Taking the Fear Out Of Premature Menopause

How to Deal With Premature Menopause

Most young ladies know that in the future they are going to have to deal with menopause. When this arrives sooner than expected it is called premature menopause.

While there are differences of opinions as to the age range for menopause, most experts speculate that it normally begins around the age of forty. It is generally considered that menopause occurring before this is classed as premature menopause.

Causes of Premature Menopause

Naturally Occurring Causes

Sometimes there are no outside causes of premature menopause, and it can occur for a variety of reasons such as….

Diseases of the Autoimmune System

The body’s immune system is there to help every person fight off disease. It is the body’s defense mechanism. For some reason, the immune system may suddenly turn on the ovaries in the woman’s reproductive system. If it does, it can stop the ovaries from being able to make hormones. Sometimes this is a result of different types of diseases such as disease of the thyroid or rheumatoid arthritis.

Genetics

There is a great deal of speculation that genetics can play a role in premature menopause. If a woman looks back into the history of the females in her family she may discover that many of them had an early menopause. If this is the case, then chances are she will also have the same experience.

Defects In Chromosomes

Chromosomes are what make up your DNA. If there are some irregularities in these it could lead to early menopause. In some instances, the ovaries do not perform as they should and this can lead to premature menopause.

Medical Procedures Leading to Premature Menopause

Oophorectomy

This is a surgical procedure that entails the removal of the ovaries. There can be a variety of reasons why this procedure may need to be done. Once it has been completed, menopause starts relatively fast as the hormone drop is quick.

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus but does not necessarily mean that the ovaries will also be removed during this surgical procedure. If the ovaries are left then the woman will not have to deal with an early menopause. She could end up having hot flashes. This is simply because the ovaries are not receiving the same blood supply as they did prior to the surgery. Some women who have had a hysterectomy find that they may enter into menopause slightly earlier than average, by about a year or two.

Some Cancer Treatments

Women who require radiation or some forms of chemotherapy for cancer may find that these treatments damage the ovaries. This is to such an extent that the menstrual cycle may cease altogether. This is not always the case, and not all chemotherapy treatments create this sort of outcome.

Getting a Positive Diagnosis

If you are going through the surgical procedures, your health care provider should explain exactly what you can expect and whether you will experience premature menopause. There are times where the diagnosis could be primary ovarian insufficiency. If this is the case then it is referring to where the activity in the ovaries has decreased.

For whatever reason the ovaries are not working to full capacity there are times where the ovaries may still make hormones intermittently. When this happens the menstrual cycle can start up again. There is a possibility that a pregnancy can occur if the ovaries are producing hormones.

The symptoms may be indicating premature menopause. There are blood tests that can be done to determine if the estrogen levels are low, and the follicle-stimulating hormone is high.

Dealing with the Diagnosis

Once the diagnosis of premature menopause has been made then it means having to deal with the symptoms that are going to come with it. How a woman deals with this is partially going to depend on the cause. This will be determined according to whether the cause of the premature menopause was as a result of surgery or disease, or whether it has occurred naturally.

Long Term Side Effects of Premature Menopause

Osteoporosis

For any woman that is going through menopause, there is the risk of osteoporosis. For those that are younger that are dealing with it, the general consensus is that they will live several more years with this threat. For some, it will become a reality.

Possible Premature Aging

Aging is inevitable and regular menopause symptoms do include some aging factors. There are some indications that those with early menopause may age faster. This is because some of the structures that protect the DNA are affected. These are what is called Telomeres. There were some studies done in the past to indicate that shortened Telomeres occur with early menopause, which could have an impact on the aging process.

Greater Risk for Heart Disease

It is strongly suggested that women who enter into premature menopause naturally have a higher rate of heart failure. The reason for this is that it is believed that estrogen levels that are high help to keep cholesterol levels at a healthier level.

Some Positive Aspects of Early Menopause

One of the positive aspects regarding premature menopause is that you may have a lower risk of having breast cancer. The same applies to ovarian cancer. While there still needs to be further research and studies into this, it does place a positive note on entering into menopause early.

What Do the Potential Long Term Effects Mean?

Each and every one of the long-term effects is serious. You will need to take a positive approach in understanding that you are simply at a higher risk than other women. You can take as many preventative steps as possible to help reduce the risks. Many individuals are at risk for some of these conditions even without menopause being a factor.

It all comes down to you have a greater responsibility of taking good care of yourself. You need to really focus on your diet. This will make sure you are getting the proper nutrition to help with conditions such as osteoporosis and will help you to focus on heart healthy meals. At the same time avoid those things that are going to increase your risks such as smoking, excess drinking and eating too many fatty foods. This is a two-step approach, but one that is going to add additional benefits. By eating healthy, getting enough rest, and proper exercise you are going to feel better overall.

Dealing with the Aftermath of Medically Induced Premature Menopause

If you have ended up being one of the women that have been forced into menopause because of cancer or for the removal of your ovaries, then you also have to deal with the side effects of these. In the case of surgery, there is the recovery period that follows. There are indications that you may also experience some of the standard menopause symptoms fairly quickly because of the quick drop in estrogen, as a result of the surgery.

In the case of chemotherapy and/or radiation that can cause premature menopause, the transition into premature menopause may be a little slower. This will be determined by the way these substances affect your body.

