Are you plagued by hot flashes or night sweats? Is your irregular menstrual cycle driving you crazy? If you're right in the middle of menopause, these symptoms may be just the tip of the iceberg, and you may be wondering whether you'll ever feel normal again.
Menopause is a time of major changes.
And while your body is getting used to the ever decreasing amounts of hormones it produces, there are a lot of unpleasant symptoms.
Some of them are almost a cliche, specifically hot flashes and night sweats.
Think of them as a sudden-onset intense bouts of fever.
They can be very uncomfortable and quite disruptive.
Night sweats in particular can wake you up several times each night -- and you'll have to keep changes of clothes nearby to replace the sweaty ones.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
There are many more symptoms that go along with that change.
The first and most obvious of them is the change in menstrual cycles.
You may have been used to getting your period like clockwork.
Now, you never seem to know when to expect it anymore.
In addition, many women have very heavy periods during menopause, which can be scary and also lead to anemia.
If that's a problem, you should definitely see your doctor.
Going along with those changes, you may also experience sexual problems, brought about by hormonally triggered changes in libido and by increased fatigue.
You also may find that intercourse has become very uncomfortable due to vaginal soreness and dryness.
In addition, your sexual response may not work like it used to.
It helps to have an understanding and patient partner - as well as lubricants to make things more comfortable.
And that's not all.
You may also encounter major mood swings, the kind you might remember from adolescence, another time of hormonal upheaval.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things that can help with many of those symptoms, from nutritional supplements, herbs, acupuncture, and even natural hormones.
If your symptoms are really bothersome, be sure to talk with your physician.
How long will you have to deal with those symptoms? There's no single time line.
Some women go through menopausal symptoms for just a few months, but others deal with them for years and even for an entire decade.
All these time frames fall well within the range of "normal" - yet in the meantime, there's no need to suffer.
There's plenty of help, some of it for specific symptoms, and some of it addressing the hormonal deficit.
Menopause may be a fact of life.
Suffering, however, is entirely optional.
There are many of things you can do to make that "change" a lot more comfortable.
Whether you prefer natural solutions or prescription medication, be sure to get the help you need to feel better.
Menopause is a time of major changes.
And while your body is getting used to the ever decreasing amounts of hormones it produces, there are a lot of unpleasant symptoms.
Some of them are almost a cliche, specifically hot flashes and night sweats.
Think of them as a sudden-onset intense bouts of fever.
They can be very uncomfortable and quite disruptive.
Night sweats in particular can wake you up several times each night -- and you'll have to keep changes of clothes nearby to replace the sweaty ones.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
There are many more symptoms that go along with that change.
The first and most obvious of them is the change in menstrual cycles.
You may have been used to getting your period like clockwork.
Now, you never seem to know when to expect it anymore.
In addition, many women have very heavy periods during menopause, which can be scary and also lead to anemia.
If that's a problem, you should definitely see your doctor.
Going along with those changes, you may also experience sexual problems, brought about by hormonally triggered changes in libido and by increased fatigue.
You also may find that intercourse has become very uncomfortable due to vaginal soreness and dryness.
In addition, your sexual response may not work like it used to.
It helps to have an understanding and patient partner - as well as lubricants to make things more comfortable.
And that's not all.
You may also encounter major mood swings, the kind you might remember from adolescence, another time of hormonal upheaval.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things that can help with many of those symptoms, from nutritional supplements, herbs, acupuncture, and even natural hormones.
If your symptoms are really bothersome, be sure to talk with your physician.
How long will you have to deal with those symptoms? There's no single time line.
Some women go through menopausal symptoms for just a few months, but others deal with them for years and even for an entire decade.
All these time frames fall well within the range of "normal" - yet in the meantime, there's no need to suffer.
There's plenty of help, some of it for specific symptoms, and some of it addressing the hormonal deficit.
Menopause may be a fact of life.
Suffering, however, is entirely optional.
There are many of things you can do to make that "change" a lot more comfortable.
Whether you prefer natural solutions or prescription medication, be sure to get the help you need to feel better.
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