Menopause Symptoms Are Brought Upon by Endrogen Dominance

Menopause not only affects women physically but also psychologically and emotionally. Menopause is the stage most dreaded by women. Friends and family of menopausal women should be able to give them support for what they are going through. It is not easy preparing for something for something that shows how old you are.

Some women go through great lengths to postpone the inevitable. They even go through cosmetic surgery, just to make their physical appearance younger. They go through several ways to delay aging. As much as they try to delay aging through their physical appearance, they cannot order their body to delay what is already happening and that is menopause. Even if they do not look it, they will feel it. The signs are there.

What they should know is they should welcome Menopause Symptoms with open arms. Acceptance makes it all better. Being happy with oneself and what one is going through matters to the psychological well-being of a woman. Do not make it any harder on yourself. Basically, what goes on inside you is hormonal imbalance. The estrogen dominates the entire annovulatory cycle. This estrogen dominance brings about Menopause Symptoms.

The following are some of the symptoms to watch out for: hot flashes, night sweats, irregular menstrual period, libido loss, dryness in the vaginal area, sudden tears or mood swings, fatigue, increase in facial hair while loss of hair in other areas, disorientation, memory loss, loss of balance, weight gain and others. Some may feel ill at ease, depressed and irritable. Remember, it is not the same for all women as all experiences vary per female. It is just better if you know what the symptoms are, so you will not be taken by surprise, when it happens.

Sage Helps Menopausal Women Rid Of Headaches and Harmful Toxins

If you are getting chronic migraines as a side effect of menopause then you may want to consider making some long term adjustments in your daily schedule. Yes you can take a pain killer every time you feel the onset of a headache, but why not get to the root of the problem? You are getting these headaches because of unbalanced chemicals in your body. You can't have an effect without a cause. Finding out the cause of your headaches and nurturing the problem will free you from those chronic migraines WITHOUT adding chemicals to your body. Pain killers only temporarily solve the problem; while taking a daily supplement for your menopause would help you avoid all the side effects associated with the life stage. One particularly helpful ingredient to look out for is Sage. Sage is ideal for menopausal related headaches.

Sage is a natural antioxidant that is frequently used for menopausal relief. It was originally used by the Ancient Egyptians to help with infertility problems. They also used the antioxidant to help cure illnesses. Now not only is sage used to help treat menopause symptoms but it is used as a wonderful cooking spice. It is a grayish green colored plant that smells of the earth when crushed. It is capable of growing in a range of climates but is originally from the Mediterranean and Spain.

The term sage literally means "to save" in Latin. Its cleansing nature helps rid the body of harmful toxins. This is what helps take away headaches. Headaches are one of the common side effects of menopause. Aside from treating headaches it can help with the anxiety, night sweats, and fatigue associated with menopause.

Women tend to start seeing symptoms of menopause in their late 30's to 40's and the stage could last for up to 10 years. It is smart to start taking a relief supplement on the onset of menopause in order to keep your body as balanced as possible in preparation for the chemical changes that are about to happen. If you prepare your body for menopause you can potentially escape the unwanted side effects.

You can find relief formulas with sage in the formula easily online or in vitamin stores. Sage works best when paired with other high quality extracts that work in conjunction with each other to relieve symptoms. Some other ingredients that work well are black cohosh root, dong quai, and false unicorn root.

Perimenopausal Pregnancy For the Woman Who Wants to Get Pregnant

My cousin is desperate to have a child. Now nearing her 40s, her doctor has confirmed what she dreads hearing - she's in perimenopause. She knows the risks - low birth weight for the baby, premature birth, and possibly (God forbid!) still-birth.

She also knows that she'll most possibly deliver via cesarean section and the baby might be in breech position for most of the pregnancy. If she steps into the 40's range, she's now at risk for developing osteoporosis. The baby is not out of danger either as he/she may contract gestational diabetes or abnormalities via the chromosomes. And she doesn't care, as her husband supports her all the way.

