"Erasing the “Pause” in Menopause"

What do many women fear the most? Clue: every woman cannot escape it. It’s not menstruation or death. It’s menopause.

Decades ago, society has considered menopause akin to a woman’s death. Sure, it is not merely a “pause” but the end—but only of a woman’s reproductive ability. Today, the topic is no longer as embarrassing. Today, menopause is no longer a scary word.

Around 4,000 women face menopause every day. Technically, it refers to the period in which the levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone drop. If that sounds too technical, let’s just say that menstruation stops permanently and eggs are no longer produced. Thus, a woman can no longer give birth, or be pregnant.

There are three ways to enter menopause. “Surgical menopause” is experienced by women when both of their ovaries are removed. “Chemical menopause” is experienced by those who undergo chemotherapy, because chemotherapy often leads to amenorrhea, or the cessation of menstruation. And then there’s “induced menopause”, which is caused by breast cancer treatment and x-rays.

Of course, “natural menopause” is the most common, that which we hear most about. On average, it occurs between the ages 45 and 55, but it can begin as early as 35 or as late as 60. For most women, menopause lasts for only a couple of years, but a few experience its symptoms for up to six years.

Jokes about women’s menopause are very popular. You hear them when an adult woman suddenly cries for no clear reason. Sometimes, your dad tells you to ignore your mom’s annoying nags—because she’s “menopausal”. As sarcastic as these jokes may be, most of them are based on truth.

Women undergo a lot of changes during menopause, most of them internally. These are shown externally in various physical symptoms. Most common are hot flushes or night sweats; irregular, scant, and/or heavy periods; dry or itchy skin; aches or pains; insomnia; “formication”, which is a sensation similar to having ants crawling on the skin; allergies; respiratory problems; and tiredness or lethargy. Many women are also bothered with increased body fat, hair loss, bladder problems (including urinary incontinence), and loss of vaginal elasticity.

That’s why we need to be more understanding of women in their menopause, because they experience many emotional strains. If you encounter women with mood swings, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, poor memory and concentration, and decrease in sexual desire, they most likely are in their menopausal stage, so keep an open mind. An exception though, some women actually find sex more pleasurable after menopause.

To avoid exhibiting physical symptoms and being called “menopausal”, women could wear clothes made from natural fibers such as cotton, avoid hot drinks such as coffee and tea, avoid alcohol, and lower their intake of salty foods. Sticking to a balanced diet, doing moderate exercise, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding smoking could also help.

In facing the emotional symptoms of menopause, women can get support from relatives, friends, charities, and NGOs discussing menopause; join support groups; maintain diaries; and to stay positive.

Who says you should “pause” during menopause? As they say: Life begins at forty. Enjoy life—no pause!