Probably, at every appointment I hear the same question, asked with an invariably agitated expression on my face: “Doctor, when will I have a menopause?” it Seems that in the mind of a woman, the menopause, or, more precisely, the menopause, is the end of life, and then only utter darkness and suffering. That’s not true, and here’s why.
- No doctor can predict the time of menopause, moreover, Tarot reading will be more accurate than any doctor’s predictions.
• It is widely reported that the time of menopause is inherited, that is, you will have the same as your mother or grandmother. This is not scientifically proven, but some regularity can be traced. Therefore, as a calming fact, hereditary predisposition can be taken into account.
- The time of menopause can be accelerated artificially. This is caused by: ovarian surgery (especially removal of endometrioid cysts), chemotherapy or radiation therapy (in the treatment of cancer), Smoking, various autoimmune diseases. Such diseases are not so common, but rather very rare. These include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis, vitiligo, etc., inflammatory diseases of the ovaries (inflammation of the appendages), exposure to various toxic substances when working in hazardous industries. In these diseases, antibodies to ovarian tissue are found in the blood, which damage it, perceiving the ovarian tissue as foreign.
- It is impossible to delay the onset of menopause, no matter what you are promised, that is, the main task is not to reduce what is left (urgently quit Smoking).
- A serious misconception that taking contraceptives by turning off the ovaries can delay the onset of menopause; this is not true, the number of follicles on the background of taking contraceptives decreases at the same rate as without these drugs.
- Menopause can begin in different ways: some people immediately stop menstruating and no longer come, others have a period of” confusion ” – irregular periods, and then they disappear. There is an option when the menopause seems to have already come, the “tides” and other charms of this period began, and then suddenly everything disappeared, the condition improved and one or two more menstruations passed, and only after that there was silence.
That is why in medicine, menopause is called a condition when there is no monthly period for strictly 1 year, the further period is called postmenopause. Yes, during this period (when there is no monthly period for a year), you also need to continue to protect yourself, since the probability of pregnancy, although low, is there.
Menopause is a condition when there is no monthly period for exactly 1 year.
• There are several studies that are used to assess ovarian reserve (ovarian reserve). These are blood tests for FSH, estradiol, AMH and ultrasound of the ovaries at the very beginning of the cycle (on day 2-3) in order to count the number of follicles in them (there is also a blood test for inhibin, but its indicators have not found clinical application). The results of these studies will not help you predict when you will start menopause. Unless with the accuracy of the answer “soon/not soon”. These tests are necessary for reproductologists to assess the patient for the possibility of ovulation stimulation and, if so, which one. That is, these studies have exclusively applied value in IVF protocols and there is no predictive value. Therefore, if the doctor shows you an AMH test and says that it is very low, it means that you may have difficulties with the realization of reproductive function, but this does not mean that you will have menopause within a year.
Menopause is not the end of life. Modern drugs for hormone replacement therapy allow women to feel and look sometimes even better than in the period before menopause (when the natural level of sex hormones was already reduced). The appearance (skin, hair, nails) is preserved and even improved, there is cheerfulness and often a high libido (higher than it was). Why? Blood loss, mood swings, the risk of pregnancy stop-only good health and the long-awaited carefree life remain.
