Menopause and HRT

Menopause comes from two Greek words that mean “month” and “to end,” and the current medical definition of menopause means exactly the same: the absence of menstruation for twelve months. Menopause can occur between late thirties and late 50s, and not a single woman can avoid this period. Considering that menopause hits a woman in her most active life stage, it is not surprising that women want to prepare to menopause and avoid discomfort using a wide variety of convenient menopause tests.

Although menopause is a natural part of growing older, many women find menopause symptoms start interfering with their daily lives. Menopause symptoms include missed or heavy menstrual periods, hot sweating and flashes, mood changes, nervousness, insomnia and a general feeling of being “down”. Due to hormonal changes a woman may add some weight or her hair may thin. Then, after the stopping of menstrual periods for a full twelve months, a woman enters menopause, and after twelve months a woman is post-menopausal. And while many women may experience mild discomfort, others may have moderate to severe health problems and may want to ease their symptoms.

Menopause symptoms can be relieved, if not avoided, by timely preparation. Menopause tests help women detect menopause in its early stage. Using menopause tests may be reasonable even for women in their 30s to determine when their ovarian function changes which may mean the slow shift into the perimenopause.

Such symptoms are irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes, insomnia, nervousness, decreased sexual desire, or night sweats may signal the approach of perimenopause or menopause, but they can also manifest a number of other disorders and conditions. For accurate results, menopause test employs a hormonal analysis. The menopause test measures the presence of a hormone known as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone is produced by womans pituitary gland. Follicle stimulating hormone levels increase temporarily each month to stimulate ovaries to produce eggs. When a woman enters menopause and ovaries stop working, her follicle stimulating hormone levels increase.

Applying urine to the wick of a menopause test kit activates menopause tests. If a womans hormonal level is higher than normal, it may signal that she is approaching menopause. However, this test will not show not if a woman definitely is in menopause or even in perimenopause. Menopause test may be influenced by oral or patch contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, or estrogen supplements that a woman has been taking before the test.

There are a number of traditional menopause tests that should be done in doctors office. Typically these tests require a sample of blood that is sent to an outside lab for examination. Results are normally available three to five days later. If the menopause test results show that the hormonal levels are increased above the norm, it is standard medical protocol to perform a second menopause test.

Today, menopause symptoms can be relieved using traditional or herbal therapy methods. If you are concerned about the symptoms of menopause talk to your doctor about a menopause test.

Kathryn writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Menopause please visit http://www.menopause-guide.org and for additional articles on all beds http://www.menopause-guide.org/menopause-articles/

As baby boomers move into midlife, a womans menopause does not have quite the alarming effect that it did some years ago. However, it remains a time of change in her life, as the ovaries start shutting down causing hormones to fluctuate. When this occurs, her childbearing years come to an end. A womans menopause is a perfectly normal process that occurs over several years, but the physical and emotional changes associated with this “change of life” will vary from woman to woman.

Some women experience symptoms that include hot flashes, mood swings, memory difficulties, vaginal dryness, and insomnia, while other women experience no symptoms whatsoever. Too often, women even confuse natural aging changes with menopause. The few symptoms actually associated with menopause can usually be handled with a few minor lifestyle changes. Contrary to what most women have heard about menopause, it can be an exciting and challenging time. All women should know that they will experience menopause at some point in their life, whether it be premature or natural menopause.

So many times, it is easy to blame other factors on menopause but it should be understood that not all symptoms a woman experiences are necessarily related to menopause. For instance, a number of women will undergo a different stresses in midlife, causing moodiness and anxiety, but these factors do not mean that a womans menopause causes depression.There is a myth that most women will lose their desire for sex during the menopausal years when in fact, the midlife years can be a time of enhanced sexual desire because of the freedom from having to use birth control and concerns over possible pregnancy. If a woman experiences vaginal dryness or painful intercourse, lubricants or creams can be used. A womans desire for sex usually has more to do with feelings for her partner than with her bodys hormonal changes.

Another factor that might be blamed on a womans menopause is weight gain, but some women may actually lose weight. It is important to be wise, eating healthy food and exercising regularly to maintain optimal health.

A couple of important things for women to remember while going through this time in her life is that she should be open in her communication by sharing thoughts and concerns about the changes in her body and mind. Open communication helps bring couples closer instead of creating distance. Another consideration in helping a woman feel better about going through the change of life is to connect with female friends, reminiscing about the past and possible changes to be made in the future. Additionally, women going through menopause need proper sleep. If she has trouble going to sleep, she could try taking a hot shower before bedtime or drinking a glass of warm milk or a glass of wine (just one). Even an occasional sleeping pill is recommended if nothing else seems to work, but only when recommended by her doctor.

Maintaining optimal health by eating healthy and exercising regularly is important for anyone not just for a woman going through menopause. Some other suggested ideas include dressing in layers during the winter and cooler clothing during the summer for hot flashes.

As mentioned earlier, not all women will have the same menopause process, so if a woman is experiencing symptoms that are uncomfortable or if she is just plain curious, she should consult her doctor. The doctor can perform a blood test for FSH levels to determine if a womans menopause is nearing. Menopause is the doorway to a new life, closing one chapter in life and moving on.

Dawn M. Olsen is an Advocate for Better Womens Health through Education, Recipe Developer, Soy Food Enthusiast and the Author of “Menopause A to Z - A Definitive Guide to Modern Menopause” available online now at http://www.MenopauseAtoZ.com