What is Menopause?

It’s one day!  It’s the day when your menstrual periods have completed stopped for a total of 12 months.

Really!  Yes, I was surprised to find that out too.  We learn so much about puberty, sex and pregnancy from our School education onwards, but when it comes to Menopause it’s still a bit of a Taboo.  So let’s talk about it.

It’s not a Disease!

Doctors often treat it as an illness with Medication to help relieve the symptoms, and some women feel that’s the route for them, which is absolutely fine.  But let’s remember, it’s just a natural phase of ageing.  The Menopause has become very “medical” with a pill or a patch to help.  Here at The Hormone Fairy we take a Holistic Approach.

This is the Prime of your Life. 

Time to Step into Your Power, Feel Happier, Sexy and back to your old self!

Did you know the average age of the menopause in the UK is 51?

From around the age of 35 through to 50, the balance of your body’s sex hormones starts to change.  Your Progesterone hormone levels start to drop, and your ovaries stop producing as much oestrogen and no longer releases an egg each month.  It’s the changes in the hormones which kicks off all the the problems and side effects.  It can feel like the mirror image of puberty, a huge hormonal shift and a rollercoaster of emotions and body changes.  This phase is known as “peri-menopause”.

In the UK it usually starts to occur between 45-55 years of age, but more women are starting to see the changes from the age of 35, as a women’s oestrogen levels start to drop.  I know I did, from the age of 38 I started waking up in a puddle of sweat, with erratic periods and feelings of sadness!

Under the age of 40, if a woman experiences the menopause, it’s known as a premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.  This can occur at any age, and in many cases, there are no clear causes.  It’s sometimes due to surgery to remove ovaries, some breast cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or by an underlying medical condition such as a thyroid condition.

What are the Signs?

Menopausal symptoms can begin months or even years before your periods stop and last for around 4 years after your last period, although some women have symptoms for much longer, between 5-10 years.

Periods can sometimes start to come more frequently, or less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop suddenly.

Most women will experience menopausal symptoms. Some of these can be quite severe and have a significant impact on your everyday activities.

 “Our modern lifestyle is largely to blame for our hormonal imbalances” – Dr John Lee M.D.