5 ways to take care of yourself if you live medical menopause

What is medical menopause?

“Menopause occurs due to a decrease in hormones produced by the ovaries,” said Nisarg Patel, MBBS, an OB-GYN in the Nisha women’s hospital and at the IVF center and clinicots. “This reduction generally occurs gradually over time, most women who have suffered between 45 and 55 years.”

But other people can experience it earlier. Going through menopause before quarantine can be difficult when most of the resources available to manage the change are made for those in the quarantine and the fifties. A 20 -year -old suffering from medical menopause due to cancer treatment may not feel comfortable using resources for the elderly, for example.

Likewise, a transgender man may not feel comfortable in a clinic for women. However, as part of their medical transition, they can also feel medical menopause and need as much support as anyone is going through a similar process.

“Medical menopause, also known as the induced menopause, occurs when a person’s ovaries are removed or damaged surgically by radiotherapy or chemotherapy,” said James Walker, MD, medical advisor to the health care platform Welzo.

This results in “a brutal cessation of the production of estrogen and progesterone”, explains Dr. Walker. These hormones are responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle; Without them, people with uterus can feel a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, he said.

Who feels medical menopause?

Chemotherapy or radiation that targets the reproductive system can disrupt hormone production and damage ovaries.

“Surgical elimination of ovaries, known as oophorectomy, can also trigger medical menopause,” explains Ooha Susmita, MBBS, MD, a psychiatrist and a sexual well-being expert with the Allo Health digital health platform. “This procedure is sometimes done within the framework of a hysterectomy, which involves removing the uterus.”

Chemotherapy is not the only reason that someone could experience medical menopause. “Other medical conditions, such as premature ovarian insufficiency or certain autoimmune disorders, can also cause a medical menopause,” said Dr. Susmita. These include rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease and Crohn’s disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

But medical menopause can also arrive at trans people who are undergoing hormone therapy, says Dr. Walker. “In these cases, testosterone therapy can lead to a cessation of estrogen production and at the start of medical menopause.”

Surgical elimination of ovaries in trans men can also cause a medical menopause, explains Kimberly Shaw, CNM, a midwife certified in Cone Health en Caroline du Nord.

Transgender women can also know medical menopause in certain situations, said Dr. Susmita. This is generally due to the fact that they have to stop their hormone therapy for something such as “upcoming surgery or age-related reasons”, she says, “and the symptoms are very similar to those observed in women cisgenres”.

Medical menopause symptoms

Medical menopause is generally accompanied by symptoms close to those of natural menopause, according to Shaw and Dr. Susmita.

These include, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Heat puff
• Mood changes
• Vaginal dryness
• Night sweats
• Decrease in libido
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping

But everyone is unique, so you can live these symptoms or others with menopause.

5 tips for taking good care of you

Just as there is no guarantee what symptoms of medical menopause you feel, there is not a unique approach to managing these symptoms, says Dr. Walker.

People with symptoms due to chemotherapy or elimination of ovaries will need a different treatment and care from those of individuals undergoing hormone therapy affirming sex and medical menopause in the context of their transition.

“It is important to note that the management of medical menopause is highly individualized and that processing options should be discussed with a health care provider,” said Dr. Walker.

You also want this doctor to know their business. “It is important to work with a competent health care provider that can provide advice on the most suitable processing options for each patient,” said Shaw.

1. Talk to a doctor about what you are going through

Your doctor cannot help you if he doesn’t know what you are going through, so tell you about your symptoms, says Dr. Patel.

Once they know what you have faced, they can be able to suggest lifestyle changes that could help, he says, like sleeping a lot, eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, as well as medical treatments. (More of these options below.)

Ideally, your doctor would also have let you know when you expect symptoms of medical menopause before you even start, according to your scenario.

2. Consider hormone therapy

One of the most commonly recommended treatments for medical menopause in people with uterus is hormone therapy (HT), sometimes called hormone hormone therapy (HS).

“To manage the symptoms of medical menopause, patients can consider HRT, which involves taking estrogens and / or progesterone to replace hormones that the body no longer produces,” said Dr. Walker.

HT should not be confused with hormone therapy affirming sex (GAHT), that is to say when trans people use hormone therapy in the context of their medical transition.

Gaht for transgender men and other people who do not comply with gender can lead to medical menopause. These people could not take systemic hormone therapy, as it could interfere with their transition. However, they can benefit from the use of a topical estrogen cream to treat vaginal drought and atrophy, for example.

3. Explore other drugs

Seeing a doctor for the treatment of medical menopause can help you access prescription drugs that can manage or reduce symptoms. These medical treatments will not stop menopause, they simply facilitate the symptoms to be tolerated.

These may include, according to Mayo Clinic:

• Vaginal estrogenwhich can be applied via a cream, a ring or a tablet to reduce vaginal dryness and other urinary symptoms.
• Low dose antidepressantsEspecially the ISRS, which can reduce hot flashes and mood symptoms.
• GabapentineA nervous medication, which can reduce puffs of night heat.
• Osteoporosis drugs which can prevent or treat bone loss.

4. Use lifestyle changes

One of the best things you can do to manage medical menopause is to promote relaxation and calm in your life.

“HRT can help reduce many of menopause symptoms, but that is not suitable for everyone,” said Shaw. “Other options include changes in lifestyle, such as regular exercise, healthy diet and stress reduction techniques.”

Here are some ways to start:

5. Find your community

Community support can be essential to navigate medical menopause, explains Kryss Shane, PHD, LMSW, professor, educator and social worker.

“The collective of those who do not correspond to the traditional experience of menopause develops,” explains Shane. “Internet communities offering advice and support prove to be invaluable resources.”

Online support groups or in person can help you feel like you are not alone. Knowing the others was where you are can create a feeling of relief and validation that your experience is included by at least another person.