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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Wednesday, March 13, 2013
AGING GRACEFULLY: THE BIG CHANGE
There’s no one-size-fits-all with menopause By AMANDA BOHMAN For the News-Miner Chris Villano said she probably felt changes in her body before she realized what was going on. There were irregular menstrual cycles. Weird moods. Later, when Villano knew her hormones were in flux, the hot flashes and night sweats were so intense that Fairbanks’ extreme cold temperatures did little to temper them. “I would just start sweating uncontrollably,” the schoolteacher said, “even when it was 50 below.” Villano was in the throes of menopause. Irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes and changing moods are common symptoms, but every woman experiences menopause in her own way, according to Patrice Meffley, a certified menopause clinician. Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s life, Meffley said. The symptoms are caused by an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and progesterone as a woman’s egg supply declines. “Both of these hormones may be
deficient or dominant, and most importantly the normal feedback signals with these hormones become disrupted and account for many of these menopausal symptoms,” Meffley said. Women may also experience insomnia, mood swings, changes in sexual desire or response, vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, heart palpitations and increased frequency or urgency of urination. Menopause may involve cognitive changes, such as fuzzy thinking, memory issues or migraine headaches. The start of menopause, when a woman begins experiencing symptoms, is known as pre-menopause or perimenopause. A woman reaches menopause after her menstruation has stopped for 12 months. Ronnie Rosenberg, 65, said she first noticed symptoms in her early 40s. She was doing some holiday shopping when “all of a sudden I got phenomenally hot.” “I felt like I was burning up,” said Rosenberg, who works for the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks. “I stood outside.
I had my parka off.” It was 30 below. “People were looking at me.” A friend who was older than Rosenberg walked by and said, “You’re having a hot flash, aren’t you?” The hot flashes came a couple of times a week for about 10 minutes for months. They didn’t bother Rosenberg much, but her menstrual cycle became irregular and even problematic. She developed fibroids, cysts and other complications. She was more emotional. Hallmark television commercials made her weep. Rosenberg, a former nurse, knew the symptoms could go on for years. After speaking with her doctor, she decided to have a hysterectomy. “I said, ‘I can’t live like this. I am too active and too busy to be living like this.’ It just seemed to me like it was best to get it all resolved and move on,” Rosenberg said. Some women manage their menopause symptoms by taking hormone medication. Meffley, who works for Interior Women’s Health, said whether to take medication is based on multiple factors,
including a woman’s health history, her symptoms, lifestyle and family health history. “Hormone testing and balancing can very helpful, but is not necessary for everyone,” the menopause clinician said. Symptoms can sometimes be managed through diet and lifestyle changes. Vitamin D is important, Meffley said. “Staying well-nourished and wellrested, if possible, are extremely important,” she said. “Nutrition and stress management are, in my opinion, two of the most important areas to focus on with my patients.” Villano, the schoolteacher, decided to experience menopause naturally. “I felt like if my mother could do it, I could do it,” the 61-year-old said. That meant eating plenty of soy, which contains estrogen, and seeking advice from older and wiser friends. It wasn’t easy, but Villano said she came out of menopause more comfortable in her own skin. “You are losing part of your younger self,” she said. “That is a natural part
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