Spotting During Menopause - What to Watch Out For
July 5, 2009 by Helpful Menopause Tips
Filed under About Menopause
There are many signs and symptoms of menopause and one of the main concerns that women have when they are going through menopause is spotting during menopause and is it normal or not. Well, to an extent menopause spotting is normal, after all your body is changing from going to have a period every single month to having none, so of course it is natural for your body to stop.
One main concern you may have is after you have entered into post menopause and you start spotting heavily, then it is definitely time to consult your doctor, for it can be a sign of something a bit more serious. One of the first symptoms of menopause is irregular periods and this is when your body starts is cycle of stopping the production of estrogen. So it is pretty obvious that some bleeding during menopause is perfectly normal. If however, you are still worried and concerned about the bleeding, it may help to educate yourself on menopause itself and all the stages, signs, symptoms and what exactly you will be going through for the next ten to fifteen years.
One of the main points that women do not realize about menopause is it is not one main stage that you will go through, menopause is broken down into three or four stages. Pre menopause, perimenopause, menopause itself and finally post menopause are the four stages that each and every woman will go through when they are dealing with menopause. While a lot of doctors like to view pre menopause and perimenopause as the same stage, it is a common known fact that they are two different stages.
There is also one more stage that woman in their thirties will end up going through and that is premature menopause. Now, not every woman goes through premature menopause, it is just a few of them. Premature menopause usually hits women whose female family members have had a history of going through premature menopause.
The only time that you are experiencing actual menopause is when you have gone one entire year without any bleeding. This does include spotting, if you are spotting during those twelve months, then you will have to start all over on your count. Menopause is when you have gone a full twelve months without any spotting, bleeding or menstruating what-so-ever. It may be a good idea to keep tabs on how many months you go without bleeding so that way you will have a good indication of when you have gone from pre menopause to menopause itself.
After you have gone the entire year without menopause, you will have entered post menopause and this is when you will have to be concerned if you are still spotting. Spotting when you are in post menopause is absolutely a reason to consult your doctor, for this can be signs of something way more serious. This is especially true if you go from light spotting to actual heavy bleeding. Even though spotting in all the stages of menopause is generally normal, it is still a good idea to get yourself checked out and do not take any precautions.
Thanks to Lance Thorington for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
One main concern you may have is after you have entered into post menopause and you start spotting heavily, then it is definitely time to consult your doctor, for it can be a sign of something a bit more serious. One of the first symptoms of menopause is irregular periods and this is when your body starts is cycle of stopping the production of estrogen. So it is pretty obvious that some bleeding during menopause is perfectly normal. If however, you are still worried and concerned about the bleeding, it may help to educate yourself on menopause itself and all the stages, signs, symptoms and what exactly you will be going through for the next ten to fifteen years.
One of the main points that women do not realize about menopause is it is not one main stage that you will go through, menopause is broken down into three or four stages. Pre menopause, perimenopause, menopause itself and finally post menopause are the four stages that each and every woman will go through when they are dealing with menopause. While a lot of doctors like to view pre menopause and perimenopause as the same stage, it is a common known fact that they are two different stages.
There is also one more stage that woman in their thirties will end up going through and that is premature menopause. Now, not every woman goes through premature menopause, it is just a few of them. Premature menopause usually hits women whose female family members have had a history of going through premature menopause.
The only time that you are experiencing actual menopause is when you have gone one entire year without any bleeding. This does include spotting, if you are spotting during those twelve months, then you will have to start all over on your count. Menopause is when you have gone a full twelve months without any spotting, bleeding or menstruating what-so-ever. It may be a good idea to keep tabs on how many months you go without bleeding so that way you will have a good indication of when you have gone from pre menopause to menopause itself.
After you have gone the entire year without menopause, you will have entered post menopause and this is when you will have to be concerned if you are still spotting. Spotting when you are in post menopause is absolutely a reason to consult your doctor, for this can be signs of something way more serious. This is especially true if you go from light spotting to actual heavy bleeding. Even though spotting in all the stages of menopause is generally normal, it is still a good idea to get yourself checked out and do not take any precautions.
