Female Menopause

Menopause is a unique and personal experience for every woman. It's a natural part of a women’s life that marks the end of fertility and childbearing years. Simply, it is the stopping of periods or menses. Technically, menopause results when the ovaries no longer release eggs and decrease production of the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and androgen. Menopause is said to have occurred when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.

Hormone levels do not decline uniformly when menstrual periods finally end altogether, Production of estrogen and progesterone is erratic and unpredictable at this time. The ovaries decrease their output of estrogen significantly. These low estrogen levels are linked to some very uncomfortable symptoms which may affect the life and daily activities of many women.

The symptoms of menopause fall into three groups:

The first group contains the most common effects, such as:

• Fatigue/Lack of energy
• Stress
• Depression/Anxiety/Mood swings
• Short-term memory loss/ Irritability /Confusion/Difficulty concentrating
• Dry skin/Wrinkles/Thinning skin
• Loss of hair/Excessive facial hair
• Weight gain
• Joint and muscle aches and pains

The second group is described as containing Vasco-motor symptoms, such as:

• Hot flashes
• Nausea/ poor digestion
• Lightheaded and/or Dizziness
• Headaches / Migraines
• Heart palpitations
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Reduced body temperature(Chills)
• High blood pressure

The third group of symptoms is called Sexual Symptoms, such as:

• Vaginal dryness 
• Incontinence (leaking urine when coughing, stretching, bending)
• Itching of the vulva
• Pain during intercourse
• Loss of libido (sex drive)

Estrogen helps protect against plaque buildup in the arteries. It does this by helping to raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), which helps remove LDL-cholesterol (the type that contributes to the accumulation of fat deposits called plaque along artery walls). As a woman ages, the risk for developing Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), a condition in which the veins and arteries that take blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked by plaque, increases steadily. Heart attack is now the leading cause of death among women. Experts believe that bio identical estrogen replacement therapy may be the single most important factor in preventing heart disease in women.

For most women, the symptoms of menopause last for a few years or more. However, a woman's level of estrogen naturally remains low after menopause. This will affect many parts of the body, including the sexual and urinary organs, the heart, and the bones. So, in that sense, the changes of menopause can be life-long. Women today can expect to live as much as one-third of their lives beyond menopause. In the next decade, as many as 52 million women will be age 50 or older. Bio-identical hormone therapy enables women to feel great and live a long, healthy life after menopause. Contrary to the old-fashioned view that life is all downhill after menopause, many women today find that the years after menopause offer new discoveries and fresh challenges.

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