By Lilah Borden
Please Read this First
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Disclaimer
The advice contained in this material might not be suitable for everyone.
The author only provides the material as a broad overview by a layperson about an important subject. The author obtained the information from sources believed to be reliable and from his own personal experience, but he neither implies nor intends any guarantee of accuracy.
All claims made for any product, treatment or other procedure that is reported in this book is only the author's personal opinion. You must do you own careful checking with your own medical advisor and other reputable sources on any matter that concerns your health or that of others.
Research is constantly changing theories and practices in this area. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it for any reason.
The author, publisher and distributors never give legal, accounting, medical or any other type of professional advice. The reader must always seek those services from competent professionals that can review their own particular circumstances.
The author, publisher and distributors particularly disclaim any liability, loss, or risk taken by individuals who directly or indirectly act on the information contained herein. All readers must accept full responsibility for their use of this material.
Table of Contents
Please Read This First
About The Author
Chapter 1 Menopause – An Overview
Chapter 2 What Is Menopause
Chapter 3 Who Is Affected by Menopause
Chapter 4 Signs and Symptoms of Menopause
Chapter 5 What Happens During Menopause
Chapter 6 What Are the Risk Factors for Menopause
Chapter 7 Myths and Misconceptions about Menopause
Chapter 8 When to Seek Medical Advice
Chapter 9 How Is the Menopause Diagnosed
Chapter 10 Self-Testing for Menopause
Chapter 11 Medical History for Menopause Diagnosis
Chapter 12 Is It Possible to Delay the Menopause
Chapter 13 Life after Menopause
Chapter 14 Complications of Menopause and Other Conditions
Chapter 15 Menopause and Your Emotions
Chapter 16 Menopause and Depression
Chapter 17 Menopause and Bladder Function
Chapter 18 Menopause and Cancer
Chapter 19 Menopause and Osteoporosis
Chapter 20 Menopause and Smoking
Chapter 21 Treatment Options for Menopause Symptoms
Chapter 22 Medications
Chapter 23 Hormone Replacement Therapy
Chapter 24 Bioidentical Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
Chapter 25 How to Reduce or Eliminate Menopause Symptoms
Chapter 26 Ten Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes
Chapter 27 Diet Tips to Stay Healthy During Menopause
Chapter 28 Exercise and Menopause
Chapter 29 How to Treat Menopause Symptoms Naturally
Chapter 30 Herbal Remedies for Treating Menopause
Chapter 31 Menopause and Your Family
Chapter 32 Where to Find Help for the Menopause
Chapter 33 Supporting Someone Going through Menopause
Chapter 34 Menopause – Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary of Terms
About the Author
Lilah Borden
Lilah Borden has found that many women have more trouble than they should when they approach and experience menopause because of their lack of knowledge and preparation.
She believes that even more problems and distress are the result of the lack of support that many women get from colleagues and, especially, their partners and other close members of their families.
Because the effects and experiences of different women can vary greatly as they go through menopause, many incomplete or inaccurate “facts” are circulated.
Lilah hopes that this ebook will help give every woman that reads it more confidence to make their experience better.
She also believes that putting as much information as she could gather in the book will help all readers to make better choices and help give them the confidence to get support and understanding from their families and friends.
Part-I: Introduction
Chapter 1 Menopause – An Overview
Menopause is a normal biologic process. It is the time in a woman’s life when she stops having regular monthly periods. It signifies the end of her reproductive period.
Normally, women enter menopause around the same age as their mother did. This, typically, occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although this can vary, sometimes by as much as ten years.
Hormones like estrogen and progesterone regulate menstruation and pregnancy in women. When your ovaries stop producing these hormones, menopause is triggered.
Menopause can set in earlier in women who have never been pregnant, live in high altitudes or smoke regularly. So, ladies, if you want kids but have not had any and are in your thirties ... get busy.
Usually, the first indication of approaching menopause is irregular periods. This time is called perimenopause. For some, this period could last for as much as ten years.
The irregularities may be in the length of period, level of bleeding and time between periods. If a woman stops having regular periods for more than twelve consecutive months and she is not suffering from any other ailment, she is in perimenopause.
Hormonal changes are the main cause for menopause. These changes can also increase the risk of:
Osteoporosis
Increased incidence of fractures due to decreasing bone density
Higher cholesterol levels
heart disease
Common symptoms of menopause include nausea, hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, fatigue, vaginal itching and dryness, depression, heavy bleeding, weight gain, urinary incontinence, lowered sex drive, insomnia, changes in breast shape, thinning of skin and headaches.
Gosh, did I miss any?
Natural and Artificial Menopause
Menopause usually fits into one of two categories; natural or artificial.
