MENOPAUSE- a word which conjures up many feelings for women, not all of which are happy.  My gynecologist recently stated to me that menopause only lasts one day! What a surprise to me! What he was actually referring to is the fact that menopause is the day at which point a women has gone 365 days or 12 consecutive months without a period.  All the rest is either peri-menopause or post menopause.  Well, the semantics of this definition doesn’t change the fact that women experiencing this change of life are troubled by many symptoms which feel at best , slightly disruptive and at worst completely mind boggling.  There are ways however to lessen or manage these symptoms and changes so that you still feel in control of your body. It does take some effort however, but it is well worth it.

Many of us go through our years without paying a lot of attention to how our life style is affecting us both physically and emotionally.  I tell many of my patients that when we are young, our bodies can continue to function efficiently even though we are not eating a very healthy diet, we are not drinking enough water, we are not sleeping enough at night and we are not exercising adequately.  Many women will not gain weight, feel tired and may even have normal cholesterol and glucose levels despite a less that healthy lifestyle. Then menopause hits and this all changes. Women are experiencing hot flashes, inability to sleep, weight gain even though their diet hasn’t changed, mood swings, fatigue and lack of concentration and of course the low libido or lack of sex drive.  So our partners have to deal with us thrashing around at night, grumpy and moody, and then we don’t even want to have sex!  It takes true devotion to see a menopausal woman through this phase of her life!

Each of the troubling symptoms of menopause can be managed in ways both natural and in some ways through use of medication. Only you and your medical provider can decide on the usefulness of medication. I will discuss the most prevalent issues with suggestions on managing these issues and I hope to include interviews with experts on their experience and suggestions for women to help during this phase of their lives.  I feel it is important for women to not let the time of menopause unravel them physically and emotionally.

I have been experiencing menopause myself for several years now and have had to find ways to mitigate its effects on my sleep, energy, weight, skin, hair and yes, my sex life. This along with the countless stories and histories shared with me through the years working in my profession, I feel I understand what women are experiencing and hope to help women understand how they too can travel through this phase without losing their health or their minds!

“Reading this does not constitute treatment.  It is information for you to use to ask your doctor or
health care provider better questions and to help you make better decisions after consulting with a practitioner face
to face.  Because we provide you with information, stories and anecdotes, it does not mean you are a patient or that
we assume care for your health. Our relationship is casual and is not a therapeutic one.”