If you want to get pregnant as well but you're currently in perimenopause, don't worry. Studies have shown that as long as you haven't experienced at least a year of absence of the menstrual period, then you are still considered fertile and ovulating -still a possible candidate for pregnancy. But if you're having trouble conceiving and you'd like to move up a little faster, then ask your doctor about possible fertility treatments like the following:

- Test you ovarian reserve. This is to check if you have a healthy number of workable eggs in your ovaries. These could be via Day 3 FSH (measuring the FSH level on day 3 of the cycle), estradiol test (also done on day 3, and aiming for low FSH and low estradiol level), and the Clomiphene Challenge Test (a blood test to find out if your ovarian reserve is compromised, you need to take the fertility drug Clomiphene for a period of 5 days).
- Ovulation-inducing fertility drugs or treatments like Clomiphene and FSH.
- IVF treatment. This treatment places a fertilized egg directly in your uterus. The success rate for this declines at the age of 40 and 43 though.
- Egg donation. Said to be the most effective treatment for a perimenopausal woman, this would involve a slight controversy over morals as an egg from another woman will be fertilized with your spouse's sperm. Still, it allows you to experience pregnancy and childbirth.

Since Clomiphene didn't work on her well, my cousin went through the IVF treatment since she's not at the critical age yet. After giving birth to a beautiful baby boy, she says that there were no regrets.

The treatments are relative, as women have different reactions to different tests or therapies. So as with any decision, it is best to be informed in any way possible. To ensure that you get pregnant, consult your doctor or health practitioner for the right treatment for you. Just be prepared as you will surely go through a battery of tests, if only to make certain that you will bear a child.

Alternative Treatment For Fibroids - Shrink Fibroids Naturally

Many women truly believe that their options to shrink fibroids naturally are severely limited and in some respects they are. Alternative treatment for fibroids is rarely fully endorsed by doctors as it is not as straightforward as taking a pill or having surgery.

It is important to understand though that most conventional doctors do recognize the validity of using natural treatments. However, results when used as a treatment for fibroids can be very varied and this depends almost entirely on the commitment and motivation of the woman. This means that monitoring can be difficult, time consuming and therefore costly and this lead many doctors "officially" recommending that a woman take no action as fibroids will shrink naturally during the menopause.

Now this course of action may be acceptable if you are nearing the menopause or your symptoms are very mild, but for younger women and those with severe problems, this can be a completely unacceptable approach. However, what other options are there?

For very severe cases, a hysterectomy might be considered but this comes with the inherent risks associated with major surgery, including the risk from anesthetic, bleeding or infection. In addition, even if the ovaries are left intact, there is still the chance a woman will go through an early menopause. Surgery to remove individual fibroids will almost certainly result in regrowth, as nothing will have been done to remove the actual causes of the fibroids.

Alternative treatment for fibroids is an option all women would do well to consider. However, to decide if it is right for them they need to ask themselves a few searching questions.

Would they really have the motivation to follow an approach which changed their diet, lifestyle, and exercise regime?

If the answer is yes, they could join the many thousands of women who have successfully managed to shrink fibroids naturally. By using a multifaceted approach which systematically eliminates all the possible causes of fibroids from a woman's life, for example estrogen excess and toxins, and using strategies which can shrink fibroids, such as herbal remedies, diet and exercise, many women have freed themselves from the miser of having fibroid symptoms. For some, the fibroids disappear altogether. For others, the fibroids shrink to a manageable size.

Weight Gain and Menopause - How Are They Connected?

A woman is considered as going through "menopause" once her monthly cycle has stopped permanently. The typical age range for the onset of menopause can occur between the ages of 43 and 55. A females geographic location can affect the onset of menopause and it's stages. In some other countries, such as India and the Philippines, menopause can occur at a younger age typically around 45 years old.

Menopause does eventually occur in every woman. Premature menopause and its various symptoms may include irregular or spotty periods, hot flashes, night sweats, overall sleep difficulties, and irritability or moodiness. The various treatments for menopause treatments may include hormone replacement therapy or HRT. A woman can also choose to go the natural route and try herbal remedies which might include natural foods like soy.

One of the side effects of menopause is a direct change in body shape or symmetry. Many women will possibly gain between 10 to 15 pounds during their menopausal years. Women that have experienced early menopause or surgical menopause stages may experience a more rapid and extreme weight gain cycle.

Many women can get the shock of their life once they begin to notice those extra pounds graciously added by menopause. You may be maintaining the same lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise but still can't seem to maintain your weight. Especially in the earlier stages, weight maintenance can be difficult.

Your body and it's hormone levels also fluctuate which in turn have a direct impact on your metabolism and appetite. The hormones directly involved with menopause include estrogen and progesterone.

