By: Kate Bracy Kalb, R.N., M. S., A. R. N. PMenopause is more than just some annoying phase that women go through. A new stage of your life (light puberty) it requires time and information to understand all the changes. If you are a woman experiencing the hormone swings and changes that accompany menopause, then the more you know about what's coming, the better you will be able to take charge of your transition.
There is plenty of information about menopause available, and it can be confusing and contradictory.
The American Menopause Foundation (AMF)
350 Fifth Avenue, suite 2822
NEW York, NY 10119
212-714-2398
www.americanmenopause.org
Books on Menopause, Women's Health, and Aging:
- Sheehy, Gail. The Silent Passage: Menopause, rev. ed. (New York, NY: Random House, 1998).
- Northrup, Christiane. The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change. (New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 2001).
- Nelson, Miriam and Sarah Wernick. Strong Women Stay Young. ( New York, NY: Bantam Books, 2005).
- Greer, Germaine. The change Women, Aging, and the Menopause, ( New York, NY Alfred A. Knopf, 1992).
- DeAngelis, Lissa and Molly Siple Recipes for Change: Gourmet wholefood Cooking for Health and Vitality at Menopause. ( New York, NY: Dutton Books, 1996).
- Cohen, Gene D. The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life ( New York, NY: Harper/Collins Publishers, 2000).
National Women's Health Information Center
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
P. O. Box 94572
Cleveland, OH 44101
404-442-7550
www.menopause.org
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCA)
NCCAM Clearinghouse
P. O. Box 7923
Gaithersburg, MD 20898
888-644-6226
301-519-3153
Email: infor@nccam.nig.gov
http:/nccam.nih.gov
Natural Menopause: The cessation of all periods resulting from the halt of ovarian hormone production that is spontaneous and not the result of other physical or pathological conditions or treatments; natural menopause is diagnosed when a women has had twelve months of amenorrhea.
Amenorrhea means: A cessation or absence of menstrual periods.
Temporary Menopause: An interruption of the ovarian function that prevents the production of hormones that accompany the maturation and release of oocytes (eggs). Temporary menopause can follow chemical or radiation therapies or disease. When the contributing condition stops, ovulation and menstruation begin again.
Induced Menopause: A cessation of menstrual cycles that occurs when a woman has her ovaries surgically removed in a procedure called oophorectomy, or when a woman's ovaries cease to function prematurely as a result of medication, radiation, or disease. With treatment and intervention, some non-surgical types of induced menopause may be temporary.
Male Menopause: Known as andropause in the medical community, male menopause is associated with and age- related decrease in male hormone levels in men; symptoms can include lethargy, depression, mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, irritability, and decreased sexual desire and function.
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT): Using a combination of hormones to treat the symtoms of decreasing estrogen and progesterone. The hormones may include estrogen, progestin, and variations of either, alone or in combination.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Therapy consisting of estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone designed to replace the loss of these hormones in menopause and thus combat the effects of this deficiency, including bone loss, vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, and other conditions.
Vaginal atrophy: A condition characterized by the thinning and flattening of the vaginal wall. The decreased total surface area of the vagina leads to decreased transudate secretions, and this leads to vaginal dryness. Over time, the vaginal wall becomes less flexible and can actually shrink and the changes can lead to the risk of tears or cracking.
The Real Creation - You
Menopause is a life - changing event. It offers opportunity along with the physical changes, and brings the prospect of going from 'reproductive' to 'productive'. It is a chance to become more of who you are, and more of who you are meant to be.
Although you will undoubtedly be faced with challenges- physical, emotional, and spiritual- you decide every day and every minute how to respond to those challenges. Those decisions will create the most important thing you have to offer the world: yourself. Being older can mean being happier. And it can mean finally being you.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
P. O. Box 94572
Cleveland, OH 44101
404-442-7550
www.menopause.org
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCA)
NCCAM Clearinghouse
P. O. Box 7923
Gaithersburg, MD 20898
888-644-6226
301-519-3153
Email: infor@nccam.nig.gov
http:/nccam.nih.gov
Natural Menopause: The cessation of all periods resulting from the halt of ovarian hormone production that is spontaneous and not the result of other physical or pathological conditions or treatments; natural menopause is diagnosed when a women has had twelve months of amenorrhea.
Amenorrhea means: A cessation or absence of menstrual periods.
Temporary Menopause: An interruption of the ovarian function that prevents the production of hormones that accompany the maturation and release of oocytes (eggs). Temporary menopause can follow chemical or radiation therapies or disease. When the contributing condition stops, ovulation and menstruation begin again.
Induced Menopause: A cessation of menstrual cycles that occurs when a woman has her ovaries surgically removed in a procedure called oophorectomy, or when a woman's ovaries cease to function prematurely as a result of medication, radiation, or disease. With treatment and intervention, some non-surgical types of induced menopause may be temporary.
Male Menopause: Known as andropause in the medical community, male menopause is associated with and age- related decrease in male hormone levels in men; symptoms can include lethargy, depression, mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, irritability, and decreased sexual desire and function.
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT): Using a combination of hormones to treat the symtoms of decreasing estrogen and progesterone. The hormones may include estrogen, progestin, and variations of either, alone or in combination.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Therapy consisting of estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone designed to replace the loss of these hormones in menopause and thus combat the effects of this deficiency, including bone loss, vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, and other conditions.
Vaginal atrophy: A condition characterized by the thinning and flattening of the vaginal wall. The decreased total surface area of the vagina leads to decreased transudate secretions, and this leads to vaginal dryness. Over time, the vaginal wall becomes less flexible and can actually shrink and the changes can lead to the risk of tears or cracking.
The Real Creation - You
Menopause is a life - changing event. It offers opportunity along with the physical changes, and brings the prospect of going from 'reproductive' to 'productive'. It is a chance to become more of who you are, and more of who you are meant to be.
Although you will undoubtedly be faced with challenges- physical, emotional, and spiritual- you decide every day and every minute how to respond to those challenges. Those decisions will create the most important thing you have to offer the world: yourself. Being older can mean being happier. And it can mean finally being you.
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