Menopause- The Signs and Symptoms

Many women view menopause as a sign of getting old, as menopause usually occurs to a woman in the average age of 51, although some may experience the end of their menstrual period in their forties, or even in their mid fifties. But menopause should be seen as a new beginning, the renewal of freedom and a sign that a woman has aged gracefully.

When you are at this tender age, it is important to understand what menopause is and what it is all about. This way, you will be able to face head on the inconveniences that go hand in hand with it. But not to worry, if you know how to handle these inconveniences, it should not be much of a problem to you or the people around you.

Before you "hit menopause", there is a phase called menopausal transition or more popularly called perimenopause by most women and their doctors. This occurs several years, sometimes even up to fifteen years before actual menopause. This should be a sign that you are approaching the stage of menopause, so it is important to be able to recognize the changes that perimenopause brings to be able to be ready for it.

To help you better understand, here are some changes that you may experience that signal perimenopause:

Hot Flashes and/or Night Sweats

Hot flashes and night sweats are probably the most common symptoms there is for a woman who is about to experience menopause symptoms. These could occur at least a year and up to five years before actual cessation of menstruation.
One who is experiencing a hot flash may feel increasing warmness, and may result to redness of the skin because of the heat. This lasts for a few seconds up to an hour and commonly occurs at night.

Vaginal Dryness

A woman in her perimenopause period may also begin noticing vaginal dryness. This could easily be relieved with a vaginal lubricant, but if this does not work, it is best to consult with your doctor about it.

Sleeping Problems

Trouble sleeping is yet another symptom of perimenopause. This may be caused by the inconvenience that night sweats bring during your sleeping hours.

Some women have also reported experiencing increased nervousness, depression, mood swings and being more fatigued during this phase.

If you know about the problem that is coming, be armed with a prepared solution to make your life easier. Menopause is as sure as puberty, but at this mature age, you should be able to go through the experience with your head held high.

When you reach your late forties or early fifties, that is usually about the time for you to start menopause. You begin noticing that maintaining your usual weight has become more difficult. And not just that, you also notice that the extra pounds tend to accumulate around your abdomen, rather than your hips and thighs. It is rather frustrating, but do not fret, as you are not alone.
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Weight gain during menopause is a common symptom that ninety percent of women experience during the first stage of menopause, as well as the changes in the overall shape in the body. It is totally normal and to be expected. For most women, increases in weight begin during perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause. On average, women gain about a pound a year during this time, and most women gain about 10-15 pounds during their menopausal years.

Since menopause graciously puts the extra pounds around your abdomen, people usually refer to this as the "apple" shape. During your menopausal years, especially after, you will find that maintaining weight becomes more difficult year after year, and losing weight is out of the question.

So what causes weight gain during menopause? The number one cause of weight gain during menopause is the continuous fluctuation of the hormones in the women's bodies, which all have a direct impact to your fat storage, metabolism and appetite. Estrogen is one of these hormones. During menopause, the ovaries produce less estrogen, so your bodies look for a new source. Fat cells produce estrogen, so the body converts calories into fat to get the sufficient amount of estrogen that it needs. Another hormone that affects weight maintenance during menopause is progesterone. Like estrogen, lower levels of progesterone may affect weight gain. In this case, lower levels of progesterone may result to water retention and bloating-this may not be weight gain but you will feel heavy. Androgen, another hormone, is the culprit behind sending those extra pounds in your abdomen.

Aside from fluctuation of the hormones, there are also other causes of weight gain during your menopausal years. One would be insulin resistance, where your body turns every calorie you take in into fat. It is vital for a menopausal woman to have a good and nutritious dietary plan. Another cause would be stress. A lot of women tend to overeat when they are stressed, so this needs to be avoided.

Weight gain during menopause is natural, and many women have learned to accept those few extra pounds. Whoever said that only the slim and sexy could age gracefully?

When one hears the word menopause, what immediately comes to mind are older women in their late forties or fifties. We rarely think about the possibility that it could happen to us in our thirties, in fact, there is a thing called premature menopause and early menopause. This is more common than we think, and there are a lot of factors that contribute to this.

