Posts Tagged "perimenopause"

What’s it all about

Posted by Liz on Jan 5, 2009 in menopause | 3 comments

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Menopause is pretty straightforward. Right?

Clearly it’s not since all of us go through it differently depending on our genetics, physical and mental makeup and our environment. Hence, I  thought that it might be to good idea to tackle some menopause terms. Especially since there can be a lot of confusion about what menopause is and whether or not you’ve actually started.

So what’s it all about? Menopause, that is…

Natural menopause – permanent cessation of menstruation. You are not considered to be in menopause until your periods cease for 12 consecutive months  and this cessation is not linked to causes other than those that are natural. Menopause can only be determine with certainty if your final menstrual period is known.

Perimenopause – the years leading up to the cessation of menstruation. Perimenopause can last anywhere from 2 to 8 years, and includes the first year after your period stops. Perimenopause is accompanied by a barrage of symptoms as your reproductive capacity starts to end.

Premenopause – The reproductive years leading up to the menopause.

Postmenopause – The period of time following menopause.

Climeractic – a term for a woman’s transition from a reproductive to non-reproductive state during which many physiological, psychological, and sociologically changes occur.

Premature menopause – Usually, menopause that occurs before the age of 40. Note, however, that since there is no reliable measure of age distribution among women transitioning to menopause in developing countries, the cut off of 40 years of age is arbitrary. In some cases, premature menopause is interchangeable with induced menopause, which describes menopause that occurs after surgical removal of the ovaries (with/without hysterectomy) or removal  of ovarian function (due to chemotherapy or radiation).

ObGyn.net has an excellent article that goes into further detail about the physiological changes that occur during menopause. I encourage you to visit the reference if you desire more information.

Wednesday Bubble: Hot stuff

Posted by Liz on Dec 24, 2008 in sexual desire, sexual health | 5 comments

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Those of you who regularly read this blog know that I’ve spent quite a bit of time this Fall writing about sex. Sexual desire, sexual dysfunction,  testosterone and sex, self respect, happiness….sex.

However, when a friend of mine recently mentioned that it is commonly believed amongst men is that women going through menopause are insatiable,  I had to jump on him (figuratively, of course) and the topic.

This statement blows all the data proving otherwise, well, right out the window.

Women going through menopause are insatiable.

So ladies and gentlemen, the soapbox is yours’ today on Flashfree. Let’s burst the bubble and put the myth and misconceptions about midlife and sex to rest, once and for all (okay, I can’t really promise not to write about this topic again but once and for all this week….):

What are your experiences? Take the poll or comment. Let’s talk!

[polldaddy poll=”1223610″]

Hope springs eternal: black cohosh

Posted by Liz on Oct 18, 2008 in breast cancer, estrogen | 0 comments

There may be good news on the horizon for perimenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.  Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia are conducting an animal study to see how black cohosh and the tamoxifen interact.

Unfortunately, breast cancer patients who take tamoxifen to prevent their cancer from recurring, are unable to take hormones for menopausal symptoms that often occur as the drug starts working to shut down estrogen production. Consequently, one of the only options available to them are antidepressants, which are not always effective and depending on the agent, may cause side effects such as weight gain, fatigue or reduced sexual desire.

It’s a hopeful path that may help alleviate undesired side effects in women with breast cancer. If you’re interesting in reading more about black cohosh, you can click on the word in the tags category on the sidebar.

Like a Heatwave, Burning in My Heart

Posted by Liz on Sep 15, 2008 in heart disease, hot flash | 5 comments

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It appears that hot flashes affect more than quality of life.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh report that hot flashes might actually damage the blood vessesls and increase the risk for atherosclerosis, a form of heart disease characterized by hardening of the arteries.

Study partciipants included 492 women, ages 45 to 58 years, who were participating in the community-based Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.

The findings, which were published in the eary online edition of the journal Circulation, show a significant increase in calcium deposits and buildup  (i.e. calcification) in the greater coronary artery and aorta in women with hot flashes. In fact, these women were 1.5 times likely to develop calcification than women not experiencing hot flashes.

The researchers report that hot flashes may indicate underlying adverse vascular changes in women.

So what can you do? Because hot flashes may be signs of subclinical or underlying changes in blood vessels that can lead to heart disease, shutting them down is not enough.

Rather, lifestyle changes that promote heart health, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, weight maintenance or reduction, quitting smoking and moderate alcohol use, seem like smart choices.

In fact, research confirms that lifestyle interventions that include healthy eating and regular exercise can confer protection against and slow different forms of heart disease, including atherosclerosis, if started during perimenipause.

Oh! Dem bones!

Posted by Liz on Jul 16, 2008 in bone health | 0 comments

Dem bones, dem bones gon-na walk a roun.’ Spiritual, traditional childrens song. Writer: anonymous.

Remember that song from your childhood….the leg bone connected to the knee bone. The knee bone connected to the thigh bone. The thigh bone connected to the back bone…etc etc?

Several studies are starting to emerge as to whether or not long-term use of osteoporosis drugs actually weakens the bones they are supposed to protect. The most vulnerable area? The thighbone, which, in some patients, have snapped during walking or standing.

Most recently, doctors from New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell and New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery report in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma that 19 of 20 women who had used the osteoporosis drug Fosamax for at least 6.9 years suffered from this type of fracture.  Fortunately, similar fractures have not been observed in association with other drugs of the same class (e.g. Actonel, Boniva).
The New York Times has a great article about this issue worth checking out.

In the interim, last month, I wrote about a Thai herb that might help peri- and post-menopausal women with bone loss. Other important steps include a diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D, regular weight-bearing exercise, and avoidance of excessive alcohol or caffeine.

You can read also more about osteoporosis and the role of lifestyle changes in prevention at the American College of Rheumatology website.