Menopause Hormone Therapy

Postmenopausal women and physicians should no longer fear hormone. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) released yesterday its new clinical guidelines on menopause. According to the SOGC, took the hormone for less than five years are harmless and can instead help women get rid of troublesome symptoms such as hot flashes.

By publishing these guidelines, the SOGC has sought to silence the belief that hormones increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease in post menopausal women.


In 2001, a study conducted in the United States had shown that after four years of hormone therapy, breast cancer increased by 26% in postmenopausal women. With the publication of this study, more than 50% of Americans have stopped their treatment.


SOGC analyzed data available to determine whether the hormone is so harmful. "We have noticed that the 2001 study was conducted mainly on women aged 60 to 70 years. The average age was too high! Especially when we know that age is the main risk factor for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, "says the director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Queen's University, Dr. Robert Reid .

"We put women in front of exaggerated fears. Women were afraid, "says professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Laval University, Dr. Michel Fortier.

According to the SOGC, postmenopausal women who want to avoid bothersome symptoms should first change their lifestyle. Control weight, smoking and level of exercise is essential.

Dr Reid acknowledged that this method is beneficial for women with symptoms means. For those with strong symptoms, hormone therapy taken in the short term is a safe and viable option, "said Dr. Reid.

85% to 95% of women see their symptoms with reduced hormone. The risk of fractures related to osteoporosis as well as the risks of suffering from vaginal drying declining.

If the hormone is less than five years, the health risks are invalid, says the SOGC. If the treatment lasts for more than five years women see their risk of contracting breast cancer increased slightly. "The risk is greater for women who are obese or who smoke," said Dr. Reid.

Increased risk among women who gave birth after age 30

According to him, should be more concerned that mothers are becoming older. Studies have shown that mothers who had their first pregnancy after age 30 are more likely to suffer from breast cancer. A third of breast cancer could be eliminated if these factors were controlled.

As to the effects of hormone therapy on cardiovascular disease and stroke, the SOGC believes they are void. We know that the hormones slightly increased risk of clots in the legs. "But in this case, age is a risk factor even more important that the hormones," said Dr. Fortier.

As for the effect of hormones on memory, studies are contradictory. According to Dr. Fortier, only younger women will have their memory improve with treatment. "But we still can not recommend hormone therapy to treat Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Fortier.

3 Menopause Type You Should Know

In the vast majority of women, menopause occurs naturally around the fifties. But some menopause are caused by or related to treatment of diseases. Still others occur after 50 years.

Menopause usually occurs between 45 and 55 years. Five per cent of women are menopausal before the age of 45 and the same proportion after 55 years. Menopause is considered early if it occurs before age 40 and later after 55 years.

The early menopause

The early menopause concern about 1% of women. They pose major problems because they are often very poorly supported psychologically. But we do not know yet how to prevent and deal with these women, who still have many years to live. There are even 0.1% of women under 30 years past menopause.

Some early menopause occurs for unknown reasons. A review should be conducted to find a possible genetic cause (fragile X syndrome, mutation receiver FSH ...), which could be the cause. We know in fact that many genetic alterations that may go unnoticed long, determine an accelerated aging of the ovaries and lead through it early menopause. Turner's syndrome (a single X chromosome) may also be involved in early menopause, but this genetic disease is generally already known. Finally, in a fifth of cases, a disease in autoimmune component may be involved.

The secondary menopause

Among other women, the cause of early menopause is obvious. Thus the case for patients who have undergone treatment that affect ovarian activity. Some treatments can induce symptoms similar to menopause (analogous to the synthesis of Gn-RH ...), but these events are temporary and disappear at the end of the prescription. These artificial menopause can result from a surgery that led to the ovaries removed because of cancer or cysts, an embolization for uterine fibroids have disrupted vasculature ovaries, irradiation of a small basin of chemotherapy anti-cancer ...

To limit this risk, doctors are trying to limit the actions that affect female fertility among cancer patients. Among girls or young women, various approaches are also developed to preserve ovarian tissue after treatment in order to maintain fertility and allow a pregnancy. If they are couples, these women may also apply for a donation of oocytes for a medically assisted procreation (PMA). The symptoms of menopause induced these are close to those of normal menopause (hot flashes ...) and expose them to 50 years with an increased risk of osteoporosis because of the absence of estrogen. This explains why doctors purpose hormone treatment for these women in a preventive purpose.

The late menopause

Menopause appearing after 55 years are quite rare. They seem to expose an increased likelihood of breast cancer, while the onset of menopause before age 45 seems contrary to represent a protective factor.

Herbal Remedies For Your Menopause

Keep things simple and natural, this is what i will always repeat :D. In this first part of the post i will focus on some tips that will help you for your daily living, so let's begin.

