Menopause

Date: 09 Feb 2020

By: admin_campbell

Comment: 0

“The night sweats really got to me”
“There’s a lot of help out there”
Causes of the menopause
Diagnosis
Introduction
See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
Self-help advice for managing menopausal symptoms
Symptoms of the menopause
Treating the symptoms of menopause

NHS Choices Syndication

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Representations

/conditions/articles/menopause/barbaras-story

Menopause

"The night sweats really got to me"

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Barbara Hunt, 59, a retired civil servant from Canterbury, Kent, has had many ups and downs with the menopause and HRT.

“I was 51 when I had my first hot flush. My periods had been erratic for six months so I realised I was approaching the menopause. Then the flushes started with a vengeance.

“My GP immediately suggested HRT. This was when it was being hailed as a wonder drug. I started with patches. I still had periods, but at least the flushes went away.

“After four years, I heard about its possible side effects and stopped taking it. The flushes returned and I got night sweats too. Heat would engulf me, then disappear as quickly as it had arrived. The night sweats really got to me. I was waking every half an hour and became so short of sleep that going back on HRT seemed my only option.

“I started taking it again and, to my relief, the flushes and sweats are a thing of the past. I’m now trying to wean myself off the patches by cutting a third off them each time. Having gone on HRT, it seems to be such a job to get off it and I sometimes wonder whether, if I’d never taken it, the flushes might be over by now.”

Useful Links

Published Date: 2014-04-03 11:21:19Z
Last Review Date: 2014-02-05 00:00:00Z
Next Review Date: 2016-02-02 00:00:00Z

Classification: HRT,Menopause

NHS Choices Syndication

Representations

/conditions/articles/menopause/pats-story

Menopause

"There's a lot of help out there"

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Pat found a few simple lifestyle changes made her menopause symptoms easier to manage.

Pat was 44 when she realised she had started missing a few periods. “It didn’t bother me at first as I lead quite a stressful life,” she says. “But after a while, I also started getting really bad PMT when I did have a period. It was awful.”

Pat decided to keep a diary charting her periods and how she felt generally. She kept it for six months. Looking back on it, she suspected that she was starting to go through the menopause. She went to her GP and discussed the best course of action.

“My GP is a woman, so I felt comfortable discussing things with her,” she says. “At that point, I didn’t feel that I needed any medication. I just wanted information about what was happening to me and how I could manage it.”

Soon afterwards, Pat began to experience hot flushes. “They’re awful,” she shudders. “Lots of women think they’re having a panic attack when they have their first one and I can see why. I certainly did. I get a feeling of intense pressure in my upper chest, then my face starts to feel like it’s on fire. Then my face and upper chest turn red. Some women also get palpitations, though luckily I don’t.

“The attacks come on at any time. I work in a shop so it’s very embarrassing when one comes on as I’m talking to a customer. Luckily, there are lots of women where I work, many of a certain age, and we all support each other.”

Pat’s currently considering whether to try hormone replacement therapy (HRT). “If my symptoms get worse, I’ll certainly give it a go,” she says. “I want to read up on it and make sure I know all my options. At the moment, however, I’ve made some small changes which make a big difference. For example, I never used to eat breakfast as I have three kids under 10 and a husband to sort out! But now I make sure I have a cereal bar at least. I have a proper lunch with brown bread to keep my blood sugar levels steady as well.”

Menopause is a fact of life, says Pat, and she’s determined to manage her condition. “I have bad days,” she admits. “It’s difficult for my husband sometimes, as well. He says he never knows whether I’m going to wake up nice or nasty. But there’s no need for women to suffer menopausal symptoms in silence, like our mothers and grandmothers did. Educate yourself and you’ll find there’s a lot of help out there.”

Useful Links

Published Date: 2014-04-03 11:21:09Z
Last Review Date: 2014-02-05 00:00:00Z
Next Review Date: 2016-02-05 00:00:00Z

Classification: HRT,Lifestyle changes,Menopause

NHS Choices Syndication

Representations

/conditions/articles/menopause/causes

Menopause

Causes of the menopause

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

The menopause is part of the natural ageing process and is caused by a change in the balance of the body’s sex hormones.

