Menopause - The Facts and What Symptoms to Expect

In Part One of three articles on menopause I am setting out in very brief and simple terms what this actually is along with some of the symptoms.

Twenty odd years ago I read that 50% of women sail through it. In the intervening years I have treated many menopausal women and am not convinced that is the case. Since the advent of Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) I believe many women who previously gritted their teeth and just accepted the symptoms now go to their GP for help.

I always say to my patients that menopause is one of those times in the female life when our hormones go ballistic. They do the same at puberty but at that time we are excited about becoming a woman and embrace the changes. Pregnancy is another big hormonal event and then comes this final big hormonal change. It seems to throw us into a bag and shake us continuously for several years. We are older, more tired, often coping with teenage children and elderly relatives so do not find the changes it brings easy to deal with.

The word "Menopause" is bandied about but rarely explained. Menopause is actually the date of your final period. And it really does mean the last period. Some women find their periods just stop. Others will have a gap of a few months between periods as they gradually tail off. If you have gone two years without a period and then suddenly experience one you should see your GP as that gap is not normal and should be investigated. When you are born your ovaries contain large numbers of eggs, and when the supply is exhausted your periods stop.

At the same time there are hormonal changes as oestrogen and progesterone levels diminish. These are useful hormones to have as oestrogen protects women against heart problems and osteoporosis. Once levels fall, our risk of developing these conditions increases. It has an effect on skin which is why post-menopause our skin is drier and this includes the vagina which becomes dry so making sex more painful for some women.

The average age for women it occurs is 51. Many women find that if they ask their mother when she had her menopause they will experience it at a similar time. Although not definitive this is a good indicator.

Menopausal symptoms occur both pre- and post-menopause and can last up to 10 years following the date of the last period. This is unusual, however, and most women have symptoms for 4-6 years.

It would be difficult to cover all the symptoms but these are some of the commonest: hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia,overwhelming tiredness, forgetfulness, urinary tract infections such as cystitis, dizziness, palpitations, anxiety, lack of libido., skin dryness, vaginal dryness, joint and muscle pain.

In Part Two I will give an explanation of why symptoms occur and Part Three will give a complementary approach to helping the symptoms.