My mom is having hot flashes and she hasn't had a period for over 3 years, how is this possible?
It can occur because the body is no longer making the hormones. I have the link to another site that may be able to give you even more information. The link is at: http://forums.obgyn.net/womens-health
Low estrogen level is the main cause of premature menopause. We meet, more and more often, women that are younger than 45, in impossibility of living a normal life because of the early menopause. Even though the specific age for menopause is around 50 years unusual cases occur. Younger women experience early menopause.
A womanâs body stops producing estrogen in the moment when ovaries stop functioning. In most of the cases women pass through a transition period of 3 to 5 years called perimenopause before menopause. During this transition period women do not stop menstruating but symptoms of menopause appear and the level of estrogen is getting low.
Younger women, with premature menopause, skip perimenopause and menopause symptoms suddenly appear. The symptoms are the same hot flashes, vaginal dryness, memory loss or insomnia.
Studies show us that a small percentage (1%) of women develop ovarian failure before 45 years. This study leads us to this conclusion: the removal of both ovaries represents the main cause of early menopause.
Different symptoms like vasomotor symptoms will be experienced by women with surgical menopause. Women that entered menopause after the age of 45 will almost never experience vasomotor symptoms. Even if they exist, in their cases, these kinds of symptoms do not affect them as much as they affect premenopausal women.
Studies say that severe vasomotor symptoms last about 8 to 9 years for women with early menopause and not more than 2 for women that reached natural menopause.
These women are treated with estrogen patches that apply on the skin. The patch is small sized and itâs called Vivelle-Dot. The patch applies on the lower abdomen and itâs changed twice a week. It doesnât come of easily, so it lasts through a womanâs daily activities. Through this patch estradiol is sent into the bloodstream, estradiol being the main estrogen produced by ovaries. This patch has benefic results over hot flashes, night sweats or other menopause symptoms, even if itâs about normal or premature menopause.
Being an estrogen treatment, Vivelle-Dot is not recommended in every case. Women that are suspected of pregnancy or women with breast cancer are not allowed to follow this treatment. None of the women with abnormal genital bleeding should accept this treatment.
Everybody thinks that media, but especially medical centers should help women with premature menopause to realize their problems. After a proper understanding these women should be able to face their destiny and should be able to take a decision regarding the treatment and their life.
For more resources about menopause products or even about menopause please review http://www.menopause-info-guide.com
Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/general-things-about-early-menopause-104647.html
It’s unfortunate, but most women don’t realize how crucial a role regular fitness and exercise is to reducing many symptoms associated with perimenopause. As women approach menopause they begin to gain weight, especially around their mid-section. This abdominal weight is quite common and the result of declining hormone levels, which may cause the metabolism to slow down significantly.
Most women will notice a significant amount of fat deposition around the area of their mid-section or abdomen. You’ll especially want to avoid or eliminate this added weight due to the fact that this type of fat plays a significant role in contributing to heart disease, the number one killer of middle-aged and older women. You may not think that losing your added weight is possible, but it is; this weight gain can be eliminated quite easily by simply getting into a regular exercise routine. Fitness and regular activity are the keys to decreasing weight and avoiding many conditions associated with aging. If you’re willing to commit to a regular exercise routine – one that includes weight bearing exercises – you will change the muscle-to-fat ratio, enabling you to increase your metabolic rate and burn calories, even at rest.
In addition to weight gain, if you’re in your thirties or beyond, you’re also beginning to lose bone mass at a rate of approximately 1% per year. This rate will increase to 2%-3% per year after menopause. Many studies have proven that exercise can increase a woman’s bone density, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis and the incidence of falls and bone fractures associated with osteoporosis. As you may know, osteoporosis goes undetected in many women until bone fractures occur; if, however, you take preventative measures, such as getting into a regular fitness routine, you can indeed reduce this risk.
