The menopause and the preceding menopause (also called menopause) comes when the pituitary gland slows down, the ovaries do not release eggs, and the woman cannot become pregnant. There are a number of bothersome symptoms associated with menopause. Hormone therapy is considered the best-known form of fighting the symptoms of this period, but only 17% of respondents use it.

Menopauseis the professional name for the last menstruation in a woman's life. Its threshold is determined by the date of the last bleeding, after which it does not appear for a year. Each that occurs after such a long break is an abnormality that should make a woman visit a gynecologist.

Women usually enter the menopause in their 45-50s. age. The perimenopausal period (ormenopause ), when estrogen secretion from the ovaries gradually decreases, begins a few years before and ends a few years after menopause, and can last up to 10 years. For this reason, it is worth making sure that this time is as comfortable as possible.

The menopause associated with the hormonal balance of the body may occur in each woman at different times.Premenopause, the so-called the change before the change lasts 5-10 years. Then, usually between the ages of 40 and 47, there are signs of the beginning of the end of fertility, which is caused by the low level of sex hormones.

What do Polish women know about menopause?

The study "Polish women and menopause 2016" conducted by ARC Rynek i Opinia say about what Polish women know about menopause. Ladies aged 45-55 participated in the study, i.e. in the period when changes related to menopause occur in the woman's body.

They are given a definition of menopause and a list of symptoms that often persist several years before and after their last period. Only 49% of women admitted that they were after or in the perimenopausal period, 29% denied menopause, and 24% said they did not know. For example, 35% of women could not tell if they had changes in their menstrual cycle, 47% could not tell if they had hot flashes and palpitations.

The results of the survey, on the one hand, confirm the poor knowledge of Polish women about menopause and the methods that are supposed to mitigate its effects. On the other hand, they suggest that many women at the age of menopause displace from consciousness the fact that the natural changes occur in the body, whichaccompany.

According to experts, the attitude of Polish women towards menopause is largely related to insufficient sexual and he alth education in our country. Ladies usually think that menopause is the end of femininity. And that's not true - it only starts the next stage of life, which has many advantages.

Estrogens are produced by the ovaries, and the proper course of the maturation process and then the menstrual cycle depend on them. They also guarantee flawless skin. Under their direction, hyaluronic acid is formed, which inhibits the formation of wrinkles. They also promote the production of collagen, which makes the skin elastic and firm. Estrogen deficiency causes the skin to lose its firmness, nails and hair to become dull and gray. To maintain the right level of hormones, you should eat soy and … have sex.

Climacteric, or what?

About 30 years of reproductive activity, the ovaries gradually stop producing female sex hormones.Menopause is the last menstrual period , and there must be at least a one-year bleeding-free period to find out. The time spanning several years before and several years after the last menstrual period is called "menopause", "menopause" or "perimenopause".

For most women, this process begins between the ages of 45 and 55, and may last several months or several years. A lot depends on genes, but also environmental factors - cigarette smoking, stress, poor diet - that accelerate menopause. As a result of the decrease in the level of sex hormones, bleeding appears irregularly and may become profuse (due to hormonal changes, the endometrium becomes thicker).

Menopause: outbreak symptoms

Sometimes menopause goes unnoticed, but 80% of women experience symptoms caused by a hormonal imbalance. They are:

  • hot flashes,
  • cold chills,
  • facial flushing,
  • palpitations,
  • night sweats,
  • memory problems,
  • irritability,
  • feeling depressed,
  • insomnia.

For these reasons, the years leading up to the last bleeding are very difficult for many ladies. Most often, the discomfort after the cessation of the menstrual period subsides and finally disappears completely. Butin about 20% of women the body does not adapt to hormonal changesand bothersome symptoms persist even until the age of 70.

Accepting menopause

Menopause comes at a difficult moment in life for a woman. Children begin to become independent and do not require such loving care anymore. The first summaries appear, the fear of becoming a grandmother. The belief thatthe best is already behind me, it can be painful. This is what makes Polish women afraid of menopause. Women in other cultures do not attach so much importance to it.

Women who go through menopause with a smile on their faces endure it better than those who rebel against it.

According to a study by the University of Stockholm, Swedish women have even better self-esteem during this period than before. Is the fact that you are losing the ability to procreate really the end of the meaning of life? The secret to well-being is accepting your age and understanding the changes it brings.

Menopause: fear of the unknown

Accepting the menopause does not mean agreeing to troublesome symptoms that can disrupt your private and professional life.The use of appropriate treatment improves your well-being and you can function normally.Unfortunately, only three to several percent of Polish women choose hormone replacement therapy, and almost four times more in France and the Scandinavian countries. Why? Women in Poland do not want to use hormones because they have heard that they cause cancer.

The results of studies conducted several years ago in the USA, which showed an increase in breast cancer incidence in women using HRT, contributed to this opinion. Over time, it turned out that the research was poorly conducted and that conclusions were drawn hastily. But the myth works.

