Menopause is a stage of womanhood that is inevitable. Despite such reality, understanding it remains a mystery for some and whenever preliminary symptoms arise, people slowly understand it.
Lesley Ramage, a GP who focused on treating menopause at Perth’s King Edward Memorial Hospital. She believed that menopause is usually misunderstood, as most people are not completely educated about it.
She added that people took the symptoms of menopause unexpectedly and it is important to engage in a discussion that would battle such conception. This could be done by implementing appropriate education regarding the matter.
Misconceptions about menopause
The doctor pointed out that there are two mainstream misconceptions about menopause: younger women could not experience it and women with continuous menstrual cycle would not be menopausal.
She said that the youngest female she met underwent menopause at 22. This is called premature menopause. Normally, the average age of the menopausal period for women is 45 to 55.
Unexpected perimenopause
Sharon Greenock, aged 56 experienced the early symptoms of perimenopause, a stage before the menopausal period.
She admitted that undergoing such a stage gave her anxiety and confusion as she continues to have a menstrual cycle. She thought that the menstrual cycle is an indicator of not experiencing menopause.
Ms. Greenock added that she almost fell apart due to the anxiety and fear it brought and the changes to her overall mindset.
Other women shared a similar experience. Some got troubled in their careers, cognitive difficulties, lack of focus and even dementia.
Symptoms could not be ended, but there is available treatment
Dr. Ramage affirmed that 80% of women would be bothered by the symptoms.
Instances of having symptoms concerning mental health, flush and sweats, changes in sleep patterns, mood swings and weight fluctuation could not be avoided. Although most experts consider age 60 when symptoms could pass away, there is no guarantee yet.
What patients need to do
It is recommended that GP's recommend patients to seek professional medical help from a gynecologist who is specialised in the field. These experts can provide help for those people experiencing menopause and perimenopause.
Aside from the best-known treatment of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), there could be more options to choose from.
Dr. Ramage pointed out that such treatment isn’t only a viable way to handle menopause because there are more appropriate ones that could fit with the lifestyle of the woman experiencing it.
She did not deny the good benefits of HRT for younger women since it could help in alleviating the risks.
For Ms. Geenock, her experience with HRT and antidepressants changed her life. She admitted that the prescription made by her gynecologist made her life more wonderful after all the troubles she experienced.
