9 TIPS TO DEAL WITH MENOPAUSE

Menopause usually starts when you’re in your early 50s. Fortunately, if patients follow these easy steps, they can ease the symptoms considerably.

Studies have found that women who smoke tend to get earliermenopause, have worse hotflushes, and don’t respond as wellto HRT (hormone replacementtherapy) pills.

“No woman should be suffering from menopausal symptoms in this day and age,” said Dr Joshua Matambo, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at MediclinicNewcastle. “It is important to discuss your concerns with your healthcare professional so that the appropriate lifestyle changes and therapeutic options – which do not necessarily include hormone replacement therapy – can be started.”

Certain things – like caffeine,alcohol, hunger, or (of all things)hot rooms – can trigger hot flushes.Keep a diary of your possibletriggers and find ways to workaround them.

Bad news: your hair could start thinning or shedding. Good news: it’s not much of a consolation,but at least there are products thatcan help you save what you have.Avoid colouring products that haveharsh chemicals, and stay out of thesun, which could dry and damageyour hair.

As if the headaches and hot flushes weren’t enough, acne isanother common complaint duringmenopause. Switch to gentlercosmetics and moisturisers, whichwon’t clog your pores. Words tolook for on the packaging are ‘noncomedogenic’and ‘non-acnegenic’.

Hot flushes at night are known, in some cases, to last a couple ofminutes. Keep cool by switching tothinner pyjamas and lighter blanketsand use a bedside fan to keep theroom temperature down.

Although the health problems may be personal, you shouldn’t try to do this on your own. Dr Matambo has some sound advice for any woman who's suffering from menopause. “I always advise my patients to come with their husband or partner so that they can also express their concerns, as well as be involved in the informed decision-making,”he said.

Your sleeping patterns might take a knock – and that could lead to bad moods and bad migraines. Getting some exercise will help you sleep better at night, even if it’s just a walk during the day. You may want to talk to your GP about sleeping pills. If you do, ask for short-term remedies. You don't want to add more meds to your mix.

Menopause is what happens when your body stops producing eggs (biologists think its there to help prevent women having dangerous late-life pregnancies). But while your periods are ending, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is going down swinging. If you had bad PMS, your body’s hormonal changes during menopause might cause even bigger mood swings. Ask your gyne or GP about low-dose birth control pills or antidepressants (or alternatives) to help manage those mood swings. •

This article was first published on www.medicalacademic.co.za on 9 January 2020.