Thanks to Lance Thorington for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Lance Thorington is a professional writer and online publisher. Read more about spotting after menopause at the menopause site http://www.menopauseabout.com/
The Basics of Peri-menopause
June 28, 2009 by Helpful Menopause Tips
Filed under About Menopause
Menopause signals the end of a woman’s childbearing days. It is marked by the end of a woman’s monthly period. This is primarily because of the ovaries’ inability to produce eggs. Contrary to popular notion, women do not have a wellspring of eggs. Their ova also run out. Menopause is also caused by the decrease in the secretion of the female sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen.
Like all natural processes, menopause does not just occur without any warning signs. In fact, the body prepares for it, knowing instinctively that a woman cannot cope with the changes abruptly. The preparation of the body is a very gradual process that can take years. This is what the scientific and medical community calls Perimenopause.
Peri-menopause or what is called premenopause is the period in a woman’s life when her body is starting to ready itself towards menopause. This often occurs during the mid-40s; although some may experience some signs and symptoms in their mid-30s.
Perimenopause is not just a short period of time, In fact, it can last for as long as two to eight years depending on the person. Some clinicians even say that it can last for as long as 15 years!
Up until now, there is still no explanation why some women have longer periods of pre-menopause than others. Because there is no specific year span when it occurs, women and even their doctors often overlook the symptoms of premenopause and its effects in the body.
Unlike during menopause where levels of progesterone and estrogen go on a nosedive, hormonal levels during premenopause are erratic. Levels rise and fall. Because of these changes, women may experience disruptions in their monthly menstrual cycles. Menstruation may suddenly extend for a few days or shorten to just a couple of days.
Shortened cycles are the result of the drop in estrogen levels, leading to the shortening of the follicular phase. Cycles can shorten to 24-26 days. This means that there will more frequent monthly cycles than before. On the other side, women may also experience infrequent monthly flow because of the lengthening of the menstrual cycle.
Women in premenopause may also find it hard to conceive although it is not impossible. This is because there are menstrual cycles when women do not ovulate.
Like in menopause, declining levels of the female hormones may result in the experiences of a host of symptoms that are often seen during menopause; symptoms like hot flashes, where women will experience abrupt changes in their body temperatures; incontinence; vaginal dryness because of the decrease in lubrication and elasticity; breast tenderness; mood swings and see-saw of emotions; sleeping problems and other potential complications such as bone loss and osteoporosis.
Symptoms of course vary from one person to another. Some may experience all of them while others may not feel a thing. In fact, some women’s menstrual cycles will just stop without ever experiencing any symptoms at all. This is the reason why premenopause is so hard to detect.
Because of the appearance of these symptoms, many believe that when detected, women undergoing premanopause must begin hormonal therapy in order to balance or combat these problems.
Declining levels of hormones may become such a problem that some doctors may even recommend surgical interventions such as hysterectomy, a procedure wherein the uterus is removed. This however only happens to a very small percentage of women. If your doctor recommends this, try to get a second opinion, as this is not a small thing. Other doctors may provide you with alternatives to it.
Thanks to Nathalie Fiset for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Like all natural processes, menopause does not just occur without any warning signs. In fact, the body prepares for it, knowing instinctively that a woman cannot cope with the changes abruptly. The preparation of the body is a very gradual process that can take years. This is what the scientific and medical community calls Perimenopause.
Peri-menopause or what is called premenopause is the period in a woman’s life when her body is starting to ready itself towards menopause. This often occurs during the mid-40s; although some may experience some signs and symptoms in their mid-30s.
Perimenopause is not just a short period of time, In fact, it can last for as long as two to eight years depending on the person. Some clinicians even say that it can last for as long as 15 years!