Oestrogen levels decrease as you reach the menopause, which causes the ovaries to stop producing an egg each month (ovulation). Oestrogen is the female sex hormone that regulates a woman’s periods.

Most women experience the menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, with 51 the average age for it to occur.

Early menopause

In rare cases, some women experience the menopause before they reach 40. This is known as premature ovarian failure (POF).

POF can occur at any age. In many cases, there’s no cause.

Not all women who experience premature menopause find their periods stop completely. A small number of women still have intermittent ovarian function, which means their ovaries will occasionally release eggs, and they may still be able to conceive.

Possible causes of POF include:

hysterectomy (surgery to remove the ovaries or womb)
certain types of radiotherapy or chemotherapy
in rare cases, some infections, such as tuberculosis, mumps, malaria, varicella (the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles) and shigella (a type of bacteria that causes dysentery)
certain medical conditions, such as enzyme deficiencies, Down’s syndrome, Turner syndrome, Addison’s disease and hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland)

Useful Links

Menopause

Introduction

Coping with the menopause

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The menopause is marked by the ending of menstruation (when a woman’s periods stop). As a result of these hormonal changes, many women have physical and emotional symptoms, such as hot flushes, night sweats and irritability. Watch this video to hear two women describe their experience of the menopause, and learn about common symptoms and treatments.

Media last reviewed: 06/08/2014

Next review due: 06/08/2016

Talk to other women

Visit the Mumsnet NHS Choices forum on menopause

The menopause, sometimes referred to as the “change of life”, is the end of menstruation. This is a woman’s ovaries stop producing an egg every four weeks.

She no longer has a monthly period and is unlikely to get pregnant.

In the UK, 51 is the average age for a woman to reach the menopause, although some women experience the menopause in their 30s or 40s.

If you experience the menopause before the age of 40, it’s known as a premature menopause.

Menstruation (monthly periods) can sometimes stop suddenly when you reach the menopause. However, it’s more likely that your periods will become less frequent, with longer intervals between each one, before they stop altogether.

What causes the menopause?

The menopause is caused by a change in the balance of the body’s sex hormones.

In the lead-up to the menopause (perimenopause), oestrogen levels decrease, causing the ovaries to stop producing an egg each month (ovulation). Oestrogen is the female sex hormone that regulates a woman’s periods.

Read more about what causes the menopause.

The reduction in oestrogen causes physical and emotional symptoms, including:

hot flushes
night sweats
mood swings
vaginal dryness

Read more about the symptoms of the menopause.

When to see your GP

If you have menopausal symptoms that are troubling you, see your GP.

In women under 50 years of age, the menopause is diagnosed after 24 months without a period. In women aged 50 or over, it is diagnosed after 12 months without a period.

There’s no definitive test to diagnose the menopause. A blood test is sometimes carried out to measure the level of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). However, the result only occasionally helps in managing the menopause.

Treating the menopause

Medication for the oestrogen deficiency symptoms that can occur around the time of the menopause isn’t always needed. Many women find that making simple diet and lifestyle changes relieve their symptoms (see below).

If your menopausal symptoms are more severe and interfere with your day-to-day life, treatment may be recommended.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the main treatments used for the menopause. It helps relieve menopausal symptoms by replacing oestrogen. It’s available in many forms including tablets, cream or gel, a skin patch or an implant.

Vaginal lubricants can be used to treat vaginal dryness, and antidepressants are sometimes prescribed for treating hot flushes.

Self-help

Making simple dietary and lifestyle changes can often improve your menopausal symptoms.

For example, eating a healthy, balanced diet and taking plenty of regular exercise can help you avoid putting on extra weight, which can often occur during the menopause.

A healthy diet that includes all the food groups will help keep your bones strong and healthy. Combining aerobic activities, such as walking, with strength and flexibility exercises will also help you maintain bone strength and muscle mass.

Page last reviewed: 05/02/2014

Next review due: 05/02/2016