Menopause Board » Fatigue

Overcoming the Stereotype of Menopause

admin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:26:01 +0000

Raj Kumar asked:

Many women refer to menopause as, “Going through the big change.” That is one stereotype to menopause that really could be considered a myth, and not very productive.

Menopause is only one change that comes in a woman’s life. It is not the most paramount. With all the daily stress that a woman goes through, menopause is only a small change that comes with growing older.

Because the effects of menopause are so great, the emotional imbalance, hormonal imbalance, mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, and the like, it should be viewed as a small change with a loud voice.

Life should be viewed as ever changing with gradual changes. We all go through transitions. We change homes, locations, careers all the time, but since there really no physiological changes going on, we view them as little, but menopause as a huge, catastrophic disaster.

To look at overcoming the stereotypes of menopause, we must remember that we begin to age the moment we are born. Menopause should be viewed as a time of self discovery, just as it is when a baby takes its first steps, speaks its first word, loses its first tooth. It is just another milestone that the body goes through.

Most of the stereotypes of menopause is culturally based, and really has no barring on our individual experiences.

In other countries, where age is respected and honored, women going through menopause find that the only thing they have to deal with are the symptoms. They don’t find themselves feeling un-sexy, or undesirable. It has also been reported that in these countries where women are noted for their age, and wisdom, the symptoms of menopause are decreasing lower than women who live in America.

Asian, African, and Arabic women going through menopause don’t suffer as many of the symptoms as do western women. They seem to welcome the end of fertility and child-bearing years and, as a result, their attitudes really seem to help them go through the symptoms of menopause, and they report that their symptoms are not as bad.

Because we live in a system where menopause is viewed as something bad, that negative thought takes root in the minds of western women, exacerbating the effects and symptoms of menopause. It is also noted that women who view menopause in a positive light, rather than negative, it gives them less of a chance to become confused as to what is happening to their bodies. As a result, less symptoms, and less discomfort from those symptoms.

Western women need to be of the mind set that overcoming the stereotypes of menopause doesn’t make them any less beautiful than they were when they were fertile, and of child-bearing years. Positive reinforcement from family members and other women experiencing the same effects is the key.

It is of the best interest of a woman going through the effects of menopause to join a woman’s group so that they can discuss what is happening to them and find remedies that other women are using to overcome the symptoms of menopause.

Speaking with a physician can also be helpful since he or she sees menopausal patients regularly and can help alleviate the stereotypes that come with aging.

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Content

Early Menopause Symptoms- How To Know If You Have Them

admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:20:22 +0000

Early Menopause is not as uncommon as you may think. Going through Early Menopause is much the same as going through menopause later in life but it just happens prior to you turning fourty. If you are experiencing mood swings and hot flashes, speak to your doctor. You may indeed be experiencing Early Menopause.

Recognizing Early Menopause Symptoms

If you begin to experience hot flashes and mood swings before you hit the ripe old age of forty, menopause may not be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, one in every 100 women will experience early menopause symptoms that can hit as the result of a number of different factors. Early menopause is defined as menopause that occurs in a woman before the age of forty. There are a number of early menopause symptoms that you may have to grapple with if you do indeed find yourself in this situation. However, there are also a number of methods to treat early menopause symptoms so that they do not completely disrupt your life.

Causes of Early Menopause

There are a number of reasons why menopause might begin prior to the age of forty. One is genetics, meaning that if your mother or grandmother experienced early menopause symptoms, there is a greater likelihood that you will as well. Another cause of early menopause is the necessity for a hysterectomy. Once the ovaries are removed, menopause will commence. Finally, if a woman has had chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer, these treatments can also be the culprit in early menopause. If you have any of these risk factors, and you begin to experience early menopause symptoms, you can visit your doctor to find out if you are indeed beginning the menopause process.

Symptoms of Early Menopause

Most of the early menopause symptoms are similar to what women experience during regular menopause, and can include hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Other early menopause symptoms might be headaches, a reduced sex drive, depression and difficulty sleeping. You might also find that you are irritable or have to visit the restroom more frequently. Fatigue and forgetfulness are also signs of early menopause. Vaginal dryness is a common concern, which can contribute to the loss of libido. While all of these early menopause symptoms may seem uncomfortable, they are only temporary in nature and many can be treated effectively using simple remedies.

For example, you can increase your exercise and improve your diet to help with some of your early menopause symptoms, like irritability and fatigue. You can also use an over the counter lubricant to help combat the vaginal dryness. If depression becomes a big issue, your doctor can prescribe medication that will help you to deal with this symptom as well. While early menopause may seem like a huge hurdle to get over in your life, there are many options available to you to help you deal with your early menopause symptoms and offer you a higher quality of life.

Signs of Menopause- Watch out

admin — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:11:27 +0000

Menopause has some recognizable signs. If you know what to look for, you will be able to speak to your doctor as soon as the symptoms present themselves. Generally the first signs usually are a change in sleeping habbits, shorter or longer periods, and some sort of depression. Knowing what to look for is a big help in compating the displeasant side effects of menopause.

How You Can Recognize the Signs of Menopause

You are approaching your fifties, and you have been feeling quite odd more and more gradually. You think perhaps the symptoms you have been feeling are caused by PMS or stress, but they have been coming more and more frequently. Whether you like it or not, the time has come to consider whether or not you are experiencing signs of menopause.

About the Signs of Menopause

When you were younger, chances are that when you first began menstruating you were wondering why you were experiencing so many mood swings and, worst of all, those cramps. There are many different signs of PMS that are unique to each woman, and the same is true for the signs of menopause.

For example, if you have been suffering from mood swings more and more often, and you were not the type to be like that before, that is one of the most common signs of menopause. At one moment you can be perfectly happy, and the next you could be crying over nothing!

Some women go through menopause rather quickly. However, the signs of menopause usually come at a natural progression, starting at middle age. Some of the signs of menopause do tend to come on rather quickly, and as a result the women experiencing those signs get nervous.

One of the signs of menopause that women have the hardest time dealing with is the temperature changes in the body. Although some women experience the feeling of always being cold, it is the hot flashes that become the problem. Out of nowhere a woman, no matter what the weather is, might begin fanning herself and sweating.

Another thing that women might experience is migraine headaches. Although these kinds of headaches might be brought on by stress or dehydration, they can also be a sign of menopause. Along with the headaches can also come a feeling of fatigue.

If you as a woman are wondering when you will be starting menopause, all you have to do is find out when your mother or your maternal grandmother started menopause. It will probably be the average between those ages.

Of course, you can also talk to your doctor or your gynecologist. Medical technology is becoming more and more advanced, and as a result you have the advantage of preparing for menopause. When menopause comes, be aware that there are many different ways to make this an easier process for menopausal women.