Posts Tagged "symptoms"

Speaking of blondes…Hot flashes and 20 other symptoms of menopause

Posted by Liz on Jan 21, 2009 in humour | 5 comments

Have I got your attention yet?

Since this is a week of change, I thought I’d swap Wednesday’s Bubble out for a guest post by my Twitter friend, The Daily Blonde, known to her friends as Cheryl Phillips. I caught this post on Cheryl’s blog and knew it was a winner. Enjoy!

I got the good news about a year ago. My doctor told me that I was in “perimenopause.” Peri meaning what? I’m only going to be on the big old mood swing occasionally? Far be it for me to say, but I like some consistency in my life. I don’t want to do things half-assed. I want my mood swings to be on a regular basis so they don’t sneak in and scare me…or anyone else for that matter.

Menopause. Figures there’s the word “men” in it. They’ve always caused me to pause. Never mind the pausing, they’ve caused me sweat, anxiety, mood swings and general pain. But then there have been a few who’ve just made me hot. Those are the men worth pausing for.

Back to me. (I like it when it’s back to me. With five children I only get a few “me” moments…mostly when I lock the bathroom door and hide.) OK, I keep digressing. I thought I’d do a search on the symptoms of menopause (since apparently that’s where I’m headed). I think I had one of the major symptoms today in the supermarket. As I paid for my items the sweat poured down my face and pooled in my ever so sexy sports bra. I was trying to look very “together” in my puddle of sweat. It was 20 degrees outside and not much warmer in the market. I felt like I was on fire.

The clerk was about 17 years old. I told her that she’d be just like me in about 30 years and to enjoy her inner air conditioning. Mine just seemed to stop working. She didn’t make eye contact with me after I scared her. Poor thing.

I love to research things. Usually things more pleasant than menopause, but hell, this is REAL life. The first website I came across about menopause had a list of twenty symptoms. Twenty?? Isn’t one symptom enough? As I perused the list, I was so hoping to find nausea, vomiting and occasional diarrhea. Aren’t those typical side effects for just about every medication on the market? It must be the same for menopause. Sure enough, that’s #18 on the list.

Here goes….oh so much to look forward to!

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes: OK, I’ve got that!
2. Clammy feeling: Not yet…can’t wait!
3. Irregular heart beat: Only if my phone rings at 3am
   
4. Irritability: This has been going on for one day a month since I was eleven years old.
5. Mood swings, sudden tears: I’m a pretty chipper chick. I do like a good cry though. Mood swings? Me? What are YOU TALKING ABOUT??? I am PERFECTLY FINE!!!! OK??????? Hey, want to snuggle?
6. Trouble sleeping through the night: I am an insomniac. I wouldn’t know the difference.
7. Irregular heavier periods or shorter periods: Of course, I got a combination…shorter, heavier. Hey, that sounds like me aging–shorter and heavier.
8. Loss of libido: This will never happen to me. I keep repeating this and believing in it. Losing my sense of humor and my libido would be dreadful.
9. Hair Growth: Not sure what this is about but there is a three letter word ladies: WAX
10. Crashing fatigue: Got it. Got it. Got it.
11. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease: Yes…I’m extremely anxious about getting all of these symptoms.
12. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom: This is why people get feelings of doom…because they read these lists and panic. Not me. I write about them and laugh. Sort of.
13. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion: I’ve given birth to five children in 24 years. These symptoms were part of the parenting package.
14. Disturbing memory lapses: I’ve had this for years. I just make lists now and try to keep track of where I put them.
15. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing: I laugh often and haven’t peed my pants yet.
16. Itchy, crawly skin: I only get this when I see my ex-husband.
17. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons: This is the result of having my knee sliced open three times this year, not menopause.
18. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea: I will not allow this to happen. Ever. OK, I’ll pick nausea if I have to pick one. That’s it.
19. Weight gain: This is something to look forward to!
20. Changes in body odor: I assume this doesn’t mean I’ll be smelling like Chanel No.5 ??

Survey says…

Posted by Liz on Oct 13, 2008 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

I created an informal poll last week after reading two studies that suggested a seasonal timing to menopause onset and symptoms.