Exercising regularly can also be beneficial in reducing the occurrence of hot flashes, a common symptom women experience as they approach menopause. Hot flashes have been known to contribute to impaired sleep patterns and a decreased energy level. If you’re not getting enough sleep and are feeling sluggish, it’s quite likely that this may affect your overall mood, which has the potential to negatively impact both personal and professional relationships. Estrogen replacement therapy has been shown to decrease these symptoms, but many women prefer to seek natural alternatives; obviously, exercise has proven to be a very viable alternative for a great number of women.
In summary, making fitness and exercise a priority will benefit most women who are experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, and the positive results – both physical and emotional – are well worth the extra time you’ll spend once you begin and continue a regular exercise routine. I know it’s easier to make excuses to not exercise, but you love your family and yourself; therefore, take just a little extra time to ensure that you feel good, look good and have loads of energy to participate in all of life’s offerings.
Susan Megge
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/exercise-your-way-through-perimenopause-72254.html
There are plenty of alternative treatments such as biofeedback and medical treatments, such as hormone therapy that can help a woman cope with her menopause symptoms.However, despite the available treatments, some women don’t only worry about the symptoms of menopause; they worry about entering menopause too early.
What is considered early menopause? Early menopause is characterized by not having your period cycle for 12 consecutive months prior to being 45 years of age. Aside from early menopause there is also premature menopause which occurs before age 40, and is commonly known as premature ovarian failure (POF) if it occurs naturally. POF simply means that a woman’s ovaries are malfunctioning and prematurely shutting down in her 20’s, and 30’s, decades before they naturally should.
What is the cause of early menopause? Early menopause can occur for a number of reasons, some of which include:
ÂAutoimmune disorders – It is estimated that 2/3 of women who suffer from POF have autoimmune disorders; a medical condition characterized by the body’s immune system malfunctioning and attacking itself. In the case of POF, the autoimmune disorder eventually results in the destruction of ovarian function.
ÂChromosomal Irregularity – This is a hereditary condition in which a woman has a defective X chromosome. In short, if one of a woman’s two X chromosomes is defective, it can interfere with egg production which can result in early menopause.
ÂTotal hysterectomy or Oophorectomy – When the ovaries and uterus are surgically removed (total hysterectomy), or when only the ovaries are removed (oophorectomy) a woman is put into menopause, regardless of her age.
ÂChemotherapy or radiation – Certain types of chemo and radiation treatments for cancer can damage the ovaries and put a woman in menopause right away.
Other reasons why a woman may experience early or premature menopause include:
 Ovarian damage that results from surgery
 Viral infections
 Hyperprolactinemia (Overproduction of prolactin causes amennorhea – cessation of periods)
 Thyroid disease
 Polycystic ovarian syndrome (characterized by skipped or missed period cycles)
 Cushings disease (characterized by overactive adrenal glands and can result in amenorrhea)
 Family history
The following are the signs and symptoms of perimenopause (stage before menopause occurs) to watch for –
 Irregular periods (Skipped periods or change in duration or frequency)
 Infertility
 Vaginal dryness
 Hot flashes
 Breast tenderness
 Stress incontinence (bladder control issues)
 Restless sleep and/or insomnia
 Headaches
 Gastrointestinal upset (constipation, diarrhea, nausea, bloating etc.)
 Tingly or itchy skin
 Thinning of hair or hair loss
 Weight gain
 Dizziness or lightheadedness
 Moodiness
 Anxiety
 Irritability
 Low sex drive
 Mental fogginess
 Depression
 Extreme fatigue
 Emotional detachment
 Lack of concentration
How can you determine if you are experiencing early menopause? If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, or others that are not listed and you suspect you may be experiencing pre-menopausal symptoms, it’s time to bring your speculations to your doctor.
There are three main tests you can take to determine a menopause diagnosis –
1.FSH test – A follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test is used to test a woman’s FSH levels. If levels are high it’s a sign that the ovaries have stopped producing sufficient estrogen and could mean that the body has begun menopause.
2.Blood test – You can ask your doctor for a blood test to determine estradiol levels. Estradiol is a form of estrogen and the levels decrease when the ovaries begin to fail. Therefore, low estradiol levels may be a sign of early menopause.