Menopause is part of the natural, life-long process of female growth and development. The word menopause originates from the Greek words meaning "to cease" and "month." In essence, menopause refers to the stopping of menstruation. For most American women, menopause occurs at an average age of 51, but it can begin as early as 40 and end as late as 58.

One thing is for sure and that is every woman's experience of menopause will be different. Approximately 80% of all women will go through the "change of life" - as it is often referred to - with very few symptoms other than their periods coming to an end.

Menopause symptoms occur due to the physical changes a woman experiences as she gets older. In particular, it is due to the reduction in the levels of hormones - namely estrogen and progesterone - in her body. This decrease causes an irregularity in the menstrual cycle and the eventual end of the menstrual cycle all together.

The three early menopause symptoms that signify the start of the process are irregular monthly periods, vaginal dryness and hot flashes (or hot flushes). Probably the most common - or classic - symptom is hot flashes. Hot flash symptoms are when a woman experiences a sudden wave of heat rising through your body, in particular in the chest, neck and face, which can be (usually is) accompanied by a "blushing" sensation or flushed/reddening skin. The feeling can last for quite a few minutes and become quite uncomfortable.

A hot flash can make you perspire - in some cases profusely - and may bring on headaches, dizziness and an increased heart rate (though it's nothing to be overly concerned with - it's usually just your heart trying to cope with the increase in blood flow). An effective method for dealing with hot flashes (or hot flushes depending on what part of the world you live in) is to help control your temperature by wearing several layers of clothing. When you get hot, you can always take some layers off. A cool shower often works well, but depends if you're at home or have access to a shower. Drinking cool liquids (not necessarily cold, but nicely cool) usually has a very beneficial effect as well.

One of the other symptoms of menopause - that of vaginal dryness - are caused by the reduction in estrogen. This decrease in natural hormones makes the urinary tract a lot thinner, and can cause both the urinary tract and vagina to become more susceptible to infection. In certain cases, it can also make having sex quite a painful, or at least uncomfortable experience.

There are many natural herbs for menopause that you can take to ease the symptoms, but one of the best remedies for the dryness is to use natural creams and/or lubricants like ky jelly, apricot or vitamin E oil. All of these will make having sex a much more pleasurable experience again (but unfortunately can't account for the performance of a partner!). There are other over the counter or prescription creams that your physician may also recommend, many of which contain extra estrogen.

Next post will focus on herbal remedies for the menopause, so keep an eye on this blog.

What Causes Early Menopause

Normal menopause is a gradual process that starts between the ages of 45 and 55. It is defined as occurring in women who have at least one ovary, and takes 5 to 10 years, though it can take up to 13 years. Early menopause, on the other hand, can start in the 30's or early 40's, in women who have at least one ovary.

Premature menopause has the advantage that the whole process is usually quicker than regular menopause. 1% of women will have finished their mid life transition by the age of 40. On the whole, 1 to 3 years is shaved off.

There are a number of things that can lead to premature menopause. Sometimes these things are a result of lifestyle choices, that include:

* poor nutrition
* heavy smoking
* heavy drinking
* chronic stress to the body - this can include excessive athletic training

However, sometimes factors outside of a woman's control lead to early menopause. For example, autoimmune disorders can affect menopause as well. Mumps and other serious viral infections can damage a woman's eggs. Given that menopause is associated with fewer primary follicles being able to develop and ovulate, it is easy to see why a woman with fewer follicles, or damaged eggs unable to develop into an ovulatory egg, is prone to an earlier menopause.

If a woman has undergone radiation therapy or chemotherapy, large numbers of eggs can be destroyed. With fewer eggs left, menopause will be earlier than in healthy women.

Some women are just born with fewer eggs. They will also experience premature menopause. When a woman's mother underwent menopause is a good guide to her own genetic predisposition.

Women who have had their ovaries removed before they experience a natural menopause will undergo what is called 'artificial menopause'. This is a very abrupt form of menopause, and hormone replacement therapy is usually recommended because the body has not had a chance to get used to the hormonal changes.

Women who have a hysterectomy, even with the preservation of their ovaries, may find themselves having menopausal symptoms. Any surgery to the pelvic area can disrupt blood flow and cause ovarian failure.

Ovarian failure does not necessarily mean that the ovaries have run out of eggs. There may be eggs present, but a woman's body does not respond to the hormonal signals they create.

Another ovarian disorder, called 'diminished ovarian reserve', is often a preamble of premature ovarian failure if it occurs in woman under the age of 40. In it, a woman may still have reasonably regular periods, but she begins to experience the symptoms of menopause.

