This year at the A.Vogel Menopause Health Hub
Well, that was an amazing year for the A.Vogel Talks Menopause.
Through the menopause health hub alone (never mind phone calls and general emails) we answered nearly 5,500 menopause questions, not just from the UK but all around the world: from Vietnam, Mongolia, Bhutan, Papua New Guinea to the USA, India, South Africa and Australia. Our family of menopausal women is definitely worldwide!
Our top ten questions were a real mix of the problems facing women as they go through the menopause. Here is a quick overview of these questions and my usual answers.
How to deal with hot flushes
Most hot flushes respond well to the herb sage and this usually starts to work quickly. Stress and anxiety can be significant triggers, so dealing with these issues is really important too. Dehydration can be a contributory factor, especially for the night sweats, so make sure that you keep your water intake up all day. Coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol can all make symptoms worse so it’s best to avoid them!
Have I started the menopause?
So many women are confused as to the first symptoms of the menopause and at what age they can start. The average age is 45-55 but some women start earlier, especially if other close female relatives started early, and some women start later – even up to 60. Smoking, obesity, ethnic origin and some ongoing health issues can also cause an earlier menopause.
The most usual first symptoms are a change in periods, mood swings, and the appearance of hot flushes – and these can occur even if you are still getting regular periods.
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Joint aches and pains
Falling oestrogen levels can affect the hydration of the joints, leading to stiffness, inflammation or pain. Herbs such as Devil’s Claw and Arnica can ease the symptoms. Fish oils can be really helpful, either eating oily fish or taking a supplement; and don’t forget to keep an eye on your water intake!
Sore, tender breasts or nipples
This can be caused by a variety of factors such as falling oestrogen or dehydration. Isoflavone supplements such as Menopause Support are known to gently raise and balance oestrogen over the course of several weeks.
A.Vogel Menopause Support | For Perimenopause, Menopause & Postmenopause Symptoms
Some women find drinking a couple of cups of nettle tea a day helpful too. For sore nipples you could try gently massaging in St John’s Wort oil. However, always get any breast changes checked out by your doctor first.
Weight gain
This is a big worry for women in the menopause and many find that no matter how little they eat and how much they exercise the weight stays the same or even increases. This is usually down to falling hormones and also a change in the way the body deals with carbohydrates.
I usually recommend cutting carbs right down and increasing veg, fruit and good quality protein – this can often work quite quickly. If you are experiencing the ‘fat around the middle’ phenomenon, this is usually due to stress and raised cortisol levels.
Itchy Skin
Falling hormones can trigger this but it can also be due to dehydration, stress/anxiety, and also an overburdened liver, which is common at this time. Drinking lots of water can help, and some women find nettle tea useful, especially if the problem is related to stress. I would also recommend Milk Thistle Complex, as this is traditionally used to help support liver function.
Periods changing
Changing periods are often one of the first signs that you are approaching the menopause. Periods at this point can vary between heavy and light, on time, late, early, getting closer together or further apart, missing, long or short in any combination! However, this scenario can go on for several years before your periods stop for good. The colour, smell and consistency can also change quite a lot and usually this is nothing to worry about – it is just due to the hormonal changes going on.
How long does the menopause last?
This is the Million Dollar Question! It is different for every woman; we all have a unique menopause. For some women their periods just stop and that’s it. For some their periods can take 2 years or more to dwindle in all sorts of ways (see above), and for others their periods can come and go for a long time. Once you have not had any periods for two years you have made it through!
Hysterectomy and the menopause
It can depend on what kind of hysterectomy you have as to what effect it can have. A total hysterectomy will plunge you straight into a menopause at whatever age you have the operation. You cannot then go on to have another ‘proper’ menopause at the usual age. However, our bodies are sort of pre-programmed for hormonal changes at this time so some women may get menopause-like symptoms. These can also be caused by low iron, low thyroid or low vitamin D though, so check with your doctor. For women who have had a partial hysterectomy (where one or both ovaries are left in) will normally get the menopause at roughly the same age they would have done anyway, and can experience all the usual signs and symptoms.
Sore, itchy, dry vagina and painful sex
Falling levels of oestrogen can cause a reduction of protective mucus in the vagina, resulting in symptoms such as dryness, itching, irritation and infection. This reduction can also change the pH in the vagina, leading to an imbalance in the friendly bacteria and triggering cystitis or thrush.
Falling oestrogen levels can also affect the thickness of the vaginal wall and all these symptoms can make it more difficult and painful to have sex. You may find that taking a good probiotic and Molkosan which is traditionally used to help rebalance pH levels will help to rebalance the vaginal fluids.
You could also try Menopause Support, as this is traditionally used to help gently raise and balance oestrogen. Sea Buckthorn Oil is often used to help restore the mucus balance. Daily Kegel exercises are a good idea too, as they help to strengthen the pelvic area and improve the blood supply.
