I found this weeks reading to be much more interesting, for some odd reason. I guess reading about the changes a females body goes through between the ages 45-55 (Menopause) was quite interesting. I believed my mother started having the syptoms of menapause in her early early mid 40s and thought" wow! isn't that kind of early" I never put two and two together, but my mother is a smoker and she has had 5 children me being the 4th child. The text read that "smokers generally experience menopause about two years earlier thatn nonsmoking women" (Jones, Barlett, pg. 209). I always told my mother smoking is not good for ya, but she never listened. So I decided to ask her today what was it like and what is it like living with menopause? She told me that at this very moment she was expericencing cramping, bloating, hot flashes, mood swings and irritability, she is PMSing and going through menopause cuncurrently. It is not pleasant for anyone to be around her, on top of that she lost her mother this year and her copping level has decrease dramatically. She is more depressed and cannot handle things the way she use to. She told me a funny story about a night where she went to bed burning up and woke up in a cold sweat; the funny part was the events that took place. She told me " I had just arrived home from work and was tired and proceeded with my normal evening routine. Joke with everyone, put some food in my stomach said goodnight to my grandchildren and head up stairs to my bedroom. I got into my nighties and flip on the tv and relaxed, about 25 minutes later I started to burn up, I turned my fan on that sits on my night stand, hoping that would help a bit, but it seemed like it was fueling the fire. So I began to take of one piece of clothing after another, until I was butt naked. I finally felt some relief sprawled out across the bed and went to sleep, I am not sure how long I was out for, but I woke up in a cold sweat freezing my behind off, and thought to myself " why am I naked and put every piece of clothing I took off back on and went to sleep" I found myself laugh for a good 30 minutes everytime I looked at her. I guess it is not nice to laugh because that could be me in a few years.
So I decided to share with her today what I had learned from the readings. I passed on to her ways that she could control her symptoms or relieve her symptoms. First of all my mothers eating habbits are horrible, I told her that if she changed up her diet and exercise would help improve her health in through out postmenopause. So I tried to use this to get her to become a vegetarian," if you eat more fruits and veggies, the symptoms will not be as bad", I know it is wrong I am always trying to convert someone. I rarely ever see her eat vegetables, an occastional fruit here and there, but nothing of real substance. The text said that if you eat enough" fruits,vegetables,whole grains and low saturated fats and cholesterol"(Jonas, Barlett, pg. 217) it can improve ones health. I even got her to start doing some yoga and mild cardio with me, and some weight lifting her and there. I am always concerened about my mothers health because she has alot to deal with.
I wanted to get my mothers oppinon on HRT, but she said she has never even considered it.
What is HRT? HRT stands for Hormon Replacement Therapy, and now a days many women are choosing to get it to eleviate the syptoms of Perimnopause and Postmenopause. Like every other drug out there FDA aproved or not comes with its pros and cons. When I read that going through menopause can cause urinary tract infections and burning during sexual intercourse I was shocked to find out such things could happen to a females body at this stage in life. I heard that sexual drives goes away after a certain age, but I did not know it was becaue of Menopause. So after hearing about the benifits of HRTs I could not see why anyone would not want to participate in it. "HRT provides relief from many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, night sweats, and related symptoms, hot flashes ,night sweats... as well as vaginal atropy and dryness"( Jonas, Barlett, pg. 214); also preventing urinary tract infections. There is always a BUT, estrogen therpy alone can cause cancer of the uterus, also if a woman has a history of diseases they put themselves at risk of having a "Stroke, venous thrombembolism and demntia" (Jones, Barlett, pg. 214). It is so hard to make and educated decision when there are so many variables to look at.
I just look at Menopause as a natrual occurance, therefore let nature take is course it will be over soon "By age 58, 99% of wmen are postmenopausal" tough it out right? I say that now, but I will just have to wait until it is my turn to experience the CHANGE.
No comments:
Post a Comment