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Most women naturally enter the beginning phases of menopause in their 40s or 50s. Women may start to notice the pattern of their periods changing, experience hot flashes, feel more irritable, and go through a variety of other physical and emotional changes. Some may wonder if these changes—like feeling so hot that the thought of a turtleneck is suffocating—are normal, and many are confused about how to manage their symptoms.1 |
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Menopause is a normal transition every woman goes through and is separated into
3 phases: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.1,2 It marks the beginning of
a new phase in a woman’s life, and every woman experiences menopause
differently. While some women may feel unhappy about their changing bodies or
simply about growing older, others embrace this new stage of their life.
Positive aspects include an end to the uncertainty and obligation of a monthly
period, as well as intimacy without the possibility of pregnancy. |
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Menopause is a perfectly normal time of life and is now discussed more openly than ever. You can learn more about the changes in your body, as well as help your loved ones understand what’s happening, by reviewing the following information. Click a link below to read more: |
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The 3 phases of menopause |
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What to expect during menopause |
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How to minimize discomfort during menopause |
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The 3 phases of menopause |
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As a woman enters menopause, she may gradually see changes in her body. |
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- Perimenopause
Perimenopause is a transitional phase when a woman’s body begins its move into menopause. It is actually what some women call “going through menopause” and can last up to 6 years. During perimenopause, the ovaries gradually make less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which causes changes in how a woman’s body feels and acts. These changes are normal, and the first signs are irregularities in the period, hot flashes, trouble sleeping through the night, and even mood changes.1,2
- Menopause
Menopause is confirmed when a woman hasn’t had a period for 12 months in a row.1,2
- Postmenopause
Postmenopause is all the years after menopause. Because the ovaries have mostly stopped making estrogen, many women may still continue to experience menopause-related symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats.2
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Menopause can result from surgery |
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A hysterectomy (the surgical removal of the uterus) may lead to menopause. A hysterectomy may cause the ovaries to produce less estrogen earlier than normal. As the ovaries gradually make less estrogen, women who have had a hysterectomy may go through perimenopause and experience menopausal symptoms.2 |
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Surgical menopause also occurs with an oophorectomy (the surgical removal of both ovaries), even if the uterus is still present and remains intact because the ovaries are no longer present to provide estrogen. In this case, menstruation stops immediately, regardless of age, and women often have some of the typical symptoms related to natural menopause.2 |
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Evamist® is approved by the FDA for use after menopause to reduce moderate-to-severe hot flashes. The effectiveness of Evamist in treating other menopausal symptoms has not been demonstrated. |
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What to expect during menopause |
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Women go through menopause at different ages, and each woman experiences menopause in her own unique way. Every woman’s period will stop at menopause, but different women may experience different symptoms and the severity of those symptoms may be different, too. Some women will experience few or mild symptoms, while others may find their symptoms to be uncomfortable and even unbearable (e.g., changes in memory, loss of breast fullness, drier skin, or joint pain). |
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Common symptoms of menopause can include1,2: |
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Hot flashes (also called hot flushes)—feelings of warmth in the face, neck, and chest that can cause sweating and even result in drenching sweat followed by chills |
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Night sweats—hot flashes that occur at night, often disrupting sleep |
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Trouble sleeping—often as a result from waking in the middle of the night due to hot flashes |
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Changes in menstrual periods—irregular periods that may last fewer or more days, with heavier or lighter flow, or just spotting; increased time between cycles |
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Vaginal dryness—tissues of the vagina may become thin and dry (a condition known as vaginal atrophy); the vagina produces less lubrication, causing dryness, which can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable or painful |
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Mood swings, irritation, and anxiety—some women may feel emotional distress due to the hormonal changes or the physical discomfort from other menopausal symptoms |
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Evamist® is approved by the FDA for use after menopause to reduce moderate-to-severe hot flashes. The effectiveness of Evamist in treating other menopausal symptoms has not been demonstrated. |
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Menopause itself can cause: |
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Weight gain—though bloating is a common menopausal symptom, a study found that women gain an average of 12–15 pounds during this phase of life; the weight tends to appear as abdominal fat2-4 |
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Cardiovascular disease—when estrogen levels go down, the risk of cardiovascular disease goes up3 |
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Urinary incontinence—tissues within the vagina and urethra can lose their elasticity causing incontinence3 |
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Thinning bones—bones may become weaker and more likely to break (a condition known as osteoporosis)3 |
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How to minimize discomfort during menopause |
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Menopausal symptoms can be alleviated. If you’re experiencing symptoms of menopause, here are some suggestions: |
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These things can make symptoms worse1,2: |
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Hot and spicy foods |
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Alcohol and caffeine |
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Some women have found these techniques to be helpful1,2: |
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Relaxing with meditation exercises like yoga to relieve stress and minimize mood swings, or a simple massage |
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Maintaining a cool environment |
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Wearing loose, light, cotton pajamas |
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Keeping a glass of ice water next to the bed at night |
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Storing an extra pillowcase or towel next to the bed to help handle night sweats |
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Other ways to help cope with menopause include eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, and reducing stress.5 |
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You can also learn more about Evamist®—the only low-dose spray that reduces moderate-to-severe hot flashes.6 With Evamist you can look forward to feeling better over time without having to take a pill or deal with the mess and inconvenience of other products. |
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Learn more following these links: |
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Treating menopause |
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Treating hot flashes with Evamist |
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Back to top |
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Evamist® is approved by the FDA for use after menopause to reduce moderate-to-severe hot flashes. The effectiveness of Evamist in treating other menopausal symptoms has not been demonstrated. |
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» References |
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