Amersham Together January/ February 2020 Issue

HEALTH NEWS
Menopause
By Dr Riccardo Di Cuffa
(Your Doctor)
The menopause is the
phase in a woman’s life
cycle where her periods stop,
and she becomes unable to
have children.
This starts with the body producing less
oestrogen and eggs less regularly. For most
people, this occurs between the ages of 45
and 55. The symptoms can vary from woman to
woman. While symptoms may seem worrying
to some, there are effective ways to combat
or reduce them so they do not have such a
significant impact.
“What is perimenopause?”
Perimenopause is when the ovaries produce
less oestrogen and patients can get a variety
of symptoms including lower sex drive, breast
tenderness, vaginal dryness, mood swings,
fatigue and irregular periods. On average
perimenopause symptoms last for four
years before you start menopause, but some
women can have symptoms for up to 10 years.
On average perimenopause starts from the
mid-forties onwards.
“What is HRT, and is it safe?”
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the
main therapy available for women going
through the menopause. HRT can relieve many
of the common symptoms of menopause as
well as help prevent osteoporosis - a bone
condition which women going through this
phase are more at risk to. HRT is also protective
to your heart if taken for less than 10 years and
before the age of 60. There are many different
forms and treatments, however HRT is not the
right treatment for everyone as there can be
strong side-effects and the benefits have to be
balanced with increased risks of breast cancer,
cardiovascular disease and DVT’s. For more
information and to find out if you are eligible,
consult your GP.
“I’ve put on a lot of weight since starting the
menopause and am often bloated, what can I
do to help that?”
The hormonal changes of menopause might
make you more likely to gain weight around
your abdomen than around your hips and
thighs, but hormonal changes alone don’t
necessarily cause menopause weight gain.
Ageing, lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise,
unhealthy eating and poor sleep, can all
contribute to menopause weight gain.
Muscle mass typically diminishes with age, while
fat increases. Loss of muscle mass decreases the
rate at which your body uses calories, which can
make it more challenging to maintain a healthy
weight. If you continue to eat as you always
have and don’t increase your physical activity,
you’re likely to gain weight.
“Now that I’m going through the
menopause, do I need to worry about
contraception?”
Technically if you are still having periods, even
if irregular, you can still get pregnant. It is very
unlikely that you will as the quality of eggs
are low. I wouldn’t advise you take hormonal
contraception as this may confuse matters further.
Try barrier methods instead such as condoms.
“How will I know when it’s over?”
In the UK, the average age of the menopause
is 51. If you are a woman over 50 and you have
not had a period for 12 months, then it is over.
Under 50, 24 months of no periods indicates
menopause. You will also notice that the
symptoms you have suffered have stopped or
are improving.
www.your-doctor.co.uk | 0330 088 2020
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