Perimenopause: OR, lost in the middle of nowhere!

This column is dedicated to my wonderful friend Tina.  When were talking recently, I shared with her that I was now blogging about women’s health issues and am part of the Tampax and Always expert team.   She suggested that I write about perimenopause and how it just doesn’t come at a convenient time.  Tina is in her late 30s, has children, a husband, and a career that keeps her very busy.   She thought that her late 30s, when her pregnancies were a thing of the past, would be a time when she didn’t have to worry about period or body changes and that her focus would not be on her physical being every month.  She asked me:  WHAT IS GOING ON?? (This statement is bolded and capitalized on purpose because that is how it sounded when she asked me the question).   

It seems as if Tina is beginning her process to menopause.  Perimenopause is the transition time to menopause.  Most women begin the transition between ages 39 and 51 (Women’s Health:  Contemporary Advances and Trends By Shelton M. Hisley, PhD, RNC, WHNP-BC).   If Tina had been in the room with me when I again said the word perimenopause, she would have begun looking up and shaking her head with a look of disgust on her face.  After all, what woman wants hear the word menopause, in any form, before she even reaches the age of 40??  

To start, I will answer some of the questions that Tina has been thinking about:

What happens during perimenopause? 
During this natural transition, the ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone, which is the reason for the menstrual cycle changes that Tina, and most women, experience.  Hormones also change structurally and functionally, which also can impact a woman physiologically, emotionally and mentally.  NICE (this is very sarcastic)!  

From Tina: I understand the hormone thing, but now what? 
While menopause is a natural transition for women, for some of us, the transition can play havoc with our being.  Periods change and can become irregular, heavier or, for some, lighter.  The frustration is that the regularity we could track on the calendar isn’t so regular any more.  Therefore, our period predictions and behavior that we use to prepare every month, is off kilter.   OK, now I will share:  I was travelling on a train in Europe with my daughter, sharing a 6 seat first class room with 4 strangers when all of a sudden I got cramps and didn’t feel that great.  I went to the ladies room and noticed that the crotch of my khaki pants wasn’t khaki any longer.   While I know this is yuck, can you imagine walking back into the car, sitting down and trying to do subtle charades with my daughter to get her to pull the suitcase off of the rack above and remove my raincoat?  To help, I glanced down,  she saw what my angst was concerning and about fell over.  In any case, I managed the situation with her help and I don’t think anyone else saw.   Believe me when I say I understand what teens go through when they are fearful that they might leak at school.  Perimenopause wasn’t my friend that day. 

Next, my hair is changing or is that my imagination?  I am getting hair in places that I never had it…and, I know that is NOT my imagination:
Lower levels of estrogen impact many body systems.  Some women report the appearance of facial hair, as well as darker, thicker and coarser hair in their genital area, underarms, back, chest and lower abdomen.  Also, some report that their hair on their head is getting thinner, or changing texture or maybe even loosing its curl. 

What I suggested to Tina and will suggest to all reading this is that if you are going through the changes that might suggest perimenopause, schedule a checkup with their health care provider (HCP).  First, you want to make certain that there are no underlying more serious problems causing the symptoms.   Also, your HCP will be able to offer some suggestions or treatment possibilities for what you can do about any irritating or more disturbing symptoms. 

There are a lot of other changes that your body is beginning to experience, as part of perimenopause, that I haven’t addressed in my blog and that are certainly worth knowing about.   The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has produced a pamphlet titled: Midlife Transitions Perimenopause to Menopause that provides information on the topic you may find informative and helpful.  The link is below. 

http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/ab013.cfm


Before I end, I feel I must address one of my pet peeves, false advertising for untested over-the-counter cures.  There are so many pseudo remedies that haven’t gone through rigorous clinical testing to ensure the accuracy of claims that are being made.   In the advertising for those kinds of OTC products, they sometimes state that they can solve all of your perimenopause symptoms.  If you have tried some of those things and they are working, then fine.  However, some of that stuff can be dangerous and can interact with prescription medications you may be taking.  Along with that, they can be expensive and untested for what they claim.  My advice is to be a cautious and a wise consumer. 

I really believe that the next phase of your life could be fabulous.  Your kids are getting older, more independent and may even be out of the house going to school.   You know what you like to do and how you like to experience the world.   You have more time for exercise (walking is free), volunteering (helping others always makes me feel better) and for reading and watching your favorite shows (DVD can save up shows until you have time to watch).  So I hope you are enjoying life and get past all of the perimenopause symptoms with a great attitude and only good health.

Lastly, for those experiencing period changes and whose current products aren’t working as well as you would like, you can visit the Always and Tampax websites for some help with product selections.  There you will find product selectors that can help as you readjust how you manage your period.  Also there are coupons and free sample offers.  I have pasted the links below should you want to visit there.   

http://www.tampax.com/en-US/products/products.aspx?utm_source=247moms.blogspot&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20110317&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

http://www.always.com/products/perfectpad.jsp?utm_source=247moms.blogspot&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20110317&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

BUDGET is a Women’s Health Issue

Why do I always blog about periods, products, puberty, women’s health topics and not BUDGETS?  Simple, I blog about what I know best and what I hope helps other women who may have questions or concerns about those topics.   Also, women’s health interest me a lot more than other health areas.   Before working with Tampax and Always, I was a labor and delivery room nurse.  Loved the experience of supporting women through their birthing experience and now love supporting women by answering questions and providing information that can help them live a healthier life.

