Midlife Motivation

Please see links below to products available and information on HRT

Are your Hormones going Haywire?

Are you suffering from early symptoms of the menopause such as the occasional hot flush, back pain, or slight dryness of the vagina, or worse?  It could be that you are at the beginning of the menopause which can be easily confirmed by having a blood test.

Changes happen to your sex hormones at the menopause.  The two major oestrogen hormones, oestradiol and oestrone, plummet after the menopause, and oestradiol stays low for the rest of your life unless HRT is taken.  Oestrone follows a slightly different pattern.  During a woman's 50s,60s and 70s, levels decline, but after that the oestrone begins to increase.

Take Control from the Outset

Low levels of oestrone or oestradiol in midlife (generally around mid 40's) mean that the menopause is imminent. This will be defined in a blood test as high levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinxing hormone (LH) will be present.

Blood tests are one of the most commonly performed medical tests but are not always offered when women visit their GP's surgery complaining of menopausal symptoms, so you might have to ask for one specifically to check your hormone levels.  It helps enormously to know medically where you are at, so that you can make more informed decisions about what to do next. Your nurse or GP will be able to discuss your options knowing your own particular medical history.

Why not do some research of your own?  Read as much as you can to give yourself the knowledge as to what's happening internally and to help you understand the symtoms you are experiencing. Below is a selection of books available from Amazon to help get you started. Click on the titles to read other women's recommendations.

For information on HRT please see Related Link below.

Tags: hot flush, HRT, menopause, oestrogen