Worth knowing

When are hormones prohibited?

Contraindications to hormonal treatment of menopause are: past or existing breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, unexplained breast lumps and changes in the reproductive organ, vaginal bleeding of unknown cause; thromboembolic diseases of the veins and arteries; liver diseases leading to its failure.

Menopause: prevention and treatment

In the 1970s in Germany, hormones were prescribed to all women as a drug to prolong youth. Today it is known that the therapy is best started a few years before the menopause or when the first symptoms of entering the menopause appear. Then it is most effective because it prevents the appearance of often irreversible changes caused by estrogen deficiency.

After menstruation, hormones are offered to women whose symptoms interfere with normal functioning, and those who, due to hormonal changes, complain of recurrent infections of the genital tract, bladder, kidneys, vaginal dryness, soreness during intercourse. The problem is that women are ashamed to talk about some ailments, and a large percentage of them are not aware ofthat these are symptoms of menopause and can be alleviated.

Research first, then a prescription

The nuisance of symptoms is not enough for a doctor to prescribe hormones. First, he must order a few tests to rule out contraindications. Only on the basis of the results, he selects the drugs to suit the patient's needs. They can be used in various forms (tablets, patches, gels, injections, subcutaneous implants, vaginal globules and creams) and schedules.Treatment begins with the lowest doses of hormones- then side effects and potential risks are minimal.

When a woman feels well, checkups are recommended once a year. At that time, the doctor and the patient consider the appropriateness of continuing the treatment. In many women the symptoms of the menopause disappear or lessen after 2-3 years of taking medication. It is important to discontinue hormones, gradually reducing the dose. If you feel worse, you can go back to the therapy.

According to some studies, after 5 years of using HRT, the risk of breast cancer slightly increases, but if there are no contraindications and the benefits outweigh the risks, you can use the therapy for up to 10 years.Therapy is not started after the age of 60.

Important

Additional Benefits Of Hormone Therapy

  • Protection against osteoporosis . Women who started the menopause before the age of 45 are particularly at risk. When protective estrogen levels drop, B-vitamin metabolism and calcium absorption deteriorate, bones become brittle and prone to fracture. Hormone therapy, a diet rich in calcium, and outdoor exercise prevent it.
  • Reducing the risk of coronary heart disease . Giving estrogen to he althy women may have beneficial effects on vascular function, cholesterol levels, and carbohydrate metabolism.
  • Better condition of the sexual organs . Menopause leads to atrophic changes in the urogenital organs. The mucous membranes that line the female organs gradually disappear. Administration of hormones, incl. improves vaginal hydration, reduces the risk of inflammation in the urinary and sexual systems.

Ways to use HRT

Cyclic method

For 3 weeks, a woman takes estrogen (in the form of tablets, patches, gels, etc.), and additionally, for the last 12-14 days, a progestogen. This is followed by a 7-day break in hormone intake. At this time, there is bleeding, which is not menstruation, but only exfoliation of the uterine mucosa.

Sequential method

It is used in women aftermenopause, which during the 7-day break have recurrences of the so-called outbreak symptoms (night sweats, hot flushes, etc.). Estrogens are used continuously, and progestogens: for 10-12 days each month. After withdrawal of a progestogen, despite the fact that the woman is taking estrogen, there is bleeding that is not a period.

Continuous

It is recommended for women who have not had periods for at least a year and who do not want to bleed anymore. Estrogen and progestin are taken daily. Gestagen causes the atrophy of the endometrium and therefore no bleeding. After the removal of the uterus, only estrogens are used continuously, but in different doses depending on the symptoms, needs and age of the woman.

Green light for phytohormones

If a woman qualifies for HRT, but feels afraid of this therapy, preparations with phytoestrogens can help her.

They are obtained from soybeans, black cohosh or red clover. Some isoflavonoids in these plants are structurally related to the female hormone estradiol.

When its concentration in a woman's body decreases due to the menopause, taking preparations with phytohormones not only alleviates the symptoms of menopause, but also has a beneficial effect on the blood vessels, and thus the heart, and improves the hydration of the vaginal mucosa. Phytohormones, similar to female hormones, improve brain tissue and have a positive effect on bone remodeling processes. Although plant-based preparations are available over the counter, they shouldn't be taken without consulting your gynecologist. Even if used inappropriately, they can be harmful

Worth knowing

From the herbal medicine cabinet

Drinking a sage or peppermint infusion will help with hot flashes. For vaginal dryness - evening primrose oil (a capsule a day or twice a teaspoon), red clover extract, for calming down - lemon balm tea. Problems with sagging skin will be solved by rubbing the body with grape seed oil and drinking borage oil (it is also in capsules). Plant hormones can also be introduced into the diet. You'll find them in soybeans, lentils, pomegranates, dates, grapes, grapefruits.

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Category:

Female diseases