There is another type of menopause; premature menopause, but it is not very common. If a woman ceases to have regular menstrual periods before the age of forty, it is called “premature menopause”. This is most likely due to genetic causes, autoimmune diseases, smoking or exposure to harmful chemicals.
The majority of women have a natural menopause.
Artificial menopause occurs because of the surgical removal of ovaries.
Tests
There are a few tests that determine menopause in women.
Blood tests check levels of follicle stimulating hormone or FSH. This hormone prompts growth of eggs during your reproductive period. Their decreasing levels reduce estrogen levels and menopause sets in.
Bone testing checks bone density levels. Lower than usual levels indicate decreasing bone density, a common symptom of approaching menopause.
There are medications for helping with menopausal symptoms and menopause, there are also a few simple home remedies and certain lifestyle changes you can try to get more relief.
Soy protein is claimed by some people to be very helpful for menopausal symptoms. Drink soymilk, include soy flour or tofu in your regular diet, or eat raw or roasted soybeans.
Refrain from spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine, as these aggravate menopause symptoms.
Consume a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet.
Regular aerobic exercise may provide some relief from hot flashes. Strength training exercises can increase the strength of bones.
You might also try alternative therapies like deep breathing exercises, acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, meditation and paced respiration with slow breathing.
Menopause is not an ailment or illness. But, if you want to alleviate some of the symptoms, you can get hormone replacement therapy.
This may bring extensive relief from osteoporosis and hot flashes. But, hormone replacement therapy may have serious side effects.
It may make you more vulnerable to strokes, breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Some people claim that testosterone shots can provide great relief from the unpleasant side-effects of menopause. They say that women with high testosterone levels suffer little, or sometimes not at all, from menopause. This is not a widely held view and there does not seem to be any definitive supporting research.
Because menopause is not an ailment, you cannot prevent its occurrence. But, you can increase the likelihood that you will have a smooth transition period by reducing possible risk factors.
Increase calcium consumption in your diet. This is possible through daily consumption of reasonable quantities of milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified orange juice, salmon or calcium dietary supplements.
WARNING: Excessive intake of calcium may increase the chance of kidney stones. Therefore, always consult your health provider about what is a suitable level of calcium supplementation for you.
It is a good idea to have a thorough annual check-up once you are forty or beyond. This check-up should include pelvic examination, breast examination and mammogram.
Checking for colon and heart disease is also very worthwhile.
Part-II: Understanding Menopause
Chapter 2 What Is Menopause?
Normally, menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. It is not an ailment or disease. It is a normal biologic process, as normal as breathing.
It does not begin within a narrow range of ages, like puberty or loss of one’s first tooth. It typically occurs over a span of eight to ten years.
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s fertility period. Her ovaries no longer produce eggs, and production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone also decrease.
There are many significant physical changes. The body attempts to continue to send hormones to stimulate ovulation for as long as possible, but it is a failing process.
Ovaries may respond erratically, causing erratic menstrual periods. Eventually, the ovaries are unable to ovulate. This restricts, and finally stops, monthly periods.
The ovaries still continue to ovulate for some time and produce low levels of estrogen and, sometimes, androgens. Androgens are substances, such as testosterone or aldosterone, which promote male characteristics. These are often converted into estrogen in a woman’s fatty tissues.
The uterus lining also thins down due to low estrogen levels.
Sadly, menopause does not cause sudden stoppage of menstrual periods. There could be irregular occurrences spread over several years. They may include:
lengthy or very short periods,
excessive or very little bleeding
bleeding with clots and variation of the time between menstrual periods
Useful Menopause Terms
Premenopause refers to most reproductive years in your biological cycle.
Perimenopause includes the years prior to the onset of menopause, when one experiences different symptoms, especially irregular menstruation and hot flashes.
Menopause is the point of permanent cessation of menstruation
Post-menopause is the years following menopause.
Causes of Menopause
There is no single cause or specific happening, which you can attribute to the onset of menopause.
Menopause may be categorized as surgical, induced or premature. Surgical menopause is due to surgical removal of ovaries.
Induced menopause is when ovaries are damaged due to x-rays, drugs, or other factors.
Premature menopause is considered to be any onset before the age of 40. It can be either natural or induced.
Menopause is a natural biologic process that occurs over a span of time and involves various related processes.
Normally, women in their 40’s experience menopausal symptoms, and attain menopause by their mid-fifties.
Although menopause is normally a natural process, it can sometimes be related to an external cause, such as medical situations like hysterectomy, damage to ovaries, cancer, etc.
Every woman is born with around two million eggs in follicles (sacs) within her ovaries. A woman may still have around 300,000 by the time of puberty. Only 400 to 500 eggs mature fully for release during her full menstrual cycle. The rest of these eggs degenerate.
A woman could be left with less than ten thousand eggs when she approaches menopause.