Up until now, there is still no explanation why some women have longer periods of pre-menopause than others. Because there is no specific year span when it occurs, women and even their doctors often overlook the symptoms of premenopause and its effects in the body.
Unlike during menopause where levels of progesterone and estrogen go on a nosedive, hormonal levels during premenopause are erratic. Levels rise and fall. Because of these changes, women may experience disruptions in their monthly menstrual cycles. Menstruation may suddenly extend for a few days or shorten to just a couple of days.
Shortened cycles are the result of the drop in estrogen levels, leading to the shortening of the follicular phase. Cycles can shorten to 24-26 days. This means that there will more frequent monthly cycles than before. On the other side, women may also experience infrequent monthly flow because of the lengthening of the menstrual cycle.
Women in premenopause may also find it hard to conceive although it is not impossible. This is because there are menstrual cycles when women do not ovulate.
Like in menopause, declining levels of the female hormones may result in the experiences of a host of symptoms that are often seen during menopause; symptoms like hot flashes, where women will experience abrupt changes in their body temperatures; incontinence; vaginal dryness because of the decrease in lubrication and elasticity; breast tenderness; mood swings and see-saw of emotions; sleeping problems and other potential complications such as bone loss and osteoporosis.
Symptoms of course vary from one person to another. Some may experience all of them while others may not feel a thing. In fact, some women’s menstrual cycles will just stop without ever experiencing any symptoms at all. This is the reason why premenopause is so hard to detect.
Because of the appearance of these symptoms, many believe that when detected, women undergoing premanopause must begin hormonal therapy in order to balance or combat these problems.
Declining levels of hormones may become such a problem that some doctors may even recommend surgical interventions such as hysterectomy, a procedure wherein the uterus is removed. This however only happens to a very small percentage of women. If your doctor recommends this, try to get a second opinion, as this is not a small thing. Other doctors may provide you with alternatives to it.
Thanks to Nathalie Fiset for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor and a certified hypnotherapist. For more information go to: http://www.bestmenopause.com/peri-menopause.html www.aperfectharmony.com or www.a-1hypnosis.com
Symptoms of Perimenopause
June 20, 2009 by Helpful Menopause Tips
Filed under About Menopause
Perimenopause, or pre-menopause is a transitional stage of two to ten years before complete cessation of the menstrual period. Its average duration is six years, and can appear in women from 35 to 50 years of age. Perimenopause marks the interval in which your body begins its transition into menopause. Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of perimenopause, this decline in estrogen accelerates. Perimenopause lasts from six to 10 years for most women. This stage begins gradually during regular cycles and ends when a year has passed since the final menstrual period. Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause anywhere from two to eight years plus the first year after your final period. It’s a natural part of aging that signals the ending of your reproductive years. Many women experience relief from hot flashes after taking low-dose birth control pills for a short period of time. Approximately 25% will begin to have night sweats. About 20-30% will have abnormally heavy flow for one or more cycles.
Most premenopausal women experience changes in their menstrual cycle. Most women experience some middle of the night sleep disturbances, mood swings and less ability to predict flow. Some women will experience nausea, new or recurrent and severe migraine headaches, weight gain and palpitations. Sleep disturbances may increase and rapid bone loss begins with the onset of irregular cycles. The final year of perimenopause is from the final menstrual period for one year. Additionally, this declining/fluctuating estrogen level can produce a host of disturbing symptoms: hot flashes, increasing dryness, sleep problems, mood swings, breast tenderness and many other complications. Additional symptoms of perimenopause or menopause may include, breast pain, irregular periods, urinary tract changes, problems as well as change in the complexion and hair. Some women find that these hot flashes disrupt their sleep, causing constant tiredness, and others respond with mood changes.
Main Symptoms of Perimenopause
1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling.
2. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier.
3. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, ‘whooshing,’ buzzing etc.
4. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease.
5. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom.
6. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion.
7. Trouble sleeping through the night.
8. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair.
9. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance.
10. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea.
11. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor.
12. Tingling in the extremities.
13. Itchy, crawly skin.
14. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons.
15. Gum problems, increased bleeding
Treatment for Perimenopause Tips
1. Exercise.
2. Stop smoking .
3. Get more sleep and try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day.
4. Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink.
5. Get to a healthy weight and stay there.
6. Take a multivitamin supplement and ingest enough calcium.
7. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Most premenopausal women experience changes in their menstrual cycle. Most women experience some middle of the night sleep disturbances, mood swings and less ability to predict flow. Some women will experience nausea, new or recurrent and severe migraine headaches, weight gain and palpitations. Sleep disturbances may increase and rapid bone loss begins with the onset of irregular cycles. The final year of perimenopause is from the final menstrual period for one year. Additionally, this declining/fluctuating estrogen level can produce a host of disturbing symptoms: hot flashes, increasing dryness, sleep problems, mood swings, breast tenderness and many other complications. Additional symptoms of perimenopause or menopause may include, breast pain, irregular periods, urinary tract changes, problems as well as change in the complexion and hair. Some women find that these hot flashes disrupt their sleep, causing constant tiredness, and others respond with mood changes.
Main Symptoms of Perimenopause
1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling.
2. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier.
3. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, ‘whooshing,’ buzzing etc.
4. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease.
5. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom.
6. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion.
7. Trouble sleeping through the night.
8. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair.
9. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance.
10. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea.
11. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor.
12. Tingling in the extremities.
13. Itchy, crawly skin.
14. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons.
15. Gum problems, increased bleeding
Treatment for Perimenopause Tips
1. Exercise.
2. Stop smoking .
3. Get more sleep and try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day.
4. Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink.
5. Get to a healthy weight and stay there.
6. Take a multivitamin supplement and ingest enough calcium.
7. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care. More information on health related topics visit our site at http://www.healthatoz.info.
Can the symptoms of menopause start in your early thirties?
June 4, 2009 by Helpful Menopause Tips
Filed under More Menopause Answers
Can you answer yo’s question about Menopause?:
I am experiencing hot flashes at night, especially, and wondering how likely it is that I am in peri-menopause? ( pre menopause) I heard you can get symptoms years before you turn barren.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
I am experiencing hot flashes at night, especially, and wondering how likely it is that I am in peri-menopause? ( pre menopause) I heard you can get symptoms years before you turn barren.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Menopausal Myths That Men Readily Believe in
May 29, 2009 by Helpful Menopause Tips
Filed under About Menopause
The signs and symptoms of menopause experienced by women actually vary. Some feel extreme hot flashes and mood swings, while others do not really realize that they are already in the pre-menopause stage until the complete cessation of their menstruation. However, majority of women are aware that they will eventually go through with the signs of menopause in their late 40s or early 50s.
Since menopausal problems do not only affect the woman involved but her whole family as well, it would be best for husbands, boy friends or partners of the women experiencing menopause to have a better understanding of the situation. However, based on studies and polls, a lot of men are either unaware of menopause or have wrong notions about this stage.
For men out there, if you want to keep your relationship with your spouse or partner, you need to have a deeper knowledge of The Change, which is what many women call menopause. It is now time to debunk the following myths about menopause that most men believe in.
Women Become Forgetful And A Little Crazy During Menopause
Men think that a lot of brain cells of women are magically zapped during menopause, causing women to become forgetful and a little bit silly and loopy. This is one of the most appalling myths that men believe about menopause.
Although it is true that women may show mood changes and memory lapses during menopause, these changes are just normal. Menopause does not cause insanity or Alzheimer’s disease. In reality the aging process is the one responsible for the shrinking of the brain and both older men and women experience brain shrinkage of about 10%. Experts also say that a 10% decline in the size of the brain in men and women as a result of aging does not necessarily mean that they will lose 10% of their cognitive abilities.
