Stages of Female & Male Menopause. www.gafra.org

Hi everyone, I'm finally going to talk about a topic that isn't really brought up very often. No one warns us women of what we will have to go through when we reach the AGE. It wasn't a very nice experience and it is still happening todate. I wasn't informed by my mother, by friends, no one not until I was going through it myself and I had to go do my research. Eventually I had the conversation with my girlfriends and that was when we brought out all the effects or some of us warned the others of what to expect and what we can do to ease the effect.

For me there weren't many things I could use that helped. I had to ride it out as best as I could, which wasn't much of a help. The hot flashes, the mood swings, the lack of sexual urges and worst the feeling of as if life was a confused ball of nothing. I did my research and although I tried Evening Primrose....that didn't help me. None of the medication recommended worked for me, so as I said, I had to ride it out. Fortunately for me, the hot flashes which would start from my lower areas then move upwards like a flaming fire in my body, changed from flaming heat to just periods of "feeling warm", and that is still happening.

Look at the information I've gathered for you:

Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. The term "menopause" can describe any of the changes a woman goes through either just before or after she stops menstruating,marking the end of her reproductive period.

What Causes Menopause?

A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control menstruation and ovulation. Menopause happens when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

Menopause is considered a normal part of aging when it happens after the age of 40. But some women can go through menopause early, either as a result of surgery, such as hysterectomy, or damage to the ovaries, such as from chemotherapy. Menopause that happens before 40, regardless of the cause, is called premature menopause.

Perimenopause or menopause transition, begins several years before menopause. It's the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in a woman's 40s, but can start in her 30s or even earlier.

Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, this drop in estrogen speeds up. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.

How Long Does Perimenopause Last?

The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years. Perimenopause ends when a woman has gone 12 months without having her period.

Women in perimenopause have at least some these symptoms:

· Hot flashes.
· Breast tenderness.
· Worse premenstrual syndrome.
· Lower sex drive.
· Fatigue.
· Irregular periods.
· Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex.
· Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing.

Some common, normal signs include irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, and mood swings—all results of unevenly changing levels of ovarian hormones (estrogen) in your body. Read more about how you'll know you're near menopause.

Other common symptoms around the time of menopause include:

· Irregular or skipped periods.
· Insomnia.
· Mood swings.
· Fatigue.
· Depression.
· Irritability.
· Racing heart.
· Headaches.

Symptoms of menopause

· Hot flashes. These cause you to feel a sudden rush of warmth in your face and upper body. ...
· Night sweats. Hot flashes during sleep can result in night sweats. ...
· Cold flashes. ...
· Vaginal changes. ...
· Emotional changes. ...
· Trouble sleeping.

The age you experience it can vary, but it typically occurs in your late 40s or early 50s. Menopause can cause many changes in your body. The symptoms are the result of a decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in your ovaries. ...You may find that getting through menopause requires little medical attention.

Do the symptoms ever go away?

Most symptoms of menopause are permanent, unless the woman takes hormones or other medications. Hot flashes usually last about two years, but for 15%-20% of women, they never go away. Insomnia or sleep disturbances also can continue to be a problem.

What is the Last Stage of Menopause?

The 3-5 year period before menopause when your estrogen and hormone levels begin to drop is called perimenopause. You typically enter into perimenopause in your late 40's and could begin to experience irregular menstrual cycles and symptoms such as: Hot flashes. Sleep disturbances-insomnia.

Handling the Menopause Weight Gain

Exercise More Often, More Intensely to Counter Midlife Weight Gain. Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises, like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training.

Weight distribution changes as you hit menopause, with the added pounds accumulating right around your belly Before, during, and after menopause, your estrogen levels begin to wane and your metabolism slows, making it more difficult for you to lose weight, particularly around your middle. And belly fat isn’t just annoying — it’s also unhealthy. Studies show it increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and perhaps even early death. Here, 10 ways to successfully fight the battle of the bulge:

Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises, like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training

Women may not be the only ones who suffer the effects of changing hormones. Some doctors are noticing that men are reporting some of the same symptoms that women experience in perimenopause and menopause.

The medical community is debating whether or not men really do go through a well-defined menopause. Doctors say that men receiving hormone therapy with testosterone have reported relief of some of the symptoms associated with so-called male menopause.

What Is Male Menopause?

Because men do not go through a well-defined period referred to as menopause, some doctors refer to this problem as androgen (testosterone) decline in the aging male -- or what some people call low testosterone. Men do experience a decline in the production of the male hormone testosterone with aging, but this also occurs with conditions such as diabetes.

Along with the decline in testosterone, some men experience symptoms that include:

Fatigue
Weakness
Depression
Sexual problems

The relationship of these symptoms to decreased testosterone levels is still controversial.

Unlike menopause in women, when hormone production stops completely, testosterone decline in men is a slower process. The testes, unlike the ovaries, do not run out of the substance it needs to make testosterone. A healthy manmay be able to make sperm well into his 80s or later.

References:

1. webMD – Menopause Basics

2. webMD – perimenopause symptoms

3. Healthline – How long do symptoms of menopause last.

4. Healthline - 11 things women should know about menopause

5. Menopause.org – How will I know I’m in Menopause

6. Everydayhealth.com – How can I lose the menopause belly

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