Premature menopause and early menopause are actually two different things. If menopause occurs to a woman before the age of 45, that is considered early menopause. On the other hand, premature menopause is when a woman experiences menopausal symptoms before the age of 40. Causes of premature menopause include genetics like if your mother experiences premature menopause, you are also likely to experience it, autoimmune disorders, and surgical procedures such as removal of the ovary, as well as other medical treatments.

Today, doctors have recognized cases of early and premature menopause to more and more women, and this resulted to the better understanding of women about their condition; as well as those who are experiencing infertility.

So what really causes early menopause?

One could be the reduced production of certain hormones in our body during menopause. Progesterone and estrogen are the two major hormones in a woman's body. These hormones are primarily produced in the ovaries, and their primary role is the control of the menstrual cycle. At menopause, the body reduces the production of estrogen to 40 or 60 percent of what it was.

Another cause of early menopause would be surgical menopause, meaning that a woman is forced into menopause for specific health reasons. Surgical procedures that involve the removal of the ovaries or the fallopian tube basically cut off ovarian function causing estrogen levels to drop suddenly and forcing the woman into early menopause.

Cancer treatment may also cause early menopause. The radiation in cancer treatments or chemotherapy does not only kill cancer cells, but healthy cells as well, and ovarian cells are one of those who are particularly at risk. Women who are undergoing treatment for cancer sometimes experience menopause that is temporary, but in some cases, women enter permanent menopause.

As most women will dread menopause, let alone experiencing it early, it is a natural occurrence to human beings and cannot be avoided. Having said this, it is better to stay positive and face it despite the hassle it brings, rather than letting it bring you down.

Depression during Menopause

The stage of menopause can trigger feelings of sadness and episodes of depression in many women going through it. Depression is a common symptom experienced by many during perimenopause, the stage leading to menopause. There are a myriad of other symptoms that menopause brings about, but with today's advanced studies and abundance of medicines, they have been easier to abate. But how can a menopausal woman face the big black cloud of depression?

What causes depression during menopause is still under debate. However, certain theories have surfaced regarding the situation. One theory asserts that depression is caused by the fluctuating hormonal levels in the body of a menopausal woman. During this stage, hormones like estrogen, progesterone and androgen which are thought to be linked with the mood centers in our brain, constantly changes. When these hormones drop, especially estrogen, one may experience periods of sadness, and even hopelessness. Depression during menopause happens, according to this theory, because some menopausal women experience a severe drop in mood.

Another theory says that depression during menopause is caused by the stress that other menopausal symptoms bring. The stress from sleeping problems, hot flashes, weight gain, family concerns, finances and other demands life can be too overwhelming and difficult to deal with by one person.

The symptoms of depression during menopause can range from both physical to obvious emotional feelings. Physical signs of depression during menopause include cognitive problems like memory loss and poor concentration; others find that their bodies require more or less sleep. On the other hand, emotional symptoms experienced by a menopausal woman with depression include feelings of hopelessness, aloneness, and increased anger.

There are also some risk factors for women to develop depression during menopause. Women who have been depressed before, especially during their twenties have a high possibility that their depression will reoccur. Women who have undergone surgical menopause also have a high risk because surgery brings about a rapid drop of estrogen levels, and increased symptoms and anxiety. It is also risky for women who smoke, who are under a lot of stress and have young children to develop depression during menopause.

Women who are experiencing episodes of depression do not have to go through this difficulty alone. Do not hesitate to seek out medical help, as there are a lot of therapies available that can be of great help. Life during menopause and after it can still be enjoyable, it all depends how you envision it, and most of all, make it happen.

Of all the symptoms of menopause, hot flashes have to be considered among the most ill-desired symptom of all. While they are an absolute annoyance, it is the hormonal imbalance within that causes them to occur. Since there are no definitive conclusions as to why hot flashes occur, let's try to determine how to deal with hot flashes.

