menopause…

Medical experts recommend this detailed explanation.

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menopause, perimenopause, postmenopause, menopause, transition period, woman's life, her ovaries stop producing eggs, body produces less estrogen, progesterone, menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether, menopause, natural event that, occurs between the ages of 45, once menopause is complete, postmenopause, no longer, become pregnant, symptoms of menopause, changes in estrogen, progesterone levels, the ovaries, become less functional, produce less of these hormones, body responds accordingly, specific symptoms experience, how significant, moderate, severe, from woman to woman, women, menstrual flow comes to a sudden halt, commonly, tapers off, menstrual periods generally, become either more closely, widely spaced, irregularity, last, 1 to 3 years, menstruation finally ends completely, a gradual decrease of estrogen generally allows body to slowly adjust, hormonal changes, estrogen drops suddenly, the ovaries, removed surgically, surgical menopause, more severe, potential symptoms, hot flashes, skin flushing, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, irregular menstrual periods, spotting of blood in between periods, vaginal dryness, painful sexual intercourse, decreased sex drive, vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, long-term effects of menopause, bone loss, eventual osteoporosis, changes in cholesterol levels, greater risk of heart disease, blood, urine tests, measure hormone levels, a woman is close to menopause, has already gone, menopause, examples of these tests, estradiol, fsh, lh, a pap smear, indicate changes, in the vaginal lining, changes in estrogen levels, a bone density test performed to screen, low bone density levels, osteoporosis, menopause, natural process, does not, require treatment, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, particularly bothersome, one big decision you, face is whether, not to take hormones to relieve symptoms, discuss this thoroughly, weighing risks against any possible benefits, pay careful attention, many options currently available, that, not involve taking hormones, uterus, decide to take estrogen, must also take progesterone, prevent endometrial cancer, cancer, the lining, the uterus, not have a uterus, progesterone is not necessary, hormone replacement therapy, hormone replacement therapy, hrt, was the main treatment, menopause symptoms, many physicians believed that hrt was not only good, reducing menopausal symptoms, reduced the risk of heart disease, bone fractures from osteoporosis, results of a major study, the women's health initiative, has led physicians to revise recommendations, in fact, important study was stopped early, the health risks outweighed the health benefits, women taking the hormones did see some benefits, greatly increased risk, breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, severe, still want to consider hrt, short-term use, two to four years, to reduce vaginal dryness, hot flashes, to reduce the risks of estrogen replacement therapy, still gain the benefits, the treatment, recommend, using estrogen/progesterone regimens that, not contain the form of progesterone used in this arm, the study, using a lower dose of estrogen, a different estrogen preparation, instance, a vaginal cream rather than a pill, having frequent, regular pelvic exams, pap smears to detect problems, having frequent, regular physical exams, breast exams, mammograms, alternatives to hrt, good news, take many steps to reduce symptoms, taking hormones, dress lightly, in layers, avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, practice slow, deep breathing whenever a hot flash starts to come on, try taking 6 breaths per minute, an acupuncturist, use relaxation techniques, yoga, tai chi, meditation, eat soy foods, remain sexually active to preserve elasticity of vagina, perform kegel exercises daily to strengthen the muscles of vagina, pelvis, use water-based lubricants, sexual intercourse, medications available, mood swings, hot flashes, low doses of antidepressants paroxetine, paxil, venlafaxine, effexor, fluoxetine, prozac, clonidine, control high blood pressure, estrogen is responsible, the buildup, the lining, the uterine cavity, reproductive years, buildup occurs, shed, menstruation, happens, a once a month, menopausal decrease in estrogen prevents this buildup from occurring, hormones produced by the adrenal glands, converted to estrogen, this, cause postmenopausal bleeding, nothing to worry, postmenopausal bleeding, an early indication of other problems, cancer, a physician should always check any postmenopausal bleeding, decreased estrogen levels, an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, possibly an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, spotting blood between periods, 12 consecutive months, no period, suddenly vaginal bleeding begins again, menopause, natural, expected part of a woman's development, does not need to be prevented, ways to reduce, eliminate some, the symptoms that accompany menopause, reduce risk of long-term problems, osteoporosis, heart disease, not smoke, cigarette use, cause early menopause, exercise regularly to strengthen bones, activity against the resistance of gravity, take calcium, vitamin d, eat a low-fat diet, early signs of bone loss, medications, stop further weakening, control blood pressure, cholesterol, risk factors, heart disease, weismiller d, perimenopause, menopause experience, an overview, clin fam practice, 4(1), stenchever, ma, comprehensive gynecology, 4th ed, mosby, 1217-1250.