What I know far less about are: automobile repairs, home fix-up projects, income taxes and the dreaded BUDGET!  I am mentioning budget now, because I actually, for the first time in my life, did the time-consuming homework to develop a personal budget.  To do that, I went through all of my spending in 2010, or as much as I could ascertain since my only records are credit card statements and checking account recordings (which I don’t always do).   WHEW!  What an experience for someone who has never done that before to manage his or her own money.   Then, I calculated percentage of the total for each of the categories I set up, such as restaurants, travel, clothing, gifts, household costs, and gasoline and looked at my earnings. 

What I learned is that I have been spending more than I make.  I knew that and now consider having the actual proof a positive situation.  And why would placing myself in debt in any way be perceived as positive – because I now know the reality and can make changes.   I am looking at this like I look at diets and that is:  The only way to loose weight is to eat less than you burn.  Simple right?  Yes.  And, while I am no Suzie Orman, I have learned that with budgets, the only way to stay fiscally healthy is to spend less than you earn.   

Now that I am armed with information, I can make cuts in my spending in certain areas, modify my lifestyle and continue to monitor my spending.  Hope I am not boring anyone with this, but I am amazed, as a write, that I didn’t do this sooner, for me, since I managed budgets daily for work projects. 

Back to why budget is a women’s health issue.  For many reasons, but overall:  1) There is peace of mind with a balanced budget.  2) A non-balanced budget can be a very stressful weight to bear and we know that stress plays a big role in disease occurrence.   All you have to do is Google: stress, income and disease prevention and you will find a myriad of articles and books about that.  Then, add women to the mix and you will find more articles and books, this time on cardiovascular health, coping, stress reduction, psychological complications, etc. etc. etc. 

For some women, a budget isn’t the answer to their struggle to pay the mortgage or rent, put food on the table and provide health care and education for their children.  They need more money to just make life happen.   To those women:  I wish you the very best with all that you have to manage and hope that easier times are ahead. 

For the women, like myself, who need to spend less and better account for their money:  Get on it and think before you compulsively buy (tough love here).   I believe in your ability to be more sensible in your purchasing choices and to stop buying what you don’t need (now I offer: support, confidence and love). 

How can I help you cut expenses?  For those of you who buy menstrual protection products, visit the beinggirl.com website for product samples and coupons.   From there, you can link to the Tampax.com or Always.com websites for more opportunities to get samples and coupons. 

For everyone:  Hope that you stay fiscally and physically healthy and that your stresses are minimal. 

http://www.beinggirl.com/en_US/home.jsp?utm_source=247momsblogspot&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20110306&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

Stress and Periods: Life Happens and So Does Its Impact

Our body is this complex hormone driven system of cause, release and resulting action.   I was going to say something like:  “said more simply”.     However, there is nothing simple about the menstrual cycle and how it happens with regularity every month.  In fact (and I swear this is true), every time I read about hormone secretions that happen over the month to regulate the various aspects of normal body functioning, I am totally amazed that anyone has a “normal” 28-day cycle. 

The fact is the menstrual cycle can be impacted by physical and emotional stress.   While we all have stressors every day, it depends on how extreme they are for your system, as to whether your periods will be altered.  It is well known that the following can cause changes in the menstrual cycle:  athletes during training, excessive dieting, personal illness, deadlines at work or school, raising a teen, dealing with a newborn and all the changes any of that brings, as well as anything that is outside your usual being that impacts sleep, emotions, health, and causes strain to your being. 

I was inspired to write this after reading an article on the Tampax.com website called Stress and How It Affects Your Menstrual Cycle, authored by Dr. Christina Matera (a link is below).   Stress has been on my mind lately with the most recent current events, situations friends are dealing with, and ways life can change suddenly, whether we want it to our not.  Actually, from what Dr. Matera says and what I know to be true, the shutdown of the menstrual cycle makes perfect adoptive sense.  If your body could talk to you, it would say:  ok enough for the moment, as there is too much happening already.   We’ll hold off on the period part for now until things get back to normal.  (My body would also say:  work on your stuff, you can do it and stop lamenting on things you can’t change!  My Pilates instructor’s body would say:  there is peace in stretching.) 

I strongly believe that it is important to know how your body functions during times of extreme happenings that life can bring to us whether we want whatever is happening to occur or not.   That way, we can address it and find ways to help ourselves to minimize long-term negative impact when your body is out of synch.   Dr. Matera offers some suggestions to help us cope and bring our bodies back to what is normal for us. 

Have you ever had any period changes as a result of stress?  How did you deal with the situation and are you in a better place now (sure hope so!)?  Also, feel free to let me know if you have any questions about the article. 

Wishing everyone only good things!





http://www.tampax.com/en-US/forYourInfo/forYourInfoArticle.aspx?ID=the-not-so-nice-stuff#stress&utm_source=blogger&utm_medium=NurseElaine&utm_content=link20110303&utm_campaign=comm_mgr