Menopause

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops and she can no longer become pregnant. It is a normal change in a woman's body. A woman will know she has reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row (and there are no other causes, such as pregnancy or illness, for this change). This happens for most women after age 45.

Menopause is sometimes called, "the change of life." In the years leading up to menopause, a woman’s ovaries slowly make less and less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Many women might not be aware of the changes happening in their body. Or, women might have symptoms as they near menopause. Many women wonder if these symptoms are normal, and many are confused about how to treat their symptoms.

You will feel better by learning all you can about menopause and talking with your doctor about your health and your symptoms. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or concern, your doctor can teach you about treatment options and help you to make wise choices.

Symptoms
Menopause affects every woman differently. Your only symptom may be your period stopping. You may have other symptoms, too. Many symptoms at this time of life happen because you are getting older. But some are due to menopause. It’s not always possible to tell if symptoms are related to aging, menopause, or both.

Some changes you might notice as you near menopause include:

• Change in pattern of periods (They can be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, or there may be more or less time between periods.)
• Hot flashes (sometimes called hot flushes), night sweats (sometimes followed by a chill)
• Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
• Vaginal dryness
• Mood swings, feeling crabby, or crying spells
• Trouble focusing, "fuzzy thinking," or forgetfulness
• Hair loss or thinning on your head or more hair growth on your face

The Four Stages of Menopause

1. The first stage is pre-menopausal. This stage occurs before a woman has had her final period, yet her periods begin to get irregular.
2. Stage two of menopause is named perimenopause. In this stage she will experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness and have erratic periods.
3. Menopause, the next stage, occurs when a woman has her final period. However, she will not know it is her final period until a year later, ensuring that she is not simply irregular.
4. Postmenopause is the period of life following menopause.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy
If used properly, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) (once called hormone replacement therapy or HRT) can be very good at relieving moderate to severe menopausal symptoms and prevents bone loss. But MHT also has some risks, especially if used for a long time.

MHT can help with menopause by:

• Reducing hot flashes and night sweats, and related problems such as poor sleep and irritability
• Treating vaginal symptoms, such as dryness and discomfort, and related effects, such as pain during sex
• Slowing bone loss
• Possibly easing mood swings and mild depressive symptoms (MHT is not an antidepressant and is not effective in treating depression.)

For some women, MHT may increase their chance of:

• Blood clots
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Breast cancer
• Gall bladder disease

When deciding whether or not to use MHT, you and your doctor need to talk about the potential benefits and risks. Also ask about other treatment options. For example, lower dose estrogen products (vaginal creams, rings, and tablets) instead of MHT are a good choice for women who are only bothered by vaginal symptoms. And other drugs can help many women with bone loss. This information will help you decide if MHT is right for you. If you decide to try MHT, use the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time you need it.

Source: womenshealth.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)