3.Thyroid test – A thyroid test is a good idea because many perimenopause symptoms mirror thyroid problems. Therefore, this test will help you determine if what you are experiencing is indeed early menopause.
If you are diagnosed with early menopause, you will find that there are different treatment options to help you cope with symptoms. Be sure to talk to you doctor about all possible treatments.
Kathryn Whittaker
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/menopause-how-early-is-too-early-131395.html
Suzy Cohen shares secrets about inexpensive, natural products that can help ease PMS, hot flashes, endometriosis, fibroids, prostate cancer and improve sex drive.
Duration : 0:5:29
Until you reached this stage in your life, there’s a high probability that you’d never even heard of perimenopause. As a matter of fact, you were probably a bit surprised that perimenopause (the transitional period before menopause) could begin so early in life, and last for ten years – sometimes even longer.
Symptoms of perimenopause are described almost exactly as those associated with menopause, and may include:
⢠Weight gain (especially around the mid-section)
⢠Mood changes
⢠Night sweats
⢠Hot flashes
⢠Vaginal dryness
⢠Changes in sexual desire (lowered libido)
⢠Sleep disturbances
⢠Frequent urination
⢠Extreme sweating
⢠Difficulty concentrating
⢠Other symptoms similar to those you may experience with premenstrual syndrome
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk with your health care provider to rule out any other medical conditions. Once you’re sure that perimenopause is indeed the culprit behind the symptoms you’re now noticing, it’s time to “step it up” and take the steps necessary to reduce – and in many cases eliminate – the discomforts that can be associated with perimenopause.
Your physician will likely encourage you to make some lifestyle changes that have been proven to effectively benefit many women during perimenopause. These include:
⢠Altering your diet to include soy and flax
⢠Exercising regularly, incorporating weight training into your routine at least three days per week
⢠Taking supplements of vitamin E
⢠Avoiding triggers that can cause hot flashes, such as caffeine; also, it’s suggested that you avoid being in extremely warm temperatures or rooms
⢠Herbal treatments, such as ginkgo biloba, black cohash or Evening Primrose Oil
Depending on your age, health and medical history and the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may also use various other treatments to remedy your perimenopausal symptoms, such as:
⢠A low dose of birth control to stabilize your hormone levels
⢠Antidepressants to level out your mood swings
⢠Progesterone to alleviate symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome
This transitional period can be a bit frightening for many women, but it’s important to remind yourself that you can indeed breeze through perimenopause and menopause if you simply take care of yourself. You can be as healthy, energetic, happy and beautiful as you’ve always been. As an added bonus, your age has brought you to a maturity level you didn’t have twenty years ago, giving you confidence to be certain that you can be and do everything you set your mind to. You will no doubt enjoy and savor your life if you remain positive and determined.
Susan Megge
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/perimenopause-symptoms-the-transition-62392.html
Some women are more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations than others. For many women, anxiety issues appear for the first time during periods of hormonal change. For other women, hormonal changes intensify previously existing anxiety symptoms.Â
Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), post-childbirth, and perimenopause (the period of time before the onset of menopause). It may take the form of panic attacks, nervousness, sweating, intense fear, anxiety combined with depression, or other overwhelming symptoms.Â
Here are several periods of hormonal change that can intensify or trigger anxiety in women.Â
Puberty — Developing girls experience hormonal changes as they prepare to begin their reproductive years.Â
Monthly menstrual cycle — Often girls and women experience PMS the week before their period.Â
Following childbirth — The severe drop in certain hormones following childbirth can cause dramatic physical symptoms and a temporary feeling of depression or anxiety; in some women, it is prolonged.
Perimenopause — Perimenopause is the period of time when the body is approaching menopause. It may last from two to ten years. During this time the menstrual cycle becomes irregular as the hormone levels keep fluctuating, causing some women to experience PMS-like symptoms.
