Menopause FAQ

Questions that my mother wouldn't answer

What is the most common age for menopause?

The national average for women living in American society to stop having periods is 52. Some women, however, experience non-surgical menopause in their 40's or even 30's, and many start experiencing perimenopause in their 30's. There is an ongoing discussion that menopause may start earlier. Reasons for that are thought to be cultural in that our mothers and grandmothers did not talk about their bodies and the changes so we reallydon't have an accurate range to base the ages on.

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the term used for the stage leading up to menopause: hormone production is starting to fluctuate and you may be noticing hot flashes or other symptoms, but you are still having periods.

Is there a test to determine whether or not you are in perimenopause?

 The FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) blood test will determine whether or not your hormone levels were normal at the time the blood is drawn. The problem is, when perimenopause starts, the hormones may fluctuate wildly from one day to the next. If you have the blood test done on a day when the hormones are fairly normal, that doesn't necessarily mean it was at a normal level the day before or will be three days later. If you really need to know, having the test done 2 or 3 times over a period of a few weeks is the most reliable method.

Another way to be certain is to ask your doctor to do a saliva test. Some women feel that this is the only accurate way to test for hormonal levels, especially progesterone levels.

How long does the transitional stage last?

 Again, we're all different. Some women will breeze through it, one day they'll just realize they haven't had a period for a while. For others it may go on for as long as 10 years!

What can I do to get through this transitional stage?

 There are many things you can try. Some women prefer to start taking HRT (hormone replacement therapy) right away, Others prefer to try to go through it without using drugs, others try natural methods.

Why can't I get to sleep, or if I do get to sleep, wake up too early?

 Insomnia is a common complaint during peri-menopause.  It is possible that sleep interruptions are due to the body's inability to maintain a consistent temperature due to hormone fluctuations. Even if a hot flush isn't apparent to the woman, it may be that the body temperature has risen to the point where continued sleep is impossible. It will then take a period of time before body temperature falls again making getting back to sleep difficult.

 There are a number of things that a woman can try in the hope of getting a better night's sleep. Health food stores (HFS) sell a number of different herbal teas that help some women fall asleep more easily. One can also try sleeping potions such as Calms Forte, Snoozers, Easy Sleep, or Poppy Valerian all of which are sold at HFS. Melatonin is a hormone that helps many older people get a better night's sleep. It too is available in many HFS.

Good sleeping habits will help some. Sleep Right in Five Nights by James Perl suggests no caffeine after noon, no alcohol before bedtime (alcohol may help you to fall asleep but it also causes interrupted sleep), regular rising and bedtimes (even on weekends), a bedtime ritual, sleep in a cool bedroom, no daytime naps for longer than 20 minutes, rising if you are not sleepy and going to another room to read or watch TV, and exercise four or five hours before bedtime.

Meditation and relaxation techniques help some women. Playing soft music or relaxation tapes can be useful.  Benadryl which is an antihistamine can apparently be taken safely. For some, it offers relief when nothing else does. It is also possible for some women to simply get used to the idea that they will be awake many nights for some period of time. If one tries to stay calm and do restful, relaxing things with that time, the resultant sleep loss may not be dramatic. Some women actually report being grateful for the extra time to catch up with reading and have some quiet time to themselves while the rest of the household sleeps.  As homone levels even out this insomnia often becomes less of a problem.

Starting HRT may help some women. Sleeping pills are probably not a good idea. They are meant for short periods of sleeplessness due to an unusually stressful event. Many sleeping pills are quickly addictive and the rebound insomnia when you stop taking them is worse than the initial insomnia.

Suddenly my ankles, feet and fingers are swelling like crazy!?

As much as it may be hard to believe, this is the very time that 8 glasses of water a day will help with the fluid retention. Salad vegetables high in potassium will also help to regulate body-fluid balance. A large salad of high potassium vegetables can dramatically diminish fluid retension. High-potassium vegetables are: celery, cucumber, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, watercress, sorrel, dandelion greens, radishes, parsley. Other foods high in potassium are: edible seaweeed, dried apricots, bananas, rice bran and wheat bran, wheatgerm, chick-peas, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, horseradish, peaches.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

+ Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
+ Bouts of rapid heart beat
+ Irritability
+ Mood swings, sudden tears
+ Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night  sweats)
+ Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods
+ Loss of libido
+ Dry vagina
+ Crushing fatigue
+ Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
+ Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
+ Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
+ Disturbing memory lapses
+ Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
+ Itchy, crawly skin
+ Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
+ Increased tension in muscles
+ Breast tenderness
+ Headache change: increase or decrease
+ Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
+ Sudden bouts of bloat
+ Depression
+ Exacerbation of existing conditions
+ Increase in allergies
+ Weight gain
+ Hair loss or thinning, head or whole body; increase in facial hair
+ Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
+ Changes in body odor
+ Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
+ Tingling in the extremities
+ Gum problems, increased bleeding
+ Burning tongue
+ Osteoporosis (after several years)

Some of these signs may be symptoms of medical conditions that should bechecked with a trusted practitioner of your choice.