear red spots on your chest, back and arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow. Flash can be very mild or strong enough to wake you from your sleep (called night sweats). Most hot flashes last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.
Problems with your vagina and the bladder. Changing estrogen levels can cause your genital area to get drier and thinner. This could make sex uncomfortable. Or you can have more than vaginal or urinary infections. Some women find it difficult to their urine long enough to go to the bathroom. Sometimes, the leakage of urine during exercise, sneezing, coughing, laughing or running.
Sleep. Around Midlife, some women begin to have trouble getting a good night's sleep. Maybe you can not fall asleep easily, or you wake up early. Night sweats can wake you up. You may have difficulty returning to sleep if you awake during the night.
Gender. Can you believe that your feelings change sex. You may be less interested. Or, you can freely and feel sexy after the menopause. After 1 year without a period can not be pregnant. But remember, are at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea or HIV / AIDS. You will increase your risk for STDs if you have sex with more than one person or a person who have sex with others. If so, check that your partner used a condom every time you have sex.
Mood swings. You can find more Moody or irritable during menopause. Scientists do not know why this happens. It is possible that stress, family changes such as growing children or elderly parents, a history of depression or fatigue, the cause of these mood swings.
Your body is different. May your waist bigger. You lose fat and gain muscle. Your skin may be thinner. You may have memory problems, and your joints and muscles feel stiff and painful. Is this a reason to reduce estrogen or simply related to growth? Experts do not know the answer.
What About My Heart and Bones?
Two health problems start to occur in the menopause and you may not even exist.
Osteoporosis. Day after day, your body is busy breaking the old bones and replaced by new bone. Estrogen helps bone loss and loss of estrogen during menopause causes women to lose more bone than is replaced. Over time, bones are brittle and break easily. This condition is called osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about whether you need a bone density test to determine your risk. Your doctor may also suggest ways to prevent or treat osteoporosis.
Heart disease. After menopause, women are more likely to have heart disease. Changes in estrogen levels in May to join the cause. But it is getting older. As you age, may get your weight and the development of other problems such as high blood pressure. It can be at greater risk of heart disease. Make sure that your blood pressure and levels of triglycerides, fasting glucose and LDL, HDL and total cholesterol checked. Talk to your health insurer to find out what you need to do to protect your heart.
How can I stay healthy after menopause?Staying healthy in May after the menopause means making changes in the way you live.
- Do not smoke. If you use any kind of tobacco, stop, it's never too late to benefit from quitting.
- Eat a healthy diet, low fat, high fiber, with lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods, as well as all vitamins and minerals.
- Make sure you have enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet or vitamins and minerals.
- Learn how your healthy weight, and try to stay there.
- The weight exercise such as walking, jogging or dancing, at least 3 days per week for healthy bones. But try to physically active in other ways for your general health.
Other things to remember:
- Take medications as your doctor has prescribed for you, especially if it is for health problems, you can not see or feel, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or osteoporosis.
- The use of water-based vaginal lubricant (not petroleum jelly) or an estrogen vaginal cream or tablet to help with vaginal discomfort.
Get regular pelvic exams and chest cavity, Pap tests and mammograms. You should also be checked for cancer of the colon and rectum and cancer of the skin. Contact your doctor immediately if you have a lump in the breast or a mole that has changed.
Menopause is not a disease that must be addressed. But you may need help in case of symptoms such as hot flushes you. Here are some ideas that have helped some women:
- Try to be done if the hot flushes, a newspaper can help. You can use this information to know what triggers your flashes and then avoid triggers.
- When a hot flash starts, try to cool down.
- If you wake up sweating at night, sleeping in a cool room or with a fan.
- Dress in layers you can remove if you too hot.
- Use sheets and clothing to your skin breathe. "
- Take a cold drink (water or juice) a flash begins.
You can also talk to your doctor if drugs for the management of hot flashes. Some drugs are approved for other uses, for example, some antidepressants, it seems useful for some women.
What about those Lost hormones?
Nowadays you hear a lot about whether to use hormones to help relieve certain symptoms of menopause. It is difficult to know what to do, but there is some information to help you.
During perimenopause, some doctors suggest birth control pills to help with a very heavy, frequent or unpredictable menstrual periods. These pills can also contribute to symptoms such as hot flushes, as well as prevent pregnancy.
If you experience symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness, your doctor may suggest taking estrogen (and progesterone, if you have a uterus). This is known as menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Some people still call it hormone replacement therapy or HRT. In the light of these hormones can help the symptoms of menopause. It can also prevent bone loss that occurs with menopause.
Menopausal hormone therapy has risks. That is why the Food and Drug Administration suggests that women who want to try MHT to manage hot flashes and vaginal dryness use the lowest dose that works for as little time as necessary. May your symptoms return when you stop taking hormones.
Do phytoestrogens Help?
Phytooestrogens are substances found in certain cereals, vegetables, legumes (including soy) and spices. They can work in the body as a weak form of estrogen. Researchers trying to discover whether certain phytoestrogens to relieve menopausal symptoms and whether they are also a number of risks. Make sure your doctor if you decide to try eating more foods that contain phytoestrogens or attempted use of a surcharge based on plants. A food or over the counter products used for medicine as the effects may affect how other medicines prescribed or overdose.
How can I determine what to do?If you have troublesome symptoms, ask your health care provider to help them decide how best to manage menopause. You can create a gynecologist, geriatrician, general practitioner, internist or. Make sure the doctor knows your medical history and medical history of your family. These include whether your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and breast cancer.
May be useful to recall that your decision is never final. You can and should discuss with your doctor during your annual visit. May your needs change over time, and so perhaps what we know about menopause.
