Menopause

On the occasion of World Menopause Day , we acknowledge ceaseless efforts towards the benefit of womanhood in the years to come.

When god made woman, he made her to be strong ..not in physical strength but mental strength. She was conditioned to bear all that she could do it with dignity & tolerance. She is everything to everybody, a mom, wife, grandmom etc she can fix hurt feelings, help a friend in trouble, make a meal, balance budget and does all these things with flair and grace but one thing she forgets to do, is to take care of herself.

A woman is loaded with enormous responsibilities and we at Divakars feel rightfully obliged to take special care of her health so she stays fit even after menopause.

Menopause is medical term for the end of a woman's menstrual periods. It is a natural part of ageing and occurs when the ovaries stop making hormones called estrogens. This cause estrogen levels to drop and leads to the end of the monthly menstrual periods. Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 60, though it can occur earlier.

Symptoms
Low estrogen levels are linked to some uncomfortable symptoms in many women. The most common and easy to recognize symptom is hot flashes (sudden intense waves of heat & sweating). Some women find that these hot flashes disrupt their sleep & others report mood changes. Other symptoms may include irregular periods, vaginal or urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence and inflammation of the vagina. Many women also notice changes in their skin, digestive tract and hair during menopause.

Health Changes
In the long term, some women experience problems linked to the low levels of estrogen found after menopause. These may be osteoporosis and heart disease. In addition the risk of cancer of breast, uterus ovaries rises.

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is medical term for thinning of the bones . Thin bones become weaker and break easily, with the bones of the spine, wrists, and hips most prone to fracture.

Factors that increase the risk for osteoporosis
•  Caucasian or Asian race
•  Slim build
•  Cigarette smoking
•  family history
•  early menopause

Heart disease
The rate of heart disease rises considerably in women after menopause.

Factors that increase the risk for heart disease
•  Being overweight (obesity)
•  High blood pressure
•  Diabetes
•  High cholesterol
•  low level of activity (sedentary life)

Physical changes do occur with menopause and with ageing. But the changes that happen during this period can be minimized by healthy living and a sense of purpose in life. What was once referred to as the “change of Life” can in fact mark the start of a new phase in life- one that is productive, vital and fulfilling.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Exercise
Exercise is good for your bones, heart and overall well-being. Begin an exercise programme in stages before you join in a yoga or fitness.

Eating for good
Milk, Soyabeans, carrot, spinach, figs and oranges ensure you get enough calcium, natural estrogens and antioxidants

Stress Control
Stop trying to do it all and let others lend a hand. Pray, meditate and focus on pleasurable pastimes.

Enroll for an annual health check up
Enroll for an annual health check- up at the our reception desk.
Call 51209550/660/770

8.00 am: Blood Test (Lipid and Diabetic profile)

8.30 am: Breakfast at the cafeteria

9.00 am: ECG and Bone Density test (determines bone quality and predicts risk of fracture)

9.30 am: Consultation with physician

10.00 am: Post breakfast blood sample

10.30 am: Consultation with gynaecologist PAP smear (test to detect cancerous cells in the cervix)

11.00 am: Ultrasound Scan (Pelvis and breast)

11.30 am: Advice on diet and exercise

Health package : Rs 2500/-

Optional:
Eye check up, ultrasound and bone densitometry test : Rs 1000/-

One follow up consultation to discuss reports and queries on Thursday and Saturday at 12.00 noon is included in the package.

‘Meno’ means month and ‘Pausis’ means to halt.

Menopause is the ending of a woman’s menstruation. Prior to this time, your ovaries produce a hormone called estrogen, which ripens the egg in the ovaries, with the help of another hormone, progesterone and gets the womb (uterus) ready each month for a fertilised egg. If no egg is fertilised that month, then no baby can be conceived and the lining of the womb is lost through the vagina. This is what happens when you have a period. This cycle happens every month between puberty and the menopause except when you are pregnant.

Estrogen is responsible for the maintenance of the skin, bones, urinary system and the lining of the vagina. But as menopause approaches, your ovaries begin to produce less and less of the hormone estrogen and your periods become more and more irregular. After menopause, your ovaries produce little or no estrogen, no more eggs ripen, periods eventually stop and you cannot become pregnant.

If a woman goes through menopause naturally, she will lose estrogen gradually. However, with a surgical menopause, when the ovaries or the entire uterus is removed, there will be a sudden loss of estrogen, and a woman may find herself surprised by the sudden onset of menopause.

