Menopause
- Menopause is a natural transition.
- Menopause, by definition, is a woman's last menstrual period. It happens when the ovaries gradually run out of functioning eggs.
- Even 10 years before your periods stop completely, they may change as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.
- Most women enter the menopausal phase in their late 40s and finish at age 51, but some may still be in transition until age 55 or later.
What you can experience:
- menstrual changes;
- hot flashes and night sweats;
- mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and some difficulty with memory or concentration;
- increased wrinkling and sagging of the skin;
- decreased bladder control;
- sleep disturbances, fatigue, and vaginal dryness.
What about hormone replacement therapy (HRT):
- can reduce the symptoms of menopause (menstrual cycle changes, hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, fatigue and sleep disturbances, emotional unrest, skin aging and dryness);
- there are known risks and benefits in taking hormones. Discuss your situation with your health practitioner;
- lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, stress reduction and quitting smoking can benefit women's emotional and physical health at midlife.
Prevention:
- Ask for support from family and friends.
- Balance your responsibilities and activities and remember to save time just for you.
- Ask and learn about hormone replacement therapy.
- Ask and learn about alternative approaches.
Shirley E. Greenberg Women's Health Centre
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