Estrogen: This hormone is considered the female sex hormone that is responsible for producing monthly ovulation. During stages of female menopause, estrogen levels decrease rapidly, causing your body to stop the ovulation process. Fat cells in your body can produce estrogen, so your body works double time to convert extra calories into fat to increase declining estrogen levels.

Progesterone: During menopause, progesterone levels will also experience a big decrease. Like estrogen, lower levels of this particular hormone is directly responsible for most of the symptoms of menopause that include weight gain.

Unfortunately for you, fat cells don't burn many calories the way muscle cells do, which causes you to pack on those unwanted pounds. In addition to increase in exercise and light weight-training, changes in diet and food combining can encourage healthy and permanent weight loss. Menopause is not a death sentence. Making the proper choices can make a woman's stage of life very comfortable and manageable.

Facts About Zoloft And Hot Flashes

Medical researchers have conducted a few studies concerning Zoloft and hot flashes. A few more studies have been done concerning Paxil and hot flashes. Twice as many published studies have focused on black cohosh and hot flashes and there are even more concerning this herb and other symptoms related to menopause. Why so many studies?

Traditional herbal remedies are often the subject of scientific scrutiny, because modern medicine would like to either "prove" or "disprove" their effectiveness. They would also like to know "why" botanical remedies are effective; so, many studies revolve around isolating the active component.

Researchers began studying antidepressants like Zoloft and hot flashes in 2002, around the same time that the Women's Health Initiative released conclusions concerning the long-term health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy. Research concerning Paxil and hot flashes prior to 2002 focused on breast cancer survivors who are unable to use estrogen replacement therapy.

Scientists and researchers are unable to explain why these drugs may be effective, or even why they would be considered for use. It is likely that they were prescribed to women who were suffering from depression, which sometimes accompanies menopause. These women may have reported a reduction in hot flashes, leading doctors to suggest that they might be useful for controlling hot flashes.

Both Zoloft and Paxil belong to a group of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor or SSRI. These drugs are approved by the FDA to treat depression and some are approved for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. They are not approved by the FDA to treat hot flashes, other symptoms related to menopause, nor are they approved to treat PMS, but doctors often prescribe them for these purposes.

Even though they are not approved by the FDA to relieve hot flashes, both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the North American Menopause Society recommend that women with moderate to severe, menopause related hot flashes should consider an SSRI, if they cannot or choose not to take hormone replacement therapy. Interestingly, a brochure released by the ACOG mentions that herbs and botanicals are not approved by the FDA, but they never mention that SSRI drugs are not approved by the FDA to treat menopausal symptoms.

One study concerning Paxil and hot flashes experienced by breast cancer survivors is similar to a more recent study concerning the use of black cohosh. (Black cohosh is an herb used traditionally by Native American healers and passed down from generation to generation for the relief of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.) As previously mentioned, women who have had breast cancer are unable to take estrogen replacement therapy, in fact they must take a drug that limits the effects of estrogen for several years following surgery. Even in women who are not near menopause, this drug causes severe hot flashes.

In the study of Paxil and hot flashes, the antidepressant was shown to reduce hot flash frequency by as much as 79%. Black cohosh was shown to reduce hot flash frequency by as much as 100%. Of the 90 women who participated in the black cohosh study, none reported adverse side effects and no one dropped out. Of the 30 women who participated in the study of Paxil and hot flashes, three (10%) dropped out because of drowsiness and one dropped out because of anxiety, a possible adverse reaction to Paxil.

Recently research was conducted by the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona concerning Zoloft and hot flashes. A group of women aged 40-65, currently suffering from hot flashes, but not taking hormone replacement therapy, were recruited. The researchers used a number called the "hot flash score", which is equal to the number of hot flashes a woman experiences multiplied by the numerical expression of their severity, to evaluate the effectiveness of the SSRI over a four week period. A similar study concerning black cohosh and hot flashes was conducted by the Mayo Clinic.

In the study of Zoloft and hot flashes, the average number of hot flashes the women experienced per week was 45. In the black cohosh trial, the average was 8 per day or 56 per week. Zoloft reduced the frequency of hot flashes by 5 per week or 11%. Black cohosh reduced the frequency by 28 per week or 50% and reduced the average "hot flash score" by 56%.

