I’m Post Menopausal…. now what happens?
Will the hot flushes, mood swings, and other symptoms of menopause come to a halt when your periods are finally finished?
I question I am asked regularly.
Find out what to expect in the years after menopause.
There is so much chatter on the media at the moment about menopause and I can hear all my post meno ladies saying that all that information does not relate to them, because that is all ‘done with’ or I’m over all that now…
Lets find out what to expect when your periods are officially over, and is it all done with? What are your health issues now? What can you do to help yourself now?
A woman is medically defined as being in menopause when she has not had a menstrual cycle for at least 12 months. At that point, the transition into your non-child-bearing years is complete.
After Your Period Stops
Unfortunately permanent end of menstrual periods doesn’t necessarily mean the end of bothersome menopause symptoms, however. The symptoms typically associated with menopause, like hot flushes and mood swings, can occur for some time both before and after that point.
Women who have reached menopause can expect menopause symptoms to become worse than they were during perimenopause. Experts don’t know exactly why this happens, but it’s believed to be related to the hypothalamus, the portion of the brain that regulates temperature.
The hypothalamus is acutely responsive to oestrogens, Leading up to menopause, your oestrogen levels fluctuate. When they’re high, you don’t have symptoms. But when you go into menopause and there’s a complete lack of oestrogen, you start to notice those symptoms more.
I would love your help in helping me to better understand the physical and mental needs of women who are on the other side of menopause years. I have created a short survey, and would love it if you could complete it. Only complete if you are in your post meno years, or are over 50.
The Most Important Part of Post-Menopause Life
Along with the physical changes that occur after menopause, women may need to improve their health care routines.
• Postmenopausal women are at greater risk for heart disease, so redirect your diet toward healthy-fat foods and lower your salt intake — this reduces the risk of heart.
• As part of your routine check-ups, you should have a blood test at a minimum of every five years until age 50, and then at regular intervals. Your doctor will recommend what that interval should be based on how high your cholesterol is, if you are on cholesterol treatment, and on other cardiovascular risk factors that you may have, such as hypertension or obesity.
• Women also should have their bone density checked once every two years to spot early signs of osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones.
Postmenopausal women are particularly at risk for this condition: Research shows that up to 20 percent of bone loss can occur in the first five years of menopause. Oestrogen is one of the best stimulators of bone growth, The risk of osteoporosis is very low before menopause, but post-menopausally, fractured hips and problems related to bone density are very likely. Regular bone loading exercise sessions can help significantly.
