Scared of menopause?

Filed in archive Matters of heart on January 11, 2007

If you're over 45, you know what I'm writing about. Women today, no matter how liberated and successful they are, still fear menopause. Which is silly if you take one fact in consideration: women start to menopause in their fifties, and live without period for most of their lives. Great if you remember all those tampons and sanitary pads you had to deal with throughout you adult years. Also, you won't have to deal with birth control anymore, which is a good plus too.

But, changes can still frighten you, so here's the deal: mood swings, heat flashes and sweat outbursts are normal, and there are a lot of remedies a woman can take to ease the menopause transition, and your doctor can be of help.

Women start to menopause at age of 51 on average, and experience as much as six years of perimenopause:

"Physical signs of menopause begin many years before the final menstrual period. This menopause transition phase is called perimenopause (literally meaning "around menopause"). It can last 6 years or more, and ends 1 year after the final menstrual period. Perimenopausal changes are brought on by changing levels of ovarian hormones such as estrogen. During this transition time to menopause, estrogen levels gradually decline, but they do so in an erratic fashion. Sometimes they can even be higher than in the past. irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, and mood swings are common, normal signs of perimenopause. During perimenopause, a woman may be able to conceive, although fertility is very low. If pregnancy is not desired, contraception is necessary until menopause is reached."

Declining of estrogen and no periods are surely no reason to get depressed. Get prepared for your menopause and learn all you can. A good start point for anyone looking for menopause information is the North American Menopause Society.