Let Your Body Heal

From a physical standpoint, your body needs time to heal. You need to work closely with your health care providers to help prepare you for what to expect during your healing period. Make sure you focus on the instructions they give. Knowing that you are about to enter premature menopause gives you a little time to prepare for it. You can learn more about what to expect, and what you can do to help cope with it. You are going to have both physical and mental factors to deal with.

The Physical Factors

No doubt you have heard about the common menopause symptoms that you could end up having. They may be a little more intense depending on the circumstances.

When it comes to the hot flashes and night sweats their intensity will mostly revolve around the number of times you have to deal with them. You may get quite a bit of flushing, which is a redness of the skin. While these are not pleasant after you have experienced them a few times you will get used to them.

As mentioned, you may find that you have to be more astute regarding your aging. If you pay particular attention to your skin and hair you should find that you experience some really positive results. All it means is that you cannot put off this type of special care figuring you will deal with it in later years.

The Mental Factors

Any woman going through menopause usually has some types of mental factors to deal with. In your case going through premature menopause this may present you with some extra mental challenges.

Infertility

It could be that infertility is going to be one of your biggest challenges, and maybe one of the biggest factors that you have to work through on a mental level. If you have not had the opportunity to give birth or you have a desire to have more children, you need to check out what your options are and if these include IVF.

You and Your Spouse

Not only do you have to deal with your early menopause, your partner does as well. The key to you both getting through this with minimal impact is communication. It is really important that both you and your spouse become educated about what menopause is. This way you are familiar with the symptoms, and what steps you can take to handle them together.

One of the symptoms that you may experience is a reduced interest in sex. This is particularly difficult being as you and your partner most likely were consistently sexually active in the past. Your partner still has sexual needs, and your recognizing this may be putting extra mental stress on you.

One of the additional reasons you may be hesitant about having sex is because you are experiencing another symptom of menopause which is vaginal dryness. Some women even experience urinary inflammation. All of these make having sex most uncomfortable.

There are several treatments and medications that can be used to help with these problems. Keeping open communication with your partner as to what you are feeling physically and mentally will help to reduce your stress level. This may help you to be more sexually receptive.

 Medications to Help with Early Menopause

There is a lot of controversy over using medications to help with the symptoms of menopause such as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Before making your final decision as to whether this is right for you or whether other medications are appropriate, you need to ….

• Determine if your symptoms are severe enough that they warrant taking medications for them.
• Learn what your options are for medications, then do a thorough review of these so you are educated about their risks and their potential side effects.
• Discuss your options in detail with your health care provider. Make sure you fully disclose what your menopause symptoms are, as well as their frequency and intensity. Also, be open about your low sexual drive if you are experiencing this.
• Be sure to check out what other options there are such as natural medications. More information is becoming available as to natural substances that are much safer and are quite effective.

Once you know what your options are and you have educated yourself about them, then have a thorough discussion with your partner about these. It will be far easier for you to make decisions about them if you have your spouse’s input and support.

If you decide to go with any type of medication then make sure you follow all of the instructions. Monitor your health status regularly to see if you are getting the desired results, and there are no repercussions to them.

Your Outlook is Going to Dictate Your Mental Status

As a woman that is going through premature menopause, no doubt you feel that you have been handed a bad deal. You believe that if this had occurred in the normal years you could have handled it much easier. You are going to have to deal with some of the mental aspects that come with menopause no matter what the age. These may be symptoms such as being irritable, sadness, mood swings and even depression. You may also be dealing with a negative aspect to what is happening to you. If so, these mental symptoms are most likely going to be far more severe, and more difficult for you to get a handle on. They are really going to have a negative impact on your lifestyle.

You are Still You

You are going to have days where you feel miserable and question as to what has happened to the old you. What you need to realize is that you are still you. Make it a point to take control of your premature menopause. Don’t let it control you. While you cannot stop it, you can do a lot to make it less intense.

As time progresses and with you keeping a positive attitude you can go on through life with minimal changes in your lifestyle. It is most important that you have as much support as possible.

As mentioned, keeping an open and ongoing communication with your partner is going to be your greatest step. Then make sure you have a health care provider that you feel confident with, and can talk openly with. You need to have trust in this professional especially if you are opting for some forms of medicine. Then another resource you may want to seek out is a counselor that specializes in premature menopause. Sometimes just having a neutral person to talk to can really help. This is especially true if you are hitting some rocky patches with your partner.

If you are in a career you may be concerned about how your premature menopause is going to affect you in the working world. Take a proactive approach for dealing with the symptoms that may be affecting this.

You will soon find that you are able to identify your menopause symptoms quickly. When they are presenting themselves you can take immediate steps to deal with them. It is really important that you don’t allow yourself to fall into a rut over any of your symptoms. For example, if sleep disorders are something you have to deal with then approach this as a challenge. Try to find some solutions to help you combat the effects of this. It may mean that you need to make some lifestyle modifications. This is better than allowing yourself to become totally exhausted, which will only compound the other symptoms that you may be dealing with.

Keep yourself aware of what progress is being made in the medical world concerning premature menopause and dealing with the transition. Also, exercise caution regarding natural treatments that claim to be the cure for the symptoms that you are dealing with. It is not uncommon for a lot of women to spend a fortune on supplements that are touted as menopause symptom reducers. Many of these have not been proven in regards to their effectiveness.