Although many of us may use the term “going through menopause” to describe this period of time, it is actually called perimenopause. Many women experience panic attacks for the first time during perimenopause. Other symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, rapid heartbeat, and sweating are also common.Â
With surgical menopause (hysterectomy), you’ll likely experience perimenopausal symptoms after the surgery, even if you did not experience symptoms prior to surgery. Symptoms can be prolonged and are due to the dramatic and sudden decrease of certain hormones as a result of the hysterectomy. Â
In non-surgical circumstances, menopause occurs after a woman has no periods for twelve consecutive months. It lasts only one day. Many women report feeling better than ever mentally and physically after menopause, due to the fact that hormone levels stabilize.
Hormonal Change Triggers the Fight Or Flight Response
Due to the fact that hormonal change causes physical and psychological stress, it triggers our “fight or flight” response. The fight or flight response is the body’s inborn, self-protective response to perceived danger.Â
When we perceive that we are under stress, our bodies send out a rush of cortisol, adrenaline, and other brain chemicals to prepare us to “fight” or “flee” the danger.Â
The fight or flight response triggers the physiological changes that we associate with anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, sweating, muscle tension, narrowed mental focus, heightened emotion, and many other symptoms.Â
These are the same physical sensations that many women experience when their hormone levels fluctuate. In other words, most of the symptoms women experience during times of hormonal change are really fight or flight reactions. While these physical sensations are not dangerous, they can be very intense and overwhelming.
Our fight or flight response mechanism can become “hypersensitive” with the various hormonal changes in our bodies that take place from puberty to menopause. Many of us are in a constant state of stress due to our lifestyle and thought patterns, which also causes hypersensitivity.
In other words, our bodies may be stuck in the “on” switch of fight or flight. What normally wouldn’t trigger symptoms, now initiates symptoms and perpetuates an ongoing cycle.Â
Fight or flight reactions in and of themselves are harmless. However, when our thoughts convince our rational minds that these symptoms are scary and dangerous, we create an anxiety cycle.
Anxiety consists of more than fight or flight reactions acting by themselves. Unproductive thoughts play a critical role in creating and perpetuating the anxiety we experience.
Â
Our thoughts convert fight or flight reactions into anxiety, and a self-perpetuating cycle begins. Soon we find ourselves limiting our behaviors because of anxiety as well, which further entrenches the vicious cycle.
When a person is under stress, unresolved emotions and issues commonly come to the forefront. Because hormonal change is a major stressor, it can bring up internal conflicts and self-doubt in many areas of our lives. All of a sudden, we may find that the negative self-talk that we successfully pushed to the background of our lives during less stressful times is now playing center stage.Â
During periods of hormonal change, we may also feel uncertain about our changing roles (e.g. maturing from girl to woman, becoming a mother, becoming a mature woman past childbearing years), which can add to our internal conflict.Â
When we fail to successfully resolve internal conflicts and the unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to them, we create a breeding ground for anxiety. Combined with fight or flight symptoms, it’s no wonder that these unproductive thoughts create and perpetuate the anxiety cycle!Â
What can you do if hormone-related anxiety affects you?
Here’s some great news! The same tools that you can use to overcome anxiety due to other reasons can help you to conquer anxiety related to hormonal changes too.
Research shows that cognitive-behavioral techniques that help you change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, and nutritional strategies (all found in our Conquer Anxiety Success Program) can help women dealing with hormonal changes.
These types of strategies not only help women regain a sense of control over their lives, but actually achieve improved physical and emotional well being! Here are a few tips to get you started:
– Focus on reducing preventable stress in your life that triggers the fight or flight response — stop the yo-yo dieting; increase sleep to eight or nine hours a night; exercise regularly; don’t skip meals; cut back on your frantic schedule; and decrease stimulants, such as caffeine.Â
The body isn’t designed for constant stress. When we are bombarded with stress, our ability to cope can become overwhelmed because the elevation in stress hormones makes the fight or flight switch remain “on.”
– Learn how to train your body to respond differently to stress so that you can automatically turn the false alarm “off” when the fight or flight response is triggered. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help you achieve this goal. Â
– Most importantly, learn how to change how you think. Our thoughts are what convert the harmless fight or flight response into a vicious cycle of anxiety. Remember, just as our thoughts hold the key to creating anxiety, they also hold the key to eliminating it!