Women Are Hysteric During This Stage
Sometimes men can be so dramatic in describing the effects of menopause in women. As mentioned earlier, there might be mood changes and women can be a little bit emotional because of hormonal imbalance. However, the reason behind women’s depression or emotional outbursts may also be caused by a lot of factors, which may include alcohol and drug use, genes, environmental influence and of course the state of their relationship with their families, husbands or partners in life.
No Woman Can Be Spared Of All The Symptoms Of Menopause
Another myth that men seem to believe ardently is that every woman experiences hot flashes, night sweating and all the other annoying symptoms of menopause. The truth, however, is that each woman has a different experience during menopause or perimenopause. Some go through extreme cases of hot flashes, while others do not really experience this symptom. Research shows that about 15% of women do not experience any symptoms of menopause. They just know that they are through with menopause because they are not having their monthly periods anymore for 12 consecutive months.
Menopause Can Be Cured
Menopause does not really need to be cured because in the first place, it is not a disease or illness. Menopause is actually a natural phase or stage. Some experts say that even men could experience some kind of menopause too.
However, there are some ways to help ease the symptoms of menopause. Some women prefer to take Hormone Replacement Therapy. However, majority prefer to just rely on natural supplements and good diet to help them cope with the different signs of menopause. One all-natural product for menopause is Menersa. If you want to know more about how Menersa can help you, just visit http://www.menersa.com/.
Thanks to Janet Martin for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Since menopausal problems do not only affect the woman involved but her whole family as well, it would be best for husbands, boy friends or partners of the women experiencing menopause to have a better understanding of the situation. However, based on studies and polls, a lot of men are either unaware of menopause or have wrong notions about this stage.
For men out there, if you want to keep your relationship with your spouse or partner, you need to have a deeper knowledge of The Change, which is what many women call menopause. It is now time to debunk the following myths about menopause that most men believe in.
Women Become Forgetful And A Little Crazy During Menopause
Men think that a lot of brain cells of women are magically zapped during menopause, causing women to become forgetful and a little bit silly and loopy. This is one of the most appalling myths that men believe about menopause.
Although it is true that women may show mood changes and memory lapses during menopause, these changes are just normal. Menopause does not cause insanity or Alzheimer’s disease. In reality the aging process is the one responsible for the shrinking of the brain and both older men and women experience brain shrinkage of about 10%. Experts also say that a 10% decline in the size of the brain in men and women as a result of aging does not necessarily mean that they will lose 10% of their cognitive abilities.
Women Are Hysteric During This Stage
Sometimes men can be so dramatic in describing the effects of menopause in women. As mentioned earlier, there might be mood changes and women can be a little bit emotional because of hormonal imbalance. However, the reason behind women’s depression or emotional outbursts may also be caused by a lot of factors, which may include alcohol and drug use, genes, environmental influence and of course the state of their relationship with their families, husbands or partners in life.
No Woman Can Be Spared Of All The Symptoms Of Menopause
Another myth that men seem to believe ardently is that every woman experiences hot flashes, night sweating and all the other annoying symptoms of menopause. The truth, however, is that each woman has a different experience during menopause or perimenopause. Some go through extreme cases of hot flashes, while others do not really experience this symptom. Research shows that about 15% of women do not experience any symptoms of menopause. They just know that they are through with menopause because they are not having their monthly periods anymore for 12 consecutive months.
Menopause Can Be Cured
Menopause does not really need to be cured because in the first place, it is not a disease or illness. Menopause is actually a natural phase or stage. Some experts say that even men could experience some kind of menopause too.
However, there are some ways to help ease the symptoms of menopause. Some women prefer to take Hormone Replacement Therapy. However, majority prefer to just rely on natural supplements and good diet to help them cope with the different signs of menopause. One all-natural product for menopause is Menersa. If you want to know more about how Menersa can help you, just visit http://www.menersa.com/.
Thanks to Janet Martin for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:
Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine. http://www.thearticleinsiders.com.