It turns out that the poll mimcs the results found in the studies, ie, that symptom onset is more frequent in winter.

Hmm. We are truly in tune with the tides and cycles. It’s kind of strange, right?

BTW…my BBFF Amy, is taking an informal poll on divadom…Aretha or Tina? Check it out!

To everything…there is a season

Posted by Liz on Oct 9, 2008 in general | 4 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNopQq5lWqQ&feature=related]

The severity of menopause symptoms are associated with the season in which you are born.

Sounds pretty far-fetched right?

Evidently, it’s not.

A few years ago, Italian researchers conducted a study of 2,541 women who were undergoing menopause and not taking HRT. Information was collected on physical, vasomotor (i.e. hot flashes, night sweats) and psychological symptoms (e.g. anxiety, depression), which were then rated by severity and grouped by the season of birth. The researchers also controlled for factors that could potentially interfere with the study results, including age, number of years in menopause, body mass index, education, occupation and smoking habits.

The findings, which were published in the Menopause journal in 2006, demonstrated a relationship between season of birth and menopause symptoms. For example, women born in Autumn had the least severe symptoms while women born in Spring had the most. This same association held true for anxiety and depression and physical symptoms.

This got me thinking. If season of birth affected how severe menopause symptoms were, could it also affect when menopause started.? So, I delved a bit deeper.

Turns out that a study published in the journal Maturitas in 2006 shows that menopause onset is also seasonally-regulated.  Among 2,436 women studied, the onset of menopause was significantly more frequent in Winter (32.5%) than in Spring (20.8%), Autumn (20.3%) and Summer (26.2%).

I’m taking an informal poll on menopause onset and its relationship to seasons. I’d love your feedback and participation so please, spread the word!

[polldaddy poll=”981919″]

[polldaddy poll=”984809″]

I’ll take menopause for $100

Posted by Liz on Sep 30, 2008 in women's health | 5 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKg5ggoqJ0g]

Did you know that women can actually discern symptoms of menopause from the natural symptoms of aging?!

Evidently, study results released at the North American Menopause Society’s annual meeting this week suggest that 91% of women can correctly define menopause and that 99% and 96% of women, respectively, know that menopause causes night sweats and mood swings.

Any of you who’ve experienced one or both of these symptoms won’t find these results surprising. I certainly didn’t.

Sarcasm aside, there are some overlaps you should be aware of. In the survey, 84%, 72%, and 77% of respondents associated vaginal dryness, urinary stress incontinence and weight gain, respectively, strictly with menopause, even though they can also be caused by aging as well.

So, why should you care?

Knowing the reasons behind the symptoms can help drive informed health decisions about the best strategies and steps you can take to combat them. What’s more, because it can be difficult to tease apart the effects of aging and the effects of menopause, NAMS can use these survey results as a call to action for more funding and research.

All in all, a good thing, right?

I Got All My Sisters And Me…

Posted by Liz on Aug 31, 2008 in women's health | 2 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ2L4iPvdIk]

Last week, I posted a piece about the importance of friendships and social support to our lives. Researchers agree that during the menopausal transition, the ability to nurture and nourish ties, coupled with overall satisfaction with that work, significantly predicts well-being.

A subset of 334 women from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study were evaluated over a period of 8 years to determine the association between factors such as frequency and severity of hot flashes, hormone levels, number of negative life events and resources pertaining to mastery over and satisfaction with social support and overall well-being.

Study findings showed that for the majority, the menopause transition itself was not a predictor of well-being. Rather, when considered within a broader life context, one primary factor stood out – personal resources as they pertain to social support.

Undoubtedly, menopause can wreak havoc on our lifestyles, the way that we feel about ourselves and at times, the ability or inability to cope. ‘Tending and befriending,’  nurturing our personal relationships,  communicating to one another when we need help, finding a shoulder to cry on or simply offering a hug not only reaffirms who we are but can also provide an essential foundation to see us through.

One of my favorite Aristotle quotes is this one:

What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies.

Cherish your soul today.  Call or email a friend. Reach out to a family member you’ve not spoken to in awhile. Say hello to that neighbor you’ve been meaning to talk to but never find the time to. Mostly, take the time to well, take the time. You’ll be glad you did.