Late, later, latest...

One more about late onset menopause because I find this topic so fascinating.

So what defines a menopause as delayed or late onset? Typically, if it occurs after age 55 or so, physicians will diagnosis menopause as later. Mid-forties is early, making the average age from 48-53. Late onset refers to the age the menopause begins, something to remember. It doesn’t mean once you hit 55 your menopause years will be over if you started it at 52. That’s a pleasant thought, but, sorry, no dice.

We’ve discussed that obese women oftentimes go through menopause later due to the fact that fat can produce estrogen. A BMI over 30 will classify a woman as obese. Lowering the BMI and maintaining it at a good value ( between 18 and 24) can help prolong a woman’s life and help with the health risks associated with obesity and menopause. If for no other reason than this, lose weight before menopause begins.

The thyroid gland is amazing. It helps your body perform a myriad of regulatory functions, such as maintaining your metabolism, but it also controls how quickly we use energy, make proteins, and it controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones. And remember: estrogen is a hormone.  Disorders of the thyroid can alter menstruation and menopause start dates.  If the thyroid malfunctions, it can effect a woman’s reproductive status and may trigger symptoms that can be mistaken for menopause, such a hot flashes ( internal thermometer off, )or mood swings ( emotional responses gone haywire.) If you are younger than 45 and experiencing any symptoms you think may be menopausal in nature, go see your doctor. Through simple testing he can determine if your thyroid is going bonkers, or if you are, actually under going early menopause.

Women who have higher than average estrogen levels during their adult years have shown a slight tendency to experience menopause later in life. A condition called ESTROGEN DOMINANCE brings along with it it’s own set of health risks, so estrogen levels are important to determine if there are any indications that your natural levels are unusually high. ED has been linked to allergies, autoimmune disorders, infertility and certain reproductive cancers, so it must be diagnosed to fend off any problems associated with it.

When your menstrual cycle is normal, you are loaded with estrogen for the two weeks leading up to when you ovulate. During the last two weeks of the cycle, progesterone helps balance the estrogen. During peri-menopause, when your period begins to abate, estrogen may go along unbalanced and unopposed, leading to the dominance factor. Some symptoms associated with ED include: weight gain, mood swings, breast tenderness, decreased libido, lowered metabolism rates and insomnia. I don’t know about you, but that kind of describes menopause to a T.

Some studies have postulated that multiple pregnancies may also trigger a late onset menopause in some women, but it isn’t correct to assume if you’ve had seven live births you will be 6o when you start menopause. The opposite could prove to be true and you’ll be in your late forties. (God Bless you!) If you have been a regular card carrying member of the period club during your adult years, and all has been well, little to no risk factors involved and your BMI is low-normal, you will most likely join the rest of us females between the ages of 50 and 56 and start the next chapter in your life. But if you started very early ( before 12) or later ( after 16), are obese, have had multiple pregnancies, or none, you will not fall into the center line of the Menopause Bell Curve. Review your history with your gyno-doc, get regular checkups, keep your weight balanced, and get some exercise, and all should be well.

If not, well…that’s why I’m here! To inform, educate and hopefully make you smile/laugh through this time.