Archive for December, 2009
Perimenopause
Perimenopause
Perimenopause also means the early stages of menopause. Perimenopause is a phase before the actual menopause takes place. It is a phase when the production of the hormones like estrogen keeps on declining. Perimenopause can last from 5 to 15 years in a patient. However some experts say that perimenopause is a period of 4 to 5 years just before the actual menopause tales place. Normally women experience more symptoms during perimenopause then in actual menopause. Perimenopause occurs in women between the ages of 35-45 years. As perimenopause reaches an advanced stage, women begin to experience symptoms like irregular menstrual cycles. This is the result of declining amount of estrogen in the body which shortens the cycle from 28-30 days to 24-26 days resulting in more number of periods. On the other hand some women might have periods after a long time, the frequency between the periods increases. This is because these women are not ovulating frequently. Perimenopause may lead to symptoms like hot flashes and sleeplessness at night, mood swings, breast tenderness and other symptoms. If the symptoms are observed early, then treatment can be started immediately by the doctors. The doctors can start treatment by giving hormone replacement supplements which help to replace the declining hormone levels in the body. If the treatment is delayed then surgery might be the only option. Hence it is extremely necessary to consult a doctor of any of the symptoms persist for a long time. Let us see the other symptoms of perimenopause. Menstrual cycles becoming shorter to longer is the most common symptom of perimenopause. Also the blood sugar in the body becomes lower than normal. The women suffering from perimenopause suffer hot flashes at night and hence are not able to sleep properly. Hot flashes is a feeling of warmth in the body when the temperature outside is low. Hot flashes may last from 30 seconds to 15 minutes and may lead to insomnia. Patients suffering from perimenopause may also get psychologically affected through depression and getting irritated easily. There is a decreased sex drive because of constant irritation in the vagina. Women suffering from perimenopause should be given full support by the family members, especially spouses. Even the doctor treating women with perimenopause should support her and give her treatment as desired. The doctor should watch the progress of the woman from time to time and change treatment accordingly.
Pre Menopause
Pre Menopause
Pre menopause is also known as early menopause or perimenopause. Pre menopause is a stage before the actual menopause stage. Pre menopause refers to the stage when the estrogen levels in the women’s body begin to decline. In case of normal menopause the ability to produce estrogen is completely stopped. Some doctors say that pre menopause can last for as much as 5-15 years while some doctors maintain that pre menopause is just a period of 3 to 4 years before actual menopause takes place. Pre menopause happens to women between the age of 35 and 45 years and the symptoms of pre menopause are found to be more than menopause. Some common symptoms of pre menopause are irregular menstrual cycles, vaginal bleeding and irritation in vagina, hot flashes and sleeplessness at night, depression and getting easily irritated, feelings of tension and doom, obesity and high sugar levels in the body. The period between consecutive menstrual cycles begins to shorten from 28-30 days to 24-26 days due to falling of estrogen levels. However in many cases the period between the periods may lengthen due to the inability to ovulate as frequently as expected. If the symptoms persist for a long time it is advisable to consult your doctor immediately. Your doctor will examine your condition and then prescribe treatment accordingly. If the menopause has not reached the advanced stage then the doctor might recommend you to take herbal medicines or hormone replacement therapy to bring the levels of hormone in your body to the normal level. The different types of hormones in the body play an important role in making the body immune to diseases to a certain extent. The hormone balance of the body is very delicate and can be easily disrupted due to certain factors. Pre menopause begins to occur in women in her mid thirties to late forties. The significant changes observed are that of irregular periods in which ovulation does not occur even though menstruation does occur. When the ovaries fail to release an egg the production of estrogen in the body begins to decline. As the level of estrogen begins to decline in the body, women may experience symptoms like tenderness in breast, water retention, sleep disturbance and obesity related issues. When the ovaries shut down completely the body begins to search for the much needed progesterone. Hence it is important to replace the levels of progesterone in the body.
Menopause Weight Gain
Menopause Weight Gain
Menopause refers to a disorder when a woman’s ability to produce estrogen declines. Women are known to suffer from pre menopause when the estrogen producing capability keeps on declining. A woman is said to suffer from menopause when the woman’s body stops to produce an estrogen at all. The most common symptoms of menopause are irregular menstrual cycle where the period between two menstrual cycles shortens or lengthens beyond the normal cycle. Also women suffering from menopause may experience hot flashes at night, due to which they are not able to sleep well. Weight gain and obesity is also a common symptom of menopause. Women with menopause experience weight gain around the abdomen area. Researchers have still not been able to find out the exact reason for excess weight gain but hormonal changes in the body seem to be the prime suspect for menopause weight gain. When women begin to age the metabolism of the body slows down, as a result of which the body’s ability to burn fat slows down. Muscles also decrease in bulk. Oestrogen is a hormone in women that is responsible for ovulation. Studies have shown that lack of oestrogen due to menopause leads to excessive weight gain. Many people believe that hormone therapy for menopause leads to weight gain, but this not true. Women tend to gain weight in her mid thirties irrespective of whether she is taking hormone replacement therapy or not taking it. There are some women who may experience bloating and breast fullness which they consider as weight gain. As women get older the possibility of cardiovascular diseases increases due to excess weight gained after menopause. Body fat which is stored along the abdominal walls and around the intestinal organs poses quite a big risk for development of cardiovascular disease. Apart from the oestrogen levels in the body there maybe other reasons after menopause that may lead to weight gain like loss of muscle tissue with ageing, low metabolism rate of the body, reduced physical exercise and other physical activities and other unhealthy habits like overeating and eating junk food. Hence to keep your weight under check after menopause you should have a low fat diet, do some kind of exercise, indulge in physical activities that burn your fat, build up and maintain your muscle mass with the help of strength and weight training. Before doing any weight regime program and exercise program you should consult your doctor and take his advice.