Menopausal Hot Flashes And Sweating

At the office for an appointment or a dinner between friends, without respite: hot flashes occur, without warning, and often ruin the lives of women. Depending on their intensity, they are not experienced or taken over in the same way.

The most common symptom of menopause

For most women, menopause occurs between 45 and 55 years. With it, functional disorders, called climacteric disorders, which can appear sometimes. Of these, hot flashes are one of the most characteristic and most early menopause symptoms in Western countries. The ovaries produce less and less hormones, the resulting deficiency can trigger hot flashes, sometimes exacerbated by stressful situations.

They usually appear before the judgment rules. Other events, such as fatigue, vaginal dryness and weight gain, are more insidious. If hot flashes are non-existent or very moderate in a woman in two, the other half suffers from these events sometimes very painful.

Cluttered by a feeling of intense heat that suddenly invades the chest, neck, and then climbs the face, hot flushes can also be accompanied by redness and sweating. They last between 30 seconds and a few minutes, and are often followed by cold sweat. These episodes are repeating sometimes up to 15 to 20 times per day may bother some women point to prevent them from working.

During the night, sweats take over, awakening women and forcing them to change the sheets, sometimes insomnia. These "mini-heat waves" passengers are not dangerous, but can become a real source of fatigue and depression.

However they vary widely from one woman to another, both in frequency and intensity, and often lived in a very different way as women. According to some studies, they also vary depending on the country, food and socio-cultural level. They can disappear spontaneously after 4 or 5 years on average, but it is estimated that half of women with real hot flushes keep them very long, up to ten years if they are not treated.

Why Libido Is Affected?

Menopause lead to a decrease in hormonal secretion, therefore sexual desire is affected.

In addition, menopause causes drying of the vaginal lining, a decrease of lubrication, and thus pain at the moment of penetration.

Given this, what should we do? Firstly, if you are affected, you must not hesitate to talk about it to your partner to avoid misunderstandings and frustration. You should also talk to your doctor, who may suggest medical solutions (hormonal creams).

In addition, it is possible that the decline of libido is not 100% related to the hormonal drop. You must therefore wonder about your mood in general. Stress or family conflict for example, can have negative consequences on the libido. In addition, it may also be accompanied by a more general disinterest in usual activities, and sometimes be a sign of depression.

Is It Normal To Feel Depressed ?

While you always been a playful nature and positive, now you do not taste anything and you are uncomfortable with your entourage!!

The causes: Hormones. The mood is indeed partly under the control of hormones, the evidence, puberty and pregnancy, they also marked by hormonal changes, affect mood (crisis of adolescence, baby blues). Moreover, menopause is also an age in life when you must face more difficulties (retirement, health concerns of elderly parents, etc.).. And beyond that, menopause marks a crucial period psychic, in the sense that a woman must accept that it will no longer have children. Anyway, women are often more irritable, more anxious, too.

The important thing is not to let settle depression. Do not hesitate to talk to friends, and especially to your doctor, or even turn to a specialist (psychiatrist or clinical psychologist).

How Long Does Perimenopause Period Last ?

The perimenopause is the period preceding menopause (the complete cessation of ovarian cycles).

"During this period, ranging from three to five years, beginning on average between 40 and 50 years, women are subjected to a hormonal upheaval. Indeed, their progesterone levels to gradually decreases and causes most of the time a series of symptoms such as hot flashes, weight gain, sleep disorder, and so on.

"During the perimenopause , period become irregular and menstrual cycle changes . Attention, however, it is not because some cycles jump there is no likelihood of fertilization. In other words, until menopause is not fully installed, getting pregnant is still possible.

In this serie of post i will try to answer the most common question about Menopause and subject related to it. So keep an eye on this blog for more informations.

Menopause Symptom Relief

The best menopause symptom relief is to keep things simple and natural.

Eat balanced, stay active and monitor your health are your best assets to prevent osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

• Power: the struggle continues!

More than ever to not make weight, you must monitor your plate as far as your balance. No way to live drastic rate regimes, especially as you metabolism changes with age.

After 60 years it is not the fat that melt when we lose weight, but muscles!

Eat balanced and beware of the hidden fats and sugars in fast pastries, cakes, biscuits, cakes and adjust the quantities of food to your physical activity.

• Move!

Your best weapon: physical activity. According to researchers, those who practice physical activity would have 10 to 30% of breast cancers and less.

They also highlighted an increase in BMD (bone mineral density) in women practicing an exercise over a hour three times a week.

At least 30 minutes of daily physical activity seems the right tempo.

• Activities to focus on

Swimming is recommended in case you have joint problem but is useless in the fight against osteoporosis. Moreover stretching, yoga, cycling and hiking are recommended to all.

