Menopause 101

What is menopause?

What are the changes I’m likely to experience during perimenopause leading up to menopause?

This period is marked with changes in the frequency and duration of your periods. You may also experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, low mood, low energy, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, recurrent urinary tract infections, lowered libido, and weight gain or loss. Menopause can also predispose you to cardiovascular issues, weaker bones and muscles and metabolic issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These risks also depend on factors such as your family history, weight and lifestyle habits.

When will I get menopause?

What are some tests that can help me understand if I am menopausal?

Is weight gain common during menopause?

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and how safe is it?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is supplementing women with hormones that are lost during the menopausal transition. Whether HRT is safe for you or what type of HRT is suitable for you depends on several parameters like your BMI, pre-existing conditions like uncontrolled high blood pressure, liver dysfunction, a personal or family history of gynecological cancers etc. Some hormones (like progesterone) may be taken safely with only a basic risk assessment while some (like estrogen, tibolone) may need a more rigorous assessment before prescribing.

Is HRT the only solution for my menopause issues?

What should I eat if I am menopausal?

What role can exercise play in symptom allevationt during menopause?

There is ample evidence to prove that regular exercise can help you in multiple ways. Release of endorphins after exercise not only helps you feel happy, but also helps alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes and bloating. A well balanced exercise regimen that includes aerobic exercises and resistance training help to improve endurance, fitness and heart health. Resistance training, or exercises that strengthen your muscles and bones give you the agility, flexibility and help maintain your balance and posture. You can do resistance/weight/ impact exercises with either equipment such as dumbbells or by using your own body weight (exercises such as squats, lunges, planks etc.).

My uterus has been removed (hysterectomy) and I am not experiencing menstrual bleeding anymore. Can I still experience menopause symptoms?

When you undergo a surgery to remove your uterus, your doctor may or may not remove your ovaries - based on factors such as the reason for your hysterectomy, your age, etc. If your ovaries are removed, you undergo a ‘surgical menopause’. But if your ovaries are not removed during hysterectomy, you will experience menopausal symptoms at the natural age of menopause.This is because the ovaries produce and release the female sex hormones (progesterone and estrogen) and it is the depletion of these hormones that lead to menopause symptoms.

What are some tests that I should get done regularly during menopause / midlife?

Blood tests: Typically prescribed blood tests include Complete Blood Count (CBC), Liver and Kidney Function Tests (LFT, KFT), blood sugar tests (HbA1C, fasting and post lunch sugar), tests to ascertain cholesterol levels (Lipid profile) and urine routine tests. These tests should be performed at least once a year. Imaging Tests: Routinely conducting pelvic ultrasounds helps to rule out any abnormalities in the uterus, its lining as well as the ovaries. Considering that breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, routine mammography is advised for early detection and cure to women over the age of 40. You should consider getting a mammography once every (at least). Pap smear should be conducted once every three years (at least) to ensure early detection and treatment of cervical cancer.

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