Menopause Stages
Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. It typically occurs in the late 40s or early 50s, although the age at which menopause begins can vary widely. Menopause, the actual meaning is defined as the point in time when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
The years leading up to menopause is called Perimenopause. This is typically the time that we begin to notice that things are changing. Our ovaries gradually produce fewer hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone. The decline in these two hormones lead to several physical and emotional changes. Common symptoms of perimenopause are hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness and changes in sleep patterns. Some of us even notice weight gain, joint pain and changes in libido.
Menopause lasts how long?
The perimenopause can be four to ten years. You can say you graduated from perimenopause to menopause when you have officially gone 12-months without a period.
When someone asks how long does menopause last, what they are typically asking is how long will the unwanted symptoms be present and how long must I deal with them? It is different for every woman. Some women have very few to no symptoms, but others struggle for years with the night sweats, hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings and disturbed sleep.
Menopause meaning and treatment
Menopause is inevitable, suffering through it is not. You deserve exquisite menopause care by a professional HRT Doctor or specialist. Don't settle for just any PRP or OB/GYN who isn't trained on the latest Hormone Replacement protocols and therapies.
You also must do your part and take charge of your health to manage your menopause symptoms. You should consider adopting a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. If you smoke, stop and if you drink alcohol, quit that too. Both smoking and drinking have negative effects on your symptoms. Many women notice worsened symptoms due to these habits.
When does menopause start? The cause of menopause is that our ovaries are done. (Cleveland Clinic, "What to Expect in Each Stage of Menopause) Like done as in, they have retired and don't plan to work ever again! They are done making eggs and done making estrogen and progesterone. Our ovaries have only so many eggs and when they run out, we no longer have a period. Our ovaries cease to function at this stage which mean they no longer produce estrogen or progesterone. This is where hormone replacement comes into play. For some, it comes into the scene much sooner than the actual onset of formal menopause.
When I finally found a Hormone Replacement doctor who specialized in helping women in their menopause years lose weight and feel better, I felt like I had hit the jackpot. But it had taken me several long years to find my pot of gold.
If there is a "medication" for menopause, it's HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy. It's not a medication, but it is the only thing that most menopausal women agree help them to feel like themselves again. It can help with brain fog, hair loss, weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, frozen shoulder and for many it greatly improves sleep.
Hormone Replacement Therapy-Bioidentical
Earlier, I mentioned that our ovarian function stops which causes us to go into menopause. The only way to "fix" ovaries that have retired and decided to no longer work is to replace the hormones they used to produce. Thus, hormone replacement therapy.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) involves the use of hormones that are chemically identical to those produced naturally by the body. These hormones are derived from plant sources, such as soy or yams, and are designed to mimic the molecular structure of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone.
The main goal of BHRT is to address hormonal imbalances that may occur during menopause or as part of aging. The hormones used in BHRT are considered "bioidentical" because their structure is identical to the hormones naturally produced in the human body. This is in contrast to some conventional hormone replacement therapies (HRT) that may use synthetic hormones with similar but not identical structures.
Potential benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may include:
Symptom Relief: BHRT is often prescribed to alleviate symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
Bone Health: Hormones like estrogen play a crucial role in maintaining bone density. BHRT may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures associated with bone loss during and after menopause.
Cardiovascular Health: Estrogen has been linked to cardiovascular health, and some studies suggest that BHRT may have cardiovascular benefits, though the evidence is not entirely clear.
Improved Quality of Life: By addressing hormonal imbalances, BHRT aims to improve the overall quality of life for individuals experiencing symptoms related to menopause or aging.
When does menopause start?
When you start to notice symptoms, that's when it's time to start researching HRT specialists. If I were your life coach, I'd tell you to not suffer even one day longer than necessary when there are so many menopause treatment options available.
If you have a great OB/GYN or Primary Care Phisician, start the conversation as soon as you notice things shifting. If your current provider isn't trained or doesn't appear to have an understanding of what you are going through, then it's okay to step outside that relationship for HRT specialty care. Your OB/GYN is a trained surgeon, be sensitive to the fact that if they haven't invested time in studying hormone education, (way beyond what they learned in medical school) they may not be able to help you and that's okay. You have lots of options and choices of where you go to get the care you need and deserve.
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