In the study of Zoloft and hot flashes there was no significant reduction in severity, but in their concluding statement the researchers say that "sertraline (the generic name for Zoloft) reduced the number of hot flashes and improved the hot flash score relative to placebo and may be an acceptable alternative treatment for women experiencing hot flashes". So, these researchers believe that an 11% reduction in the hot flash score represents an effective alternative treatment. Numerous studies have shown that treatment with placebo can reduce hot flashes by 20-40%.

In the Zoloft and hot flashes study, 15 women dropped out, six because of adverse reactions to the drug, 9 without giving reason. None of the women dropped out of the black cohosh trial. No adverse events or unwanted side effects of any kind were reported. Women did note that their sleep improved, they were less tired and had less abnormal sweating.

The unwanted side effects related to the use of Zoloft include sleep disorders, weakness, dizziness, tremors, confusion, nausea, vomiting, decreased sex drive and inability to achieve orgasm. It can induce mood swings. At least one study has shown that it increased the risk of suicide in seniors, as it does in teens and pre-teens. In fact, the FDA has released a public health warning which states that "anyone currently using Zoloft for any reason has a greater chance of exhibiting suicidal thoughts or behaviors, regardless of age."

Worldwide, 20% of all patients in clinical trials relating to Paxil dropped out due to unwanted side effects. The side effects are similar to those of Zoloft. Both drugs can cause increased sweating, which makes it even harder to understand why researchers would conduct studies concerning Zoloft and hot flashes, Paxil and hot flashes or any other drug that can cause increased sweating, since increased sweating is what frustrates women most about hot flashes and night sweats.

Over the years, hundreds and hundreds of studies have been conducted concerning the safety of black cohosh. No one knows how long native healers have used the herb. The only known side effect is stomach ache and this is an infrequent complaint. Recent scientific evaluations have shown that it does not increase the risk of breast or endometrial cancer. So, it is unclear why medical practitioners and societies would recommend something with as many side effects as Zoloft and Paxil, when there is a safer and more effective treatment.

If you would like to read more published research concerning Zoloft and hot flashes or Paxil and hot flashes, you can visit PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of health. Just type the phrases into the search box.

If you would like more information about black cohosh and other dietary supplements that can relieve hot flashes safely, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

How To Use Progesterone Cream to Treat Menopausal Symptoms

Progesterone cream is used to treat progesterone deficiency, which can cause you to experience swollen breasts, fibrocystic breasts, low thyroid, water retention, weight gain, depression and loss of libido. While you are experiencing menopause, the amount of progesterone in your body drops to 0. We will talk about how to use progesterone cream to treat these symptoms, but first let's look at why you would want to use it.

The use of progesterone cream helps to replace the progesterone in your body. By introducing progesterone into the body you help to restore the natural balance between progesterone and estrogen. The fluctuations of these two hormones are responsible for the majority of all symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. The combination of herbal remedies and the application of a naturally occurring progesterone cream can help restore your body's natural balance.

Progesterone cream is a moisturizing cream that is based on the Mexican Yam root. How to use progesterone cream most effectively is to apply it to your face and hands. It can also be applied to your chest, abdomen, inner thigh and even your arms. This cream will not only help keep your skin free of dry patches but also raise the amount of naturally occurring progesterone in your body. This restoration of progesterone in your body is what helps relieve the symptoms of menopause.

There are several makers of this type of cream and you should look for the amount of progesterone in the cream and what its source is. A good cream will be aloe vera based for the moisturizing effect but it should also not clog your pores. Creams like this should also be fragrance free and should be hypoallergenic. You do not want to risk an allergic reaction to the treatment. You also don't want to go around smelling like you have been using a progesterone cream treatment. We all know what Ben-Gay smells like.

The reason for the use of a cream to deliver progesterone is that is can be absorbed into the skin in just a few minutes. This process also allows the progesterone to bypass the liver and go straight to the specific receptors that need the progesterone in the first place.

Progesterone cream is one of the easiest steps to take in combatting menopausal symptoms. How to use progesterone cream most effectively is to simply apply it once a day in the recommended amount. You still need to be careful with anything you use to treat your menopause symptoms to make sure that you are getting what you pay for. Keeping a symptom diary will show you over time if the treatment is effective. Always be sure to let your doctor know what you are doing so you can avoid any complications from drug interactions with other meds.