Are you a little more irritable than usual? Are your monthly periods turning into a quarterly event? Does life seem more overwhelming now than just a few short months ago? Either you're under a lot of stress or you may be entering the whacky world of menopause, the term commonly used to encompass the time before, when and after a woman stops menstruating.
"This is something our moms didn't really talk about," says Paula Wetzel of Algonac, who began the process in her mid-40s and has been experiencing symptoms for the past five years. According to WebMD, the process usually begins after the age of 40. "It's too bad because it would have been nice to know. You really don't understand until you're going through it."
The most common menopause-related symptoms include insomnia, mood swings, hot flashes, headaches, fatigue, breast tenderness, depression and a feeling of being overwhelmed by life. The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can range from severe to mild, consistent to intermittent.
Admittedly, this is a wide range of symptoms, which can make this time even more baffling and unsettling. No less confusing is what to do about them.
Dr. Patricia Ferguson, an OB/GYN with Providence Hospital in Southfield, warns that a woman needs to trust her own body when deciding on what treatment to implement. She also notes that not getting any treatment is an option, too, since the symptoms do not damage your body.
"There is no line that you cross, and all of a sudden you're in menopause," she explains. "Remember that the symptoms aren't harmful. Your body is your own barometer. Regardless, (you can) cope with your symptoms by knowing they are normal."
Taking care of your overall health -- stopping smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, drinking plenty of water, getting your rest, taking a good multivitamin and getting to a healthy weight -- can help. Read on for a look at some other ways to address menopause symptoms.
Stress reduction
Yvonne Brown, a naturopathic doctor who heads up METTA Natural Health in Birmingham, has been treating women with menopausal symptoms for years. She has found that stress-reducing techniques are very effective in alleviating symptoms.
"The amount and severity of symptoms a woman could experience during menopause depends much on her physical conditioning during her earlier life," Brown says. "Irregular menstruation will happen as a result of a change in hormone levels. Other symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, insomnia, etc. can be attributed to health habits and lifestyle choices in the early years. So, if you find yourself relatively symptom-free, it's likely due to proper lifestyle and eating habits earlier in life.
Many women also turn to medical intervention to deal with their symptoms, which can last up to 10 years. Hormone replacement therapy, although controversial, is an option employed by many women. Others seek out alternative routes to deal with symptoms, Brown uses a combination of acupuncture and herbal remedies to help patients.
Exercise can be an effective treatment option. According to a recent Penn State University study published in the April issue of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine, physical activity -- both aerobic and non-aerobic -- helps to alleviate common menopause symptoms. The study examined the effects of walking, yoga or no exercise on a group of 164 women. Those who walked or did yoga showed improvements in mood and menopause-related quality of life compared to the non-exercise group. Additionally, the study showed that those participants whose menopausal symptoms decreased also had improvements in positive mental health and quality of life.
Ferguson is a proponent of dealing with menopause with some level of humor. This can be effective if you have a friend who can commiserate with you.
"Most people need and are looking for some form of levity to deal with what they're going through," she explains. "It's easy to become paranoid, especially since some menopause symptoms are also symptoms of something more serious. Still, it doesn't have to be a source of anxiety. Just remember that this too shall pass.
