Menopausal Myths

By Lee Wald, Certified Physican Assitant Homeopath
Most women in the 1700's began menstruating in their late teens, married early and promptly entered the childbearing stage. They also nursed their babies for long periods of times and then often became pregnant again. If they survived giving birth, they often were close to the end of their life when menopause began in their 40's or 50's.

Today, of course, the onset of menstruation is much earlier; women are delaying their pregnancies and choosing to have fewer children. What is of particular interest, however, is that with improvement in medical care, far greater attention being spent on preventive care, and better personal attention to nutrition and exercise, women now, while still going through menopause (most often in their fifty's) can then expect to live another full half of their life without the hormonal cycling of periods. So today, women have a different experience of life than their colonial ancestors. Menopause, a completely naturally occurring event, now has different ramifications. Today, women have to deal with the changes in their body as they go through menopause and then live for another 40 to 50 years.

You have all probably seen the advertising in magazines and on the television of a woman in her menopausal years depicted on a desert dune, with the inference that in menopause you are also dried up and barren. This is not entirely true. A menopausal woman doesn't stop producing hormones completely, becoming "dried up". Rather, there is a shift in the kind of hormone being produced. Instead of high levels of estrogen and lower levels of progesterone, the opposite occurs. You produce smaller amounts of both hormones, but produce more progesterone than estrogen. The ovaries produce the vast majority of the sex hormones for women which include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. However, many other parts of our body, particularly the adrenal gland, also produce some of these hormones and continue to do so after menopause.  Furthermore, the uterus also secretes small amounts of estrogen and progesterone so, unless the woman has had the uterus surgically removed, she will continue to produce these hormones throughout her life.

There is a myth that after menopause a woman declines in function, becoming duller, drab, and less vital. Along with this many people mistakenly think that a woman's sexuality declines after menopause - both in her interest and ability. If we can remember that not all hormonal production ceases at menopause, we can realize that a woman does not decline at all. Rather she shifts, along with her hormone production, to a different state. Psychologically, many women experience a shift in thought processes, becoming more intuitive, more right-brained, entering into the "wise-woman" modality phase.

Dr. Susan Love likens menopause to "puberty in reverse". With the onset of higher production of hormones during puberty comes a constellation of symptoms of mood swings, acne, irritability, difficulty concentrating, etc. As the hormone production shifts down to a lower state, a woman will often experience the mood swings, hot flashes, and other symptoms commonly associated with menopause. Usually within a few years all these varying symptoms stop and women begin the adventure of life on the other end of menopause with renewed confidence in their selves.

If a woman is "sailing" through menopause, and many women do, no treatment is necessary. If however, symptoms such as the hot flashes, insomnia, depression and fatigue become debilitating, there are many products available to help ease the transition. Conventional medicine offers synthetic hormonal replacement therapy to keep levels of estrogen and progesterone running higher, thus eliminating the hot flashes and moodiness. However some women cannot take replacement hormones because of their past history or other risk factors. Fortunately there are many alternative approaches for women experiencing difficulties with menopause. Homeopathy, acupuncture and Chinese medicine works with the body to help it correct any imbalances. There are many herbs, nutrients and food substances that can help control symptoms. Vaginal dryness can be treated locally without systemic side effects. Finally there are natural hormonal replacement therapies that work more naturally with the body with fewer side effects than the synthetic hormones.

A holistic approach to menopause looks at all the symptoms the woman is experiencing, works to lessen her possible fears or sense of loss, and provides remedies or supplements that will help her own body correct any possible imbalances. Hopefully women will come out of the other side of the menopause event feeling more confident, wise and healthier than before menopause started.

 

Lee Wald is a physician assistant homeopath specializing in women's health and family practice. She is currently practicing at Whole Health New England in Plymouth and accepting new clients. 88 Sandwich Street, Plymouth, MA 02360, 508-830-1201.