Whatever your choice, talk to your doctor before any practice.

• Medical attention: a necessity

Even if you do not follow specific treatment, even if everything goes well, the end of your fertility should under no circumstances sound the death knell for your follow-up gynecologic!

A consultation, a cervical smear and mammograms are needed regularly.

Cancer of the endometrium (uterine inside the body), breast cancer, and osteoporosis are diseases whose frequency increases with menopause.

And remember screening allows better treatment.

Living With Your Menopause

The age at which occur perimenopause and menopause varies from woman to another. The intensity of these troubles is also different for each woman.

An history of hormones
Menopause marks the end of the activity of the ovaries. It corresponds to a cessation of sexual hormonal secretions (estrogen and progesterone), which leads to disruption of the body and not just at the genitals or breasts.
As you get older you may experience several troubles such as hot flashes, decreased libido, dry skin and genital tract, weight gain, fatigue, headaches, psychological fragility.

• Around 50 years
Fortunately, all women do not necessarily know all these inconveniences and intensity can be very variable. Menopause usually occurs around the fifties and settle gradually.
The phase that precedes menopause called pre or perimenopause is a period of transition.

• Perimenopause
It precedes the end of functioning ovaries (total and definitive rules) and is often a difficult period for women, the production of estrogen and progesterone begin to fall but erratically, the delicate hormonal balance is upset and inconvenience first appear.

• 3 years before menopause
Irregularity cycles, hot flashes, irritability, fatigue, weight gain and likely to gain belly, this is not uncommon.
More than one in two women can see their quality of life altered significantly during perimenopause. It lasts an average of three years but can also be much longer or shorter.

• Between 50 and 52 years
Like puberty, the age of perimenopause and menopause vary . The average age of menopause is between 50 and 52 years but can vary over a range of 10 years.
Heredity can play a role, a woman whose mother was very early menopause is likely to be early, too. As for smoking, it slightly ahead of one or two years the age of menopause.

More Menopause Risks !!

Sexual Problems

After menopause, women feel a change in their sexual desire, the hormonal imbalance can lead to sexual problems. The decline in the level of estrogen causes a reduction of blood flow at the vulva and vagina, this phenomenon may cause a reduction of lubrication and pain during sexual relations. The layer covering the vagina becomes more tenuous. Some bleeding after sexual relations can occur. These drawbacks can accentuate a lack of pleasure.

Urinary troubles

During menopause, tissues in the urinary path also change, sometimes leaving women more susceptible to involuntary loss of urine, especially if certain diseases or chronic urinary infections are also present.

Loss of memory

The women approaching menopause often complain of memory loss and an inability to concentrate. These are normal symptoms of menopause and are caused by low estrogen levels.

Trouble Falling Asleep

During menopause, insomnia and disturbed sleep may be experienced. It can take many forms, including trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep or waking up at night. Menopause can get you tired with this trouble.

In many cases, other life events such as parents, retirement or divorce, raising children and senior moving out of the house and your own aging generally occur around the time of menopause may contribute to such symptoms. To deal with the emotional symptoms of menopause you should be regularly make exercises. Talking to other women going through menopause can also help you with the emotional symptoms. During menopause you should avoid stressful situations whenever possible. You must eat healthy and take supplements of vitamins and minerals during menopause.

Before Menopause, Perimenopause

Reflecting the cessation of hormones production by the ovaries, the onset of menopause is difficult to identify with precision because the cessation of ovarian activity takes place gradually. Menopause is preceded by a period, which lasts an average of 3 to 4 years, where the ovaries begin to function less well. They talk about perimenopause to characterize this phase of women's lives that appears to 47 years on average, but sometimes sooner.

During perimenopause, ovulations are less well, leading to a first time on a deficit of production of progesterone, while the secretion of estrogen is preserved. Excess on estrogen compared to progesterone can cause swelling of the breasts or abdomen or weight gain. The menstrual cycle also tend to become increasingly irregular over time.

When approaching your fifties, the production of estrogen drops to turn and vaginal dryness and hot flashes may occur.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a natural phenomenon, it is not a disease.The term menopause etymologically means "no more menstrual cycle", and designates the period, which occurs when the ovaries stop producing the hormones of reproduction: estrogen and progesterone.

Menopause begins mostly around 50 years. Taking a contraceptive pill does not change the age when menopause occurs naturally.

This unique experience is experienced very differently depending on women, countries and cultures.

At what age menopause begins?

Menopause occurs on average at 51 years. But it depend from a woman to another, this step can occur naturally between 40 and 55 years. It is generally happen in advance a year or two among large smokers. In addition, certain genetic factors can play. The date of onset of menopause is often the same for a mother and daughter.