In the reproductive years, her brain releases specific chemicals that induce the release of an egg each month. The follicle produces higher levels of sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, to thicken the uterus lining. This lining will provide necessary support to the egg, if fertilized.
If there is no fertilization, the uterus lining breaks, the estrogen and progesterone levels drop and menstruation occurs.
However, a woman’s ovaries do not stop producing estrogen completely.
Progesterone levels also register varying levels.
These changing hormone levels may affect other glands of her endocrine system.
So, she may experience changes in her breast tissue, bone density, gastrointestinal tract, vagina, skin and urinary tract.
Some of these changes may disrupt her normal body functioning. She may:
suffer pain in her breasts
experience vaginal dryness and itching
develop urinary incontinence and
have more pronounced signs of aging skin
Chapter 3 Who Is Affected by Menopause?
Menopause affects women across all cultures, races, religions and creeds.
Menopause normally affects women in their forties and fifties, with 95% experiencing it within the age range of 44 to 56.
Genetic factors have great sway over when she enters her perimenopause. Smokers, and women living in high altitudes, may have a comparatively early menopause.
Women do not all experience the same symptoms of menopause. It depends on their lifestyles, diets and other social and cultural factors.
Mayan women often suffer no symptoms, while Thai women are believed to suffer some of the most excessive headaches due to menopause.
Greek women experience high rate of hot flashes, while Japanese women experience some of the lowest rates of hot flashes.
North American women report most symptoms, while Scottish women report few symptoms.
A friend really appreciates her menopause. She suffers no ill effects, but her menstrual flow is far lighter, and her period has been reduced to just three days.
She has always been very healthy, and has regularly taken some vitamins and supplements.
She also has always had a high testosterone level.
Are these factors significant? If you view them in the light of the fact that North American women seem to suffer the most, and she is one, that might be seen to makes her exceptional.
Chapter 4 Signs and Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause does not occur one fine day, while walking in the park, like a mugger’s attack. No one calls 911.
It is a process that usually is spread over a few years.
Menopause is the cessation of periods and is due to hormonal changes.
These hormonal changes cause various symptoms. Different women experience different symptoms and no single woman experiences all symptoms (one prays not, anyway).
Signs and Symptoms of Menopause
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Hot flashes are the most common menopause symptom. You suddenly feel very hot around your face, neck and other parts of your upper body.
You may develop red blemishes on her arms, back, and chest. These flashes may be experienced almost anytime and anywhere. Hot flashes could wake you from your sleep. This is often followed by excessive sweating and, sometimes, then by a feeling of intense cold and shivering.
Insomnia
Night sweats may keep you awake. There could be many incidents of night sweats in any single night. This disturbs your sleep and reduces the chance that you will get any more sleep that night.
Fatigue
Excessive night sweats disturb the sleep, with resultant fatigue.
Irritability
Irritability occurs when you become tense due to frequent hot flashes in your day, and sweating at night. Lack of sufficient rest can make you irritable.
Mood Changes
Changes in estrogen levels can have an effect on your moods. You may experience severe mood swings and often feel depressed.
Mood swings can be aggravated by fatigue.
Vaginal dryness
Your vaginal lining becomes thinner and loses its flexibility. This can cause vaginal dryness and intercourse may become painful.
Incontinence
With age and menopausal symptoms, the organs surrounding the vagina begin shrinking and thinning. Different parts of the urinary tract and urethra lose their elasticity and incontinence can result.
This may increase the chance of urinary tract infections, which lead to frequent and/or sudden urination.
Osteoporosis
Menopause decreases bone density, so you may face a greater risk of fractures. Osteoporosis would make your bones brittle and more prone to bone ailments.
Poor estrogen levels weaken the bones.
Hair changes
With the onset of menopause, your testosterone (male hormone) levels start increasing while estrogen levels decrease. This imbalance causes an increase in facial hair and thinning of normal hair, as is common among men.
Drying of your skin
Poor hormone levels may result in shrinking of your skin. You may develop age spots. Your skin may become dryer and look malnourished.
Cigarette smoking may increase these effects.
Aches
Body aches, pain in the joints and headaches are common menopause symptoms. Sometimes, you may suffer serious headaches, leading to migraines.
Weight Increase
Increase in weight, especially in the pelvic region, is a common menopausal symptom.
Irregular Periods
The ovaries do keep producing estrogen, although progesterone levels are in decline. Menstrual periods do not follow what had been your normal routine and could extend for many days or for a shorter time. Bleeding could be heavy with excessive clotting, or just some spotting.
Anxiety
Menopause can cause palpitations (irregular and rapid, or pulsating) heartbeats. You may become more restless and anxious with every small incident.
Sore breasts
You may experience tenderness in your breasts, making them sore and painful. Hormonal changes are a major cause for such soreness.