Menopause

Perimenopause and menopause can be a positive stage in life, but for some women that are experiencing physiologic symptoms, it can be a very challenging time.

Perimenopause/menopause can naturally begin as early as age 35.   A woman is in menopause when she has not menstruated due to surgical removal of the ovaries, or due to the normal age-related process for 12 consecutive months. 

Some women experience hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, insomnia, fatigue, depression, poor concentration, and joint pain to name a few of the symptoms.  The reason for these symptoms is related to the ovaries no longer producing estrogen, and the various organs with estrogen receptors no longer receiving estrogen.  The health promotional and disease prevention characteristics of estrogen decrease with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and type II diabetes presenting within 10 years of menopause.  The brain is loaded with estrogen receptors and with diminished estrogen mood declines, irritability increases, and memory and mental clarity can decrease, not to mention the weight gain, thinning hair, and wrinkles that develop.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an option for many women experiencing the distressing and frustrating symptoms of menopause.  Bioidentical replacement estrogen comes from vegetables (yams and soy) and is made into a prescription formula by a compounding pharmacy.  Traditional HRT is made from the urine of pregnant mares and has metabolites the body has to process.  Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is often better tolerated, with fewer side effects because it does not have the same metabolites.  Although, it does have risks.

Women need to feel comfortable discussing the symptoms they are having and not have this overlooked as a stage that will pass or judged that the symptoms are simply mental illness.  This is a stage of life to embrace like we do when we become mothers, not a stage to have to suffer through.  There are many supports for new moms, but very few publicly funded programs for perimenopausal or menopausal women. 

A nurse practitioner colleague of mine mentioned that she was talking to an obstetrician/gynecologist she was working with in Calgary and how they discussed the lack of support for women in menopause, I have to agree. That was in Calgary, and here we are in Grande Prairie.  My hope is that I can make a difference for women in this stage of life, the same way as I have had for new moms in our community. If you have any suggestions, please reach out to me (regardless of where you are in Alberta), women’s health is something I am very passionate about.

Michelle Koch MN: NP