It seems logical and human not to consider menopause a “disease” that requires treatment, but to see in it a physiological process normal for the female body, simply requiring its own ways of care – as menstrual, as puberty, as pregnancy. Amanda (49 years old) says that climacteric changes first brought her to despair but eventually helped to accept that “the forces are not limitless” and pay attention to herself: “I had to take off the crowns of the savior and the winner. Realize that first of all I am responsible for myself, my health and mental state, and not for someone else’s well-being, mood and attitude towards me. It turned out that I have to re-understand the basic things about myself: what I want, what I do not want, what I should and should not, how should I take care of myself, how to determine priorities and distribute forces ”.
Emma (57 years old) believes that menopause helped her to become softer and more indulgent to herself: “I don’t regret that I can’t give birth anymore. I do not regret that I can not be young and timid. Maybe I do not like my photos. He catches his breath when, over the years, I see his beloved girlfriend, all gray. Trite, but it’s life. Relatives do not really know about my menopause. They deal with me entirely: worldview, character and background. In relations with them, everything is still. “
The later – the better?
When it is your menopause, science can not answer for sure. Scientists say about the possible influence of the hereditary factor: in principle, you can ask your mother and grandmothers when menopause happened to them. There is also evidence indicating that the time of arrival of menopause may depend on nationality, body mass index, relationships with alcohol, past diseases, the number of births. A lot of information and that smoking brings menopause. Is it bad? Scientists of feminist views argue that it is not necessary: the menopause comes – and this is natural. Another thing, if you do not want to deal with any of its consequences.
What to do if for some reason you want to push menopause? There is no definitive answer to this question yet, but researchers traditionally suggest limiting alcohol and tobacco use, including fish oil and legumes in the diet. With physical exertion, everything is ambiguous: heavy menopause is likely to be brought closer, but lightweight, on the contrary, will help delay. Similar general recommendations also apply to those who want to alleviate the symptoms of an already occurring menopause. “There is a percentage of women who simply end menstruation and almost nothing changes. I recommend them calcium supplements with vitamin D, the use of lubricants for vaginal sex and physical activity is the minimum necessary for everyone,” – the gynecologist comments.
Climax and therapy
A separate and big topic is the use of hormone replacement therapy, which is most effective in correcting the symptoms of menopause. Hormonal drugs are good for mood swings, hot flashes, dry vaginal mucosa, etc. However, hormone therapy during menopause increases the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases, so scientists recommend that you use it consciously.
In the scientific community, hormone replacement therapy is treated differently. According to some scientists, the benefits of hormonal support often outweigh the risks – the main thing is that a qualified doctor selects the appropriate drug and dosage. Others believe that resorting to the reception of “hormones” is only in special cases and the appointment of hormone therapy for women in menopause should not be a mass practice just for the sake of meeting certain parameters of conditional “youth.”
As a result of a long history of research today, most scientists share the position of the North American Menopause Association. Experts recommend using small dosages, limit the period of reception and remember that not everyone needs hormone therapy during menopause. Still, for some women, hormones are obviously the best help. “Something terrible was happening to me: my teeth began to collapse, my joints became deformed, arthritis began, my skin cracked, my hair fell out. Morally I was just in a dreadful state, it was like a very strong PMS, only permanent”, – says Helen (48 years old), who managed to improve her condition thanks to hormone replacement therapy.
Gynecologist Chris advises not to be afraid of modern drugs with micro-dosages, but notes that only a doctor can prescribe them and only after a full examination. The effectiveness of other methods of relieving unpleasant climacteric symptoms has not yet been proven, or they do not give a comparable effect. But science is constantly looking for new opportunities, and those who will enter into menopause in twenty to thirty years are likely to do so in completely different medical and ethical realities.