MENOPAUSE: THE MEANING

Every woman will have of questions to ask about the menopause: What is it? Why does it happen? And most importantly what effect will it have on her life?

WHAT EXACTLY DOES MENOPAUSE MEAN?

The menopause is simply the name given to the last menstrual period. In most women this occurs during their late forties or early fifties; she usually finds that her periods become irregular for some time before they stop altogether. The menopause is sometime called “the change of life” or simply “the change”.

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

Lets look at the various parts of the female reproductive system. This comprises the uterus (or womb), the vagina, and two ovaries connected to the uterus by fallopian tubes.
The ovaries sit on either side of the uterus and produce an egg each month which passes down the fallopian tube into the uterus. The ovaries also produces two very important hormones-oestrogen and protesterone. Oestrogen is the hormone which ripens the eggs in the ovaries and with the help of progesterone gets the womb ready each month for a fertilized egg. If no egg is fertilized that month no baby can be conceived and the lining of the womb is lost through the vagina. This is what happens when you have a period. This cycle happens every month between puberty and the menopause, except when you are pregnant.

The reason your periods stop at the menopause is because your ovaries begin to lose their ability to produce oestrogen. When the ovaries produce less oestrogen, no more eggs ripen. The cycle is interrupted, and the periods stop.

SURGICAL MENOPAUSE

If you need, or have had a hysterectomy (removal of the womb) and/or bilateral oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries), it is because something, however minor, has gone wrong with your womb, ovaries or hormone patterns. For example, you may have noticed your periods becoming irregular, prolonged or heavy, or you may have had pelvic pain or discomfort during or between your periods. More than 1,000 women a week have a hysterectomy in the UK, so it is a very common operation.

These includes

·         Ovarian Cysts

·         Dysfunctional bleeding (heavy or irregular periods)

·         “Sagged” muscles supporting the womb or bladder (prolapse)

·         Benign growths in the wombs (fibroids)

·         Endometriosis (growths of womb lining issue outside the womb)

·         Cancer

If you have your ovaries removed, your body will no longer have a supply of oestrogen and this causes a premature menopause

SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT THE MENOPAUSE?

No, not at all. There is no reason why the menopause should aversely affect your life. In face, in some ways, it could improve it. It is understandable that most women feel rather anxious about the ‘change’ and how it will affect them. A few may see it as a sign of getting old and perhaps feel less feminine because they are no longer able to bear children. It is important to remember that the modern woman lives about one-third of her life after the menopause – a time of life that can be just as interesting, productive and exciting as any other. The menopause may bring a few temporary problems, but with the help of your doctor, family or friends, these can be overcome. You can look forward to the future with confidence.

THE SYMPTOMS

Women vary widely in their experiences of menopausal symptoms, how easy the are to cope with, and how long they last. Eight out of ten women notice some changes in their bodies around the time of menopause, which may include hot flushes, headaches, night sweats, palpitations and insomnia.

The symptoms you may experience as a result of the decreased amount of oestrogen in your body can be divided into three groups:

·         Early

·         Intermediate

·         Long terms signs

EARLY SIGNS

As you get nearer to the menopause your periods tend to get heavier and last longer. At this stage, they may occur closer together than usual. Later on they become more irregular, with longer gaps between them until they stop altogether. If the bleeding is very heavy, last for a long time (say longer than 8 days) or is unusually painful, you should see your doctor who will check for any medical problems. A well as being inconvenient, heavy periods can make you rather tired because of iron in the blood. Your doctor may suggest treatment for this if the loss of iron is severe.

HOT FLUSHES

Hot flushes are the most common symptom of the menopause. They frequently begin before your periods stop, and often occur during the week before your period. They are likely to come on more frequently after your periods have stopped and persist for several years.

Hot flushes are harmless but can be quite a nuisance. You suddenly feel very hot, particularly around the chest, neck and face. The flush usually lasts for up to three minutes. It is often accompanied by sweating and followed by a feeling of cold and shivering. Some women complain of palpitations – an unpleasant feeling that the heart is beating very rapidly.