Menopause:What’s It All About?
The first article in Dr. Joan's multi-part series.
By Dr. Joan Irvine
Menopause is often referred to as a difficult, crazy, out-of-control time. When our period stops, it supposedly signals the end of our lives as “complete women”. You may have heard - it’s all down hill from here.” We get hot flashes; we can’t sleep; we may experience incontinence. Is there nothing we can do? Must we struggle through our last 30 to 50 years? No way, NOT ME!
This covers the “Magic and Mystery of Menopause” for two reasons. Although menopause has been viewed as a mystery, we now have access to information almost daily as more research is completed. Also, as one verse in the old Beatle song, "“Magical Mystery Tour”, says, “They’ve got everything you need, satisfaction guaranteed,” It’s time for us to change the ‘they’ to only ‘you’ have everything you need and only you can guarantee satisfaction.
What is Menopause, Anything?
I was describing my signs of pre-menopause to a friend: more PMS, cramps, tiredness, and heavy bleeding. She said, “You just described my puberty.” Remember when you went through puberty - your first experience with changing hormones. What happened? You got your period. You developed breasts, grew public hair and your shape changed. Well, get ready for another change!
An empowering description of menopause is “Nature’s course correction when a woman no longer has to put up with the nuisance of monthly periods, free to exercise her lusty libido without the risk of pregnancy and the burden of bearing children, a time she is likely free of child care, still in good health, and full of the wisdom of life. What a blessed gift of Mother Nature!” John Lee, M.D., who has helped many women, make this powerful transition using natural progesterone, wrote this.
There is a delicate balance of hormones in our bodies. During the menopause transition, this balance changes, and varies more than normal. Some have described this imbalance as feeling like a drug withdrawal. You may feel nervous, moody and irritable among other signs. However, since the levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones are always changing even during the menopause transition; it may take years before your hormones reach your new plateau. This is the reason that the signs come and go. You are not going crazy. Sometimes it seems as if you are like a troublesome automobile. There is something wrong with your car until you take it to the mechanic. Then, of course, it works just fine. What’s needed here is a good diagnosis - the information you need to get back in the driver’s seat.
The Three Stages of Menopause
Stage 1: Pre or peri-menopause
Covering the years before menopause, when most of the signs are apparent. This can last from a few months to 10 years.
Stage 2: Menopause
12-months after your last period.
Stage 3: Post-menopause
No period, supposedly limited signs and a post-menopausal “zest” - increased energy and enthusiasm.
When Does Menopause Occur?
Menopause generally takes place between the ages of 40-60; the average age is 51. But it can happen at a much earlier age. A close friend went through menopause at age 32. It took the physicians years to figure out what was happening with her. She went from her family doctor to her gynecologist to an endocrinologist (specializing in the glands that secrets chemicals such as hormones) who finally figured out that she was prematurely menopausal. Not a fun couple of years!
If a woman has a hysterectomy (her uterus removed) or an ophorectomy (her ovaries removed), she may quickly experience signs of menopause.
How Many Women Are Affected?
EVERY WOMEN! Nearly 1.3 million women reach menopause each year in the U.S. - that’s a lot of us. Over 43 million women will pass through menopause in the next 20 years. Of these, 20% of the women will have no outside signs, 20% will have extreme signs, and 60% will experience some degree of signs. You are not alone.
What Are The Signs?
You may be surprised to find out that one’s period doesn’t just stop, although that may happen. It may be that your period gets shorter or longer. It may stop for a few months and start again. Some women have more PMS - cramps, heavier bleeding and fatigue. One of my clients only had hot flashes; she wondered if she were supposed to experience other signs. There are no “musts” in this transition, except to take charge of your changes. Please keep track of what is happening with you. Your individual signs will help you direct the health care practitioner who is working with you.
You may feel depressed or tired. You may notice a change in your sexual desire. Your sex life does not need to stop because you are going through menopause. A friend, Susan, experienced a decrease in desire and the sudden inability to have an orgasm. When she discussed her situation with her physician, natural testosterone (one of the hormones that feeds the libido) was prescribed to help renew her sexual desire. Some help care practitioners suggest using natural progesterone, others diet and vitamin supplement, and other HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). As with menopause itself, there are several approaches to working with changes in sexual desire. Since a good sex life is important to both your emotional and physical health, you can discuss changes with your health care practitioner. Don’t think it’s just you!
Next Month
Dr. Joan covers strategies on making it through Menopause
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Keeping Menopause in perspective:
Menopause is as individual as we are, so we must be aware of our own particular changes as they occur.
We are knowledgeable women; we know better than anyone else does, what is happening to our bodies and emotions.
We can take charge of our lives during these changes - it’s our life, our change, and our responsibility. Who can do it better than we can?
Keeping a sense of humor and laughing is crucial! Laughing is more fun than crying, but if you need a good cry, do it! Laughter will soon follow.
