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The commercials for menopause medications and hormone replacement are pretty terrifying.
Ladies,let’s do this.
“Many women are under considerable pressure juggling a career, a family, and sick or dying parents.
“The chronic lack of sleep that many women suffer also drains the adrenal glands.
Don’t be surprised if you notice that you’re feeling anxious abouteverything, once it comes on.
They are feeling lost and like they are going crazy,” registered holistic nutritionistPatricia Ealestold me.
Many are feeling anxiety and depression.”
Eales recommended seeking out support to avoid feeling alone.
Dry skin
Menopause is also a time of dryness just about everywhere.
Many women start noticing dry hair and skin right away.
“They are also experiencing thinning and brittle nails.”
Be on the lookout for any new dryness and double-check to keep up with a quality moisturizer.
Vaginal dryness is one of the most common and annoying new symptoms you could face.
“Vaginal moisturizers can be used to alleviate some of the vaginal dryness,” said Rafie.
“In addition, a vaginal lubricant can be used during sex to minimize discomfort and pain.
These vaginal moisturizers and lubricants are available over the counter.
I recommend products that do not contain harmful ingredients.”
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you could use some guidance finding the right moisturizer for your body.
Lower bone density
One especially important menopause symptom to pay attention to, is lessening bone density.
During menopause, our bones can become weaker, putting us at higher risk for serious injuries.
“Many women experience a loss in their bone density after menopause,” Rafie told me.
“This can lead to bone fractures.”
“There are prescription-only medications that can help prevent and treat osteoporosis,” said Rafie.
“Calcium and vitamin D intake are very important post-menopause.”
Changing sex life
Experiencing vaginal dryness can certainly affect your sex life.
If intercourse is suddenly painful, it’s not going to sound as exciting as it used to.
There are also other changes that will affect sex.
Fortunately, there are some solutions out there.
Rybchin recommended always using a high quality lubricant for sex and a vaginal moisturizer all of the time.
“Have more sex!
“You donothave to have intercourse.
Kissing, masturbation, oral sex, or anything else that turns you on will have similar effects.”
Your normal symptoms can start to ramp up during menopause.
“Your periods may become irregular.”
If your symptoms start to feel out of control, check-in with your doctor.
Anxiety
Our hormones have incredible influence over our moods.
Think about how different you might feel during pregnancy or even PMS.
Miano takes a kind approach with her clients and recommends being gentle with yourself.
“Boosting your nutrition with a healthy dose of greens also helps,” said Miano.
“I also recommend gratitude journaling, exercise, getting more sleep, and eliminating all processed foods.
I figured this was a pregnancy symptom, but it looks like I may experience them again someday.
“Muscle cramps often happen at night and wake you up.
The cause is hormonal imbalance,” positive aging advocateAna Popovictold me.
In more severe cases, painkillers and hormone balancing therapy are required.”
“Hormonal changes may also trigger hair loss or hair thinning in different areas of the body.
“Breast soreness or pain is another symptom that is difficult to ignore,” said Popovic.
“Hot flashes vary in duration and frequency.
“There is no normal for how often you will experience these symptoms.
Hot flashes have been reported to last 6 months to 10 years.”
So how can we deal with these daily hot flashes?
“Some simpler solutions include wearing layers, drinking ice water when things heat up, and meditation.”
Insomnia
Night sweats aren’t the only thing keeping women up during menopause.
With so many body changes going on, it’s hard to wind down at night.
First, try lowering the temperature in your bedroom to make it easier to fall asleep.
If that doesn’t help, talk with your doctor about medication options.
“Some antidepressants stop hot flashes,” Dr. Rosenberg said.
“The sleeping pill Lunesta also helps with hot flashes.”
Feeling like a tween again
Remember your middle school years?
“Irritability rises up from nowhere making her snap at the littlest irritation.”
It’s not just the mood swings taking you back to your glory days.
Teenage acne can return as well.
Focus on prevention
When it comes to menopause symptom management,Dr.
Amanda Alexanderlikes to focus on prevention.
A new symptom is simply a message from our bodies that it’s time to make a change.
Talk with your doctor about lifestyle changes you could make leading up to and during menopause.
“Women may find they need to adjust their caloric intake and/or exercise to maintain their pre-pregnancy weight.
Yoga and acupuncture can help alleviate symptoms as well.”
And making small diet changes could be the first step to feeling better.
“I like to start with the basics of a good diet.
Faith Whittier, a menopause expert and co-creator ofIntersection M, told me.
Hormonal replacement therapy and herbal remedies such as Black cohosh can alleviate hot flashes and sleep disturbances.”
“I then will often recommend vitex (chastetree berry), black cohosh, and ashwagandha.
These herbs are very beneficial for balancing hormones and easing menopause symptoms.”
Getting enough exercise and trying acupuncture could also be helpful.
Before starting any kind of herb or natural treatment, always talk with your doctor or natural medicine practitioner.
Then look down the supplement aisle for other treatments.
“take a stab at get enough rest, eat a good diet, and detoxify.
“Not all forms of magnesium are easily absorbed by the body.
Magnesium citrate powder is easily absorbed and can be mixed with water and sipped throughout the day.”
Don’t feel that you have to go through this transition alone.
Seek support from friends and family, while working with your healthcare provider.
