Her body is going through changes that can affect her social life, her feelings about herself, and her functioning at work. In the past, misconceptions and myths often surrounded menopause. Now, it is recognized that menopause is a natural step in the process of aging. Contrary to the old-fashioned view that life is all downhill after menopause, many women today find that the years after menopause offer new discoveries and fresh challenges. Menopause itself carries no serious health risks. However, the chance for heart disease and osteoporosis (thinning of the bone) rises after menopause. Understanding menopause and the range of treatment options can help women make the best health decisions.

Remember, menopause is a perfectly natural occurrence.

The Facts about Menopause

Menopause is the medical term for the end of a woman's menstrual periods. It is a natural part of aging, and occurs when the ovaries stop making hormones called estrogens. This causes estrogen levels to drop, and leads to the end of monthly menstrual periods. This usually happens between the ages of 45 and 60, but it can happen earlier. Menopause can also occur when the ovaries are surgically removed or stop functioning for any other reason.

Low estrogen levels are linked to some uncomfortable symptoms in many women. The most common and easy to recognize symptom is hot flashes (sudden intense waves of heat and sweating). Some women find that these hot flashes disrupt their sleep, while others report mood changes. Other symptoms may include irregular periods, vaginal or urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence (leakage of urine or inability to control urine flow), and inflammation of the vagina. Many women also notice changes in their skin, digestive tract, and hair during menopause.

In the long term, some women experience problems linked to the low levels of estrogen found after menopause. These may include osteoporosis and increased risk for heart disease.

Sex and Menopause

One of the associated symptoms of menopause is vaginal dryness. Due to lower estrogen levels in the body at this time and changes in the urinary tract and vagina, sexual intercourse may become painful. This is because there is not enough natural moisture in the vagina, which causes the fragile tissue lining the vagina to become irritated.

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When using condoms- Do not apply Intimé Personal Lubricant directly to an erect penis. This could cause the condom to slip off during sexual intercourse. Simply apply the lubrication to the outside of the condom. To enhance pleasure for the men, a few drops in the nipple of the condom will create that warm and cozy feeling he loves.

Symptoms: General

Menopause and its symptoms are due to a fall in the level of estrogen in the blood as the ovaries gradually stop working. Women who have had their ovaries removed will experience an early or artificial menopause. Radiotherapy to the pelvis and some chemotherapy drugs can also effect the function of the ovaries and cause an early menopause. Every woman experiences menopause differently. Some women do not seem to be bothered by it at all. Others have many symptoms, which affect their life and day-to-day activities.

 The symptoms of menopause fall into three groups:

The first group contains the most common effects which include:

• Tiredness
• Lack of energy
• Depression
• Short-term memory loss and impatience

The second group is described as containing Vasco-motor symptoms such as:

Hot flashes Nausea and/or dizziness Headaches Heart palpitations Night sweats Insomnia Breathlessness

The third group of symptoms is called Sexual Symptoms. For example:

• Vaginal dryness
• Stress
• Incontinence (leaking urine when coughing)
• Itching of the vulva
• Pain during intercourse
• Loss of libido (sex drive)

Long term effects

Not all changes related to menopause happen quickly- some may not become obvious for years. These include osteoporosis (brittle bones) and an increased risk of heart disease.

Menopause 35 Symptoms

A special thanks to the women that created this list.

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling.
2. Bouts of rapid heartbeat
3. Irritability
4. Mood swings, 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 (see note below)
8. Dry vagina, a general drying out that can include eyes, mouth, joints and skin (see note below)
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom (see note below)
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence (see note below)
15. Itchy, crawly skin (see note below)
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons (see note below)
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 bloating
22. Depression (see note below)
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain (see note below)
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 odour
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head (see note below)
30. Tingling in the extremities, (see note below)
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, dry mouth, change in breath odour
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Changes in fingernails: softness, cracking or breakage
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears (ie: bells, 'whooshing', buzzing, etc.

Notes About Menopausal Symptoms

Symptom 1 (flashes) Hot flashes are due to the hypothalamic response to declining ovarian estrogen production. The declining estrogen state induces hypophysiotropic neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a pulsatile fashion, which in turn stimulates release of luteinizing hormones (LH). Extremely high pulses of LH occur during the period of declining estrogen production. The LH has vasodilatory effects, which leads to flushing. Symptom 7 (loss of libido)

For some women the loss is so great that they actually find sex repulsive, in much the same
way as they felt before puberty. What hormones give, loss of hormones can take away.

Symptom 8 (dry vagina)

Results in painful intercourse

Symptom 11 (doom thoughts)

Includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death

Symptom 14 (incontinence)

Reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone

Symptom 15 (itchy, crawly skin)

Feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry itchy skin

Symptom 16 (aching sore joints)

May include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome

Symptom 22 (depression)

Different from other types of depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming. There is a feeling of loss of self. Hormone therapy ameliorates the depression dramatically.

Symptom 25 (weight gain)

Often around the waist and thighs, resulting in 'the disappearing waistline'

Symptom 29 (shock sensation)

"The feeling of a rubber band snapping in the layer of tissue between skin and muscle. It is a precursor to a hot flash"

Symptom 30 (tingling in extremities)

Can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, alterations in the flexibility of blood vessels, or a depletion of potassium or calcium

Some of the 34 signs may also be symptoms of one of the following:

• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes
• Depression with another etiology
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Other medical conditions

If you have reason to believe you may have one of these conditions, please see your doctor for treatment.

Resources

www.earlymenopause.com
www.menopause-online.com
www.fbhc.org/patients/betterhealth/menopause