Deanne Repich
http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/how-female-hormonal-changes-can-contribute-to-anxiety-and-panic-attacks-80950.html
Hot flashes and night sweats usually go hand in hand during menopause. To differentiate, hot flashes are considered the intense heat and flushing you experience during the daytime hours. Night sweats usually happen when you are sleeping or during the nighttime hours. Essentially they are the same; they are just sometimes triggered for different reasons.
Night sweats are relatively easy to control. Certain changes in your lifestyle can rectify a night sweat before it actually happens. The first thing you need to do is to avoid any foods, caffeine, or alcohol for about 3 hours before you plan on going to bed. Also, you should avoid exercise, hot liquids, hot showers, or smoking for 3 hours before bedtime. This will help to relieve any triggers that may be associated with hot flashes and night sweats and aid in a good nights sleep.
Lowering the thermostat in your house and your bedroom especially will aid in any discomfort you feel from the heat. You should plan on dropping the temperature by 2 to 3 degrees without adding any additional blankets or covers which would defeat the purpose. It may be a bit chilly but you will fall asleep and stay asleep easier. Wearing light clothing such as a t-shirt or light cotton nightgown will also help to control hot flashes and night sweats at bedtime. This, along with cotton sheets should keep you cool and comfortable.
If you have had a particularly stressful day at work or with the family in the evening, take an hour or so to unwind alone before you go to sleep. The most common cause of hot flashes and night sweats is anxiety, so you want to plan on avoiding any unnecessary stress right before bed.
During this time it is especially beneficial to try some easy breathing techniques or meditation routines. Fifteen minutes of deep breathing and exhaling will do wonders for your stressed state. Yoga is also an excellent way to relax before bed. You will find yourself sleeping better and spending less time worrying about your next hot flashes and night sweats.
Linda Bruton
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-issues-articles/how-to-find-simple-relief-for-hot-flashes-and-night-sweats-85689.html
Many women see induced menopause as the end of their life. The thought of not being able to have children is often seen as a death sentence to a younger woman who is forced to go through menopause. They are not worried about menopause relief, menopausal symptoms, pain, or perimenopause. These women are only concerned about not being able to bare children.
Women who have undergone a surgical procedure to have their ovaries removed are forced into an early symptom menopause. They do not go through premenopausal reactions or have any other sign of premenopause; instead, women who have an induction of menopause are thrust into the world of hot flashes, night sweats, and emotions. An induced hot flash is just not the same as a hot flash at the age of 55
Menopause that is caused by a medical condition such as certain drug or radiation therapies is hard for a young woman to come to terms with. Many times the illness related to the drug therapy, or radiation, came on quickly and without warning. Within a matter of weeks or even days, their doctor may have brought up the discussion of inducing menopause.
Removing the ovaries can also induce menopause. For women who have had a surgically induced type of menopause, fertility ends immediately. Levels of estrogen and testosterone will decline much more rapidly than natural menopause. For women who have to go through this type of menopause, the symptoms can be exaggerated and extremely hard to deal with.
All the normal symptoms of menopause are present, like:
None of these menopausal symptoms are fun to go through during natural menopause. When a woman is thrust into menopause, these symptoms can be completely unbearable. The extreme nature of a forced menopause can include one symptom that is exaggerated or it can include all the symptoms being exaggerated at the same time.
On a more positive note…women who go through a forced menopause are likely to suffer their symptoms for a much shorter time period than a woman who goes through natural menopause. Natural menopause can last several years but a forced menopause will last only a fraction of that time.
Menopause is a time of great change throughout a woman’s body and her life. For women who go through natural menopause, they have time to prepare for the changes that are about to take place. For a woman who undergoes a forced early menopause, the body and life changes are fast and often unexpected. This expedited menopause can leave the woman with dramatically increased menopause symptoms, which can be very difficult to handle. The plus side is that a forced menopause will not last long.
So for any woman, who has to go through an abrupt menopause, remember that it is not the end and life will go on!
Remy Jirek
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/induced-menopause-is-not-the-end-76296.html