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Post menopause symptoms

The term used for the stage in a woman’s life when she has gone through menopause is called post menopausal. The post menopause stage is when it has been at least 12 months since the woman had her last menstrual cycle. This is a normal stage of life associated with advancing age. The reproductive system has shut down and the ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. Most women begin to experience menopause at about the age of 50 and normally completed it by the age of 60. Women who had their ovaries removed during a hysterectomy are thrown immediately post menopause after the operation no matter how old she is because there is no longer any ovaries present to produce estrogen. Post menopause symptoms can then begin to appear. The most common of which is osteoporosis.

Post menopause symptoms are typically those symptoms that are experienced by women who have not had a period for at least the last 12 months. Symptoms usually include vaginal dryness and itching, cramps, urinary incontinence and high blood pressure. Weight gain is also another post menopause symptom. Postmenopausal bleeding is a cause for concern in a woman who has gone through menopause and has not had a period for 12 months or more. She should go to the doctor have any vaginal bleeding evaluated by her medical doctor if she is in the post menopausal stage of her life. Even if the bleeding is only minor spotting she should be seen by her medical doctor so that uterine cancer can be ruled out.

The hot flashes a woman experiences during menopause can continue off and on for some time after menopause. Times of stress can cause a post menopause woman to experience hot flashes. Hot flashes are a common, yet infrequent, post menopause symptom that women can experience up to 10 years after her last period. Other post menopause symptoms include dizziness, headaches, and insomnia, fatigue and heart palpitations. Short term memory loss is also common in women who are post menopausal. Women can develop osteoporosis when she is postmenopausal which makes the woman more susceptible to fractured or broken bones. The walls of the vagina become thin and atrophy after menopause because of the low levels of estrogen. Women who are postmenopausal can also develop facial hair growth particularly on the upper lip due to increased levels of testosterone. Unwanted weight gain especially in the abdominal area is a common symptom that many women experience after they have gone through menopause. Stress incontinence is a very common postmenopausal symptom among women. Stress incontinence is the involuntary leaking of urine when every moment coughs, sneezes or labs

Post menopause symptoms will ease over time. Many women seek out hormone replacement therapy to treat their post menopause symptoms. Certain herbs and vitamins are also useful to treat the symptoms. Women can pay better attention to their nutritional needs and their need for exercise to help relieve the symptoms. Women should eat a calcium rich diet to help prevent or lower the risk for osteoporosis. Calcium fortified orange juice, yogurt, broccoli and other deep green leaf vegetables should be incorporated into the daily diet. Most medical doctors usually recommend that post menopausal women take 1,500 mg. of calcium and 750 mg. of magnesium in combination every day. Magnesium is needed to help the body metabolize calcium better. Vitamin D is also needed for better calcium absorption. Taking these supplements can prevent bone fractures in women who are post menopausal. Most post menopause symptoms can be well managed by incorporating healthy choices in the foods eaten and daily exercise. It has also been found that women are more susceptible to heart attacks after menopause as well. This may also be due to lowered estrogen levels.

Last updated on Apr 27th, 2010 and filed under Women's Health. Both comments and pings are currently closed.