Navigating Menopause Age: Symptoms and Solutions for Women
By Aishakeel, 18 October 2023
Welcome to the ultimate guide on navigating the Menopause Age! This is a path filled with surprises, challenges, and fabulous transformations, which every woman has to walk through during her life journey. This article will help you to unlock the secrets of mastering the Menopause Age – it’s time to embark on this exhilarating chapter of life!
What is Menopause?
The Story of a 50-Something Woman
I am in my 50s, a phase in my life when our children have left home, affording me more time for my personal interests. I’ve been eagerly looking forward to traveling and spending quality time with my husband. However, recent health changes have interrupted these plans.
Over the past two years, I’ve experienced irregular menstrual periods. Recently, I’ve been struggling with sleepless nights. The lack of sleep leaves me tired and irritable, leading to fatigue and sour moods during the day. I’m currently navigating the menopausal transition, a natural part of aging for women.
Menopause is the phase in a woman’s life with a permanent end of menstruation. It includes the slowing of estrogen and progesterone production and women experience a variety of associated symptoms. Menopause is not a disease or an illness. This point in time, in any woman’s life is often full of physical and emotional transitions: Women may be caring for aging parents or relatives, grieving over the loss of a husband, experiencing low sex drive, supporting their children as they move into adulthood, or taking on new responsibilities at work.
Not all women have trouble with menopausal symptoms and may even feel relieved when they no longer have to worry about painful periods or getting pregnant. For other women, the menopausal transition can bring challenges like hot flashes, pain during sex, moodiness and irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, memory changes, or a combination of these symptoms. Some may decide to talk with their doctor about lifestyle changes or medications to treat these symptoms and improve the quality of their life.
The phase of transitioning through Menopause
When 12 months have passed after a woman’s last period, this point in time is called Menopause. The time period leading up to the point of menopause is called the menopausal transition or perimenopause. During this time, women will experience menopause symptoms but won’t be considered in menopause until they’ve gone a full year without menstruating. During perimenopause, the body’s production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made by the ovaries, varies greatly.
The duration of menopause symptoms may only be a few months for some women, but for others, symptoms can persist for up to 10 years, continuing with varying degrees of intensity for several years after menstruation has stopped. Postmenopause symptoms may linger for around four to five years with intermittent intensity.
The age at which menopause occurs depends on various factors like genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, and reproductive. Nulliparity can accelerate the onset of menopause. ( Nulliparous refers to a female of reproductive age who has never had a live delivery. Being nulliparous does not mean that a person has never been pregnant. A woman who has had a pregnancy loss or elective abortion is nulliparous).
Lifestyle factors like a vegetarian diet, smoking, high fat intake, cholesterol, and caffeine accelerate menopause age. Whereas, other factors like parity, and prior use of oral contraceptive pills delay the menopause age. [Parity is the number of times a woman has given birth to a live neonate (any gestation) or at 24 weeks or more, regardless of whether the child was viable or non-viable (i.e. stillbirths)].
Delayed menopause is associated with an increased risk of endometrial and breast cancer, while early menopause enhances the risk for cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. You can read about this in more detail.
The menopausal transition can affect women in various ways and everyone’s experience is unique. The way our body uses energy body becomes different, fat cells change, and women become prone to weight gain. Your bone health, heart health, body shape and composition, and physical function can all experience a change.
How to Confirm if it is Menopause
If you are having symptoms like
Common menopause symptoms
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Chills
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood changes
- Emotional distress
- Loss of energy
- Heart palpitations
- Vaginal dryness
- Urgent as well as frequent visits to the toilet
that are common during menopause, your doctor may ask questions about your age, symptoms, and family history to determine if it really is the menopausal transition causing your problems. In some cases, your doctor may suggest a blood test to check your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels to rule out any other causes for the changes you’re experiencing.
While the menopausal transition may commonly be referred to as “menopause,” true menopause doesn’t happen until one year after a woman’s final menstrual period. Therefore, it is advisable for a woman who wishes to avoid pregnancy to maintain her use of birth control for a minimum of 12 complete months after her last period.
Menopause can also be induced by a hysterectomy or the surgical removal of ovaries, which are responsible for hormone production. If you undergo surgery to remove your uterus or ovaries without hormone replacement therapy, you will immediately encounter menopausal symptoms.
After menopause, women enter postmenopause; this is a permanent phase. Postmenopausal women are more vulnerable to heart disease and osteoporosis. During this time, it is important to eat a healthy diet, remain active, and make sure you get enough calcium for optimal bone health.
What are the signs and symptoms of menopause?
Read and share this infographic about staying healthy during and after menopause.
Estrogen plays a crucial role in several aspects of a woman’s body. When estrogen levels drop, it can lead to a range of symptoms. While some women may only have mild symptoms that can be managed through lifestyle adjustments like reducing caffeine intake or using a portable fan, others may not need any treatment at all. However, for some women, the symptoms can be quite severe. It’s important to note that the severity of these symptoms can vary significantly across different regions and among various racial and ethnic groups.