It varies from woman to woman, but for most it happens between the ages of 45 and 55. In Asians, including Indians, menopause generally occurs between 44 to 47 years.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy ( HRT)?
Your body stops producing certain hormones after menopause. These can be effectively replaced in several different ways, depending on your individual needs. It can be taken as tablets by mouth, in cream or pessaries inserted into the vagina, in patches stuck onto the skin, or as an implant placed under the skin using a local anaesthetic (renewed every 3 months or so).

HRT consists of a low dose of estrogen which helps in replacing the body’s own estrogens lost after menopause. If estrogens are taken alone, the lining of the womb (uterus) builds up to an unhealthy level. To prevent this from happening, an additional hormone (progestogen) is added for part of each month. At the end of this, the lining of the womb sheds itself as in a normal menstrual period. This means that women on HRT have periods just as if they had never reached menopause. Alternatively, women can also take both estrogen and progestogen continuously, all 365 days an year. In such a case, she will not have to face any monthly periods.

A woman who has had a hysterectomy may take estrogen without the additional progestogen.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

• Is very effective in preventing hot flushes and night sweats.
• Increases the length of restful sleep.
• Arrests or retards bone loss thus reducing the risk of Osteoporosis & the likelihood of fractures.
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems.
• Helps in making the vaginal lining moist and healthy, making intercourse more comfortable once again.
• Alleviates headaches, tiredness and depression and thus IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE

Is HRT same as oral contraceptives?
No, HRT given to menopausal women is quite different from the hormones prescribed for birth control. For menopausal therapy, generally, a natural estrogen is used, and the dosage is smaller than that found in oral contraceptive.

Does it matter whether my menopause was early or late?
No, it does not, except that HRT can be especially helpful when natural hormones have been suddenly cut off by a surgical menopause.

Will HRT help to keep me young?
HRT will slow down, and may for some time stop increasing dryness of the skin and hair, but it cannot delay the usual change of advancing age. Good diet, fresh air, and exercise will do more in the long run for your complexion. Being seen as young, in any case, has more to do with how you act. It matters more to keep your mind and body active.

Does HRT play a role in Osteoporosis?
As people get older, there is a gradual softening of the bones, which become more likely to break in a fall. This is called Osteoporosis and it happens to men as well as women. The process speeds up in a woman after menopause and in some is a serious problem, mostly in those who have an early menopause, especially if it results from an operation. Women are more likely to develop Osteoporosis if it runs in the family, if they smoke, are underweight, take little exercise, or are slightly built. The first fractures from postmenopausal Osteoporosis occurs about 15 years after the menopause, so the earlier it happens, the younger a woman is when she has her first fractures.

Prevention of osteoporosis begins in childhood with plenty of exercise, good diet and no smoking. These are also good for menopausal women but the only thing which definitely slows the development of osteoporosis is Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Am I too old for HRT?
No, you can benefit from HRT at any age, if you have symptoms due to estrogen deficiency.

Am I likely to experience any side effects?
Most women do not, but like all other medicines, HRT may sometimes in some women, cause side effects like mild nausea, headaches, breast tenderness and weight gain. These effects generally disappear after a short time. Inform your doctor about any unwanted effects you experience.

Will HRT affect my sex life during or after menopause?
The sex drive relies on many factors — physical, mental, and emotional. HRT may provide relief from menopausal symptoms and this often leads to an improved emotional state. This alone can re-awaken a fresh interest in sex relations. In addition, HRT improves vaginal tissues making intercourse more comfortable.

Will I need regular check-ups?
Whilst you are on HRT, you should have regular check-ups. Your doctor will tell you how often this should be done.

What are the risks of HRT?
Though there are risks of breast and endometrial cancer with HRT, with modern HRT, doses of estrogen are low and are combined with progesterone which reduces the risk of endometrial cancer. The protective effects of HRT on cardiovascular disease and on Osteoporosis outweigh the risks. There is no doubt that the majority of women on HRT experience a marked improvement in their quality of life.

What are the benefits of HRT?
HRT provides effective relief from the unpleasant symptoms caused by lack of estrogen such as hot flushes and vaginal dryness. HRT slows down thinning of bones, reducing the risk of Osteoporosis. HRT helps improve your emotional state. HRT helps avoid the increased risk of heart attacks and arterial disease that is known to occur after the menopause.

When should I stop taking HRT?
There is no definite rule, except that you should not stop taking it abruptly, without consulting your doctor. Much depends upon what symptoms are being treated. Women who are liable to severe bone loss may benefit from taking HRT for many years.