According to a recent report on menopause, it was determined that "lifestyle" and psychological factors can increase the number and severity of hot flashes that a woman experiences. In fact, women who tested at a high level of anxiety had nearly five times the number of hot flashes as those who tested low. Women who smoked experienced twice the amount. Being overweight led to an increase in annoying hot flashes, as well.

Hot flashes sometimes start with perimenopause, or they may not start until after the last menstrual period has occurred. Usually, they last three to five years and are usually worse during the year following the last menstrual period. However, it has been noted that for some women, hot flashes can last indefinitely.

Although it is a common notion that hot flashes are associated with a decrease in estrogen, there are those who believe it is simply the hormonal balance which acts as the catalyst. Before puberty, girls have low estrogen but no hot flashes. Conversely, women in the late stages of pregnancy may have hot flashes at a time when their estrogen levels are high.

Researchers have stated that "the secretion of hormones is regulated in the brain by the hypothalamus, which houses the body's thermoregulatory center. They believe that something happens in this center that causes the body's thermostat to be altered. The result is a hot flash, a feeling of excessive warmth if the body gets just a little overheated. In an attempt to cool down, the body perspires and blood vessels dilate, causing skin to turn pink or red. After a brief time, maybe a few minutes, the heat dissipates, leading to chills."

The solution to relieve hot flashes was implemented by using hormone replacement therapy. However, we now know that HRT could have side affects which may cause more harm than good. It has also been recommended to support your body in a natural way, thus not having to rely on prescription drugs used in hormone replacement therapy. Many women find that with the proper support, their own bodies can correct the hormonal imbalance that is the real cause.

Finally, taking everything into consideration; the research, the case histories, and our own experiences, it seems that hot flashes - while a definite nuisance - can be handled in a very simple manner. Ignore them as much as possible. Accept them as part of the menopause cycle, and do not give them any more importance than you would an annoying stranger who just won't leave you alone.

There has been a great deal of debate, research, and discussion as to the effectiveness of soy in treating and reducing hot flashes associated with menopause. While some doctors prescribe soy products for women in the menopausal stage, the question which has yet to be answered is: "Can soy decrease hot flashes?"

According to recent studies, soy is one of many types of isoflavones.  Isoflavones are estrogens which come from plants.  It should be noted that isoflavones are estrogens; they are not alternatives to estrogen.  Therefore, a woman who wants to avoid estrogen is obviously not supposed to be taking soy, because soy is a form of estrogen, even though it is from a plant. 

Although the research indicated that soy would help menopause symptoms, the recent trials have failed to show effectiveness. Unfortunately, the FDA does not control these trials, and therefore the purity and ingredients vary from bottle to bottle, even with the same manufacturer.  In addition, because of the lack of FDA control, manufacturers have no requirements to prove safety or side effects. This means that because of the lack of required research information, much more is known about the side effects of prescription estrogen than about soy.  According to the sparse research conducted on soy, there are still conflicting results as to its efficacy.  Some studies show that soy can cause multiplication of breast cells, implying that it may increase breast cancer risk.  Fortunately, due to massive public interest, research is once again beginning. 

The reason behind all of this conflicting evidence is that it is unclear what is being tested since studies have looked at all kinds of soy foods and supplements, and there has been no consistency in the products being tested. This may be one of the reasons why soy research does not always produce positive results.

Another study was conducted recently in which 37 women who used the soy supplement. 75 percent reported relief from hot flashes. Tests showed they also experienced a measurable increase in bone density as well. While experts say the results are promising, one nutritionist believes the research makes too many "leaps of faith about issues that remain unproven." It was also stated that woman should exercise caution with soy supplementation until more research is done. However, it was concluded that including soy products in your diet may still offer many health benefits.

There you have it; the studies, research, and results which apparently prove, and at the same time, deny that soy products can decrease hot flashes. The best course of action perhaps is to take nothing, and to simply maximize your comfort level so that when you do have hot flashes, they only disrupt your life to a bear minimum.