Here are the most common changes you might notice at midlife. Some may be part of aging rather than directly related to menopause.
Change in your period
This is most probably the first thing that you notice. Your periods may no longer be regular. They may be shorter or last longer. You might bleed more or less than usual. These are all normal changes, but to make sure there isn’t a problem.
See your doctor if:
- You get your periods more frequently.
- You experience heavy bleeding.
- You notice spotting.
- Your period lasts more than a week.
- Your period resumes after no bleeding for more than a year.
Hot flashes
Hot flashes are a common experience for many women, and they can persist for several years following menopause. These episodes are often linked to fluctuations in estrogen levels. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. It might cause your face and neck to redden, with red patches appearing on your chest, back, and arms.
Following a hot flash, you might experience heavy sweating and subsequent shivering, particularly in the form of night sweats that wake you up. The duration of hot flashes typically ranges from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, and they can occur frequently throughout the day or less frequently, with some women experiencing them just once or twice a week.
My personal tried and tested recommendation for this is to take a daily dose of Evening Primrose Oil Capsules.
Bladder control
A loss of bladder control is called incontinence. You may have a sudden urge to urinate, or urine may leak during exercise, sneezing, or laughing. The first step in treating incontinence is to see a doctor.
Menopause may not be entirely responsible for this because bladder infections also can occur in midlife.
Sleep
As women reach middle age, many encounter difficulties in achieving restful sleep. Perhaps you struggle to drift off to sleep, awaken prematurely, or find yourself interrupted by night sweats. Moreover, if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night, returning to sleep can prove to be a challenge.
Read these 7 Tips to sleep better with Menopause, including Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Hormone Replacement Therapy can help relieve the menopause symptoms
Vaginal health and sexuality
After menopause, the vagina may become drier, which can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable. Read about options for addressing vaginal pain during sex in Sex and Menopause: Treatment for Symptoms. You might notice shifts in your attitudes towards sex as well. Your interest may decrease, or you may feel more liberated and confident in your sexuality, especially since you can no longer conceive after a full year without a period.
Nonetheless, it’s essential to be aware that you’re still vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including gonorrhea and HIV/AIDS. Your risk for an STD rises if you engage in sexual activity with multiple partners or with someone who has multiple partners. In such cases, it’s crucial to ensure your partner uses a condom consistently during sexual encounters.
Mood changes
You may experience heightened mood swings or increased irritability as menopause approaches. While the exact cause is not fully understood, several factors could contribute, such as stress, family dynamics like caring for aging parents or managing growing children, a history of depression, or fatigue. It’s essential to discuss these mood changes with your primary healthcare provider or a mental health expert. They can provide insights and explore available treatments to support you during this phase.
Read these ways to deal with stress.
Your body seems different
Your waist could get larger. You could lose muscle and gain fat. Your skin could become thinner. You might have memory problems, and your joints and muscles could feel stiff and achy. Researchers are exploring such changes and how they relate to hormones and aging.
Furthermore, certain women may encounter symptoms like body aches, headaches, and heart palpitations. It’s advisable to consult with a medical professional for further evaluation. Since menopausal symptoms can arise due to fluctuating hormone levels, it’s challenging to predict both the frequency and intensity of these symptoms.
Managing Menopause Symptoms: Finding the Best Approach for You
Deciding whether and how to treat the symptoms of menopausal transition can be complicated and personal. Discuss your symptoms, family and medical history, and preferences with your doctor. No matter what you decide, see your doctor every year to talk about your treatment plan and discuss any changes you want to make.
In the journey through menopause, each woman’s experience is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Treatment options, lifestyle adjustments, and hormonal therapies can all play a role in managing menopausal symptoms. It’s crucial for women to consult with their healthcare providers to find the best approach that suits their individual needs and preferences.
As you navigate the complexities of menopause, remember that you’re not alone, and there are resources and support available to help you make informed decisions and maintain your health and well-being.
Learn about options to help you manage hot flashes, sleep problems, and sex problems during the menopausal transition.
FAQ’s
Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life marked by the permanent cessation of menstruation. It occurs due to a gradual decline in estrogen and progesterone production. This hormonal shift leads to various associated symptoms.
No, menopause is not a disease or an illness. It’s a natural life transition that all women go through, characterized by hormonal changes and specific physical and emotional experiences.
The menopausal transition, also known as perimenopause, is the period leading up to menopause. It can vary in duration, with some women experiencing symptoms for a few months and others for up to 10 years. Postmenopausal symptoms may continue for several years after menstruation ceases.
The age at which menopause occurs can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, socioeconomic status, and reproductive history. Certain lifestyle factors, like diet and smoking, can also impact the timing of menopause.
Common menopausal symptoms include changes in the menstrual cycle, hot flashes, bladder control issues, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and physical changes such as weight gain and joint stiffness.
Managing menopausal symptoms can involve a combination of lifestyle adjustments, hormone replacement therapy, and medications. It’s essential for each woman to consult with her healthcare provider to determine the best approach based on her individual needs and preferences.
