Problems Experienced During Menopause
Women’s experiences during menopause vary greatly.
Some have no problems at all, while others will often experience quite uncomfortable symptoms and be severely troubled by them.
The most common symptoms are hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, poor bladder control, and depression. Others are weight changes, headaches and lack of energy.
In the long term, the lack of oestrogen can cause two main problems:
- It reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium from food and so may contribute to the development of osteoporosis.
- It can leave the woman open to heart disease as oestrogen is believed to have a protective effect against the disease.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
HRT is a treatment for menopausal symptoms and entails the introduction of synthetic hormones into the bloodstream to replace the oestrogen supplies that are waning naturally as part of the menopausal process.
HRT only postpones menopausal symptoms and they will reassert themselves whenever HRT is stopped. It can be argued that the adjustments that are occurring during the menopause are taking place at the natural time for the woman concerned and postponing them with HRT could upset the delicate hormonal balance and rhythm completely by overriding the body’s natural process.
Both Oestrogen and Progestogens used in HRT have huge side-effects including:
- Increased risk of certain cancers
- Abnormal or excessive uterine bleeding
- Fluid retention
- Increased blood pressure
- Dizziness or depression
- Weight gain or loss
- Nervousness, insomnia, somnolence, fatigue and more.
HRT has an effect on the whole circulatory system – blood circulation, veins, and arteries. It can, therefore, increase the risks of raised blood pressure, migraine, stroke, and thrombosis. It also increases the levels of oestrogen, the building hormone and hence the risks of breast tissue changes, fibroids, and endometriosis. Then there is the “domino” effect on other vital organs e.g. the liver which helps remove excess hormones added into the body from HRT. Its function can be affected by increasing the possibility of liver damage.
The longer HRT is taken, the greater the side effects.