In our survey over 70% of respondents said they’d experienced “mood swings”. Typically these involve short-temper, irritability, anxiety and depression. You know you are having them, but can’t seem to do anything to stop them.
Those of us with children who’ve been through their teenage years, will be well aware of the behavioural and emotional swings which they experience, and how difficult these can be for them and everyone around them. However, it seems unfair that we’ve reached middle age and now have to cope with something similar ourselves.
Menopause Articles
Emotional lows
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Aches and pains
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Two thirds of the survey respondents felt that they’d seen an increase in aches and pains. Apparently this is linked to low levels of oestrogen. Again, it seems unfair that just when we might have more time to spend on exercise, our bodies start complaining!
Lack of libido
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Because the ovaries are also responsible for producing testosterone (the sex-drive hormone), the production of this also slows and stops. Of those in the survey around 40% said they’d less interest in sex.
Another issue is that vaginal tissues get thinner and dryer, and which can make sex painful. There are a variety of lubricants available to relieve this.
Follow this link for more information about sex and the menopause.
Weight gain
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Menopause and weight gain tend to go together, and the survey suggests that 6 in 10 had issues with increasing weight. It seems that most of the weight gain tends to occur in the perimenopause stage and averages out at about 1lb per year. The excess weight tends to go on around the waist – leading to the classic “apple” shape of middle aged ladies. Apparently this is because our bodies want to store fat for later – a bit like the puppy fat we experienced at puberty.
At the menopause, we may develop “insulin resistance” which results in our bodies storing calories rather than burning them. Before the menopause, if we consumed 1000 calories we would store 300 and burn 700, but post menopause it seems that we will burn 300 and store 700!
A sensible diet and good exercise regime will obviously help. I try to walk most weekends and am lucky in having the great expanse of Dartmoor available, as well as the coastal path. It probably doesn’t help my “apple” figure however, with a great variety of wonderful pasty shops within our reach, as well as the famous Devonshire cream teas!
Herbal Remedies and the Menopause
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Herbal remedies have played a major part in the treatment of all sorts of ailments and conditions since the mists of time.
We’d be the first to agree that modern medicine has moved us on enormously and enabled us to cure and alleviate the symptoms of all sorts of illnesses that were previously impossible to resolve.
However, it’s worth remembering that many modern medicines have their basis in natural products and that it’s not entirely coincidental that the big pharmaceutical companies spend time and money searching for and testing plant extracts from the remote parts of the world in the hope of finding compounds that can be used to develop new drugs
Whilst I was looking into alternative treatments for the effects of my Menopause I was struck by the number of herbal remedies on the market, and the number of individuals I came across in blogs and chatrooms who felt that natural remedies had worked for them.
We’re not experts, but it seems that for something so long term and gradual as the Perimenopause some of these more gentle natural remedies could well work effectively.
Generally speaking it seems that most of the “hard” medical research undertaken into herbal remedies suggests that they have some effect but find it difficult to explain the mechanism by which this takes place. A good place to look if you want more information is The US National Institute of Health web site.
In the survey we undertook of those respondents who were using any sort of medication, including herbal remedies, 25% were currently using either HRT alone, or HRT alongside herbal remedies, and the remainder were using herbal remedies alone.
So it seems that, as with most things, it’s “horses for courses”.