Menopause is ovarian failure. The ovaries lose the ability to produce estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Estrogen and progesterone fall to nearly undetectable levels. Some testosterone production is taken over by the adrenal glands, so that blood levels in some women are maintained.
Menopause occurs at the average age of 51. Stress, illness and certain medications, especially chemotherapy, lead to premature menopause. Blood tests reveal low estrogen and high FSH (a pituitary hormone) levels. Menses diminish and become irregular, and eventually cease.
Symptoms of hormone deficiency in women are many:
- Hot flashes, night sweats, clammy skin- most typical and sometimes the earliest symptoms of menopause
- Irritability, anger
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety
- Depression, sometimes a sense of impending death
- Impaired memory (#2-6 represent changes in emotion and cognition often leading to psychiatric evaluation or the prescription of psychiatric medications such as anti-depressants or sedatives. The simple addition of hormones may eliminate these symptoms.)
- Insomnia
- Loss of interest in or desire for sex
- Vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse
- Urinary tract and vaginal infections, due to thinning and atrophy of vaginal tissues- five times as common after menopause
- Urinary incontinence
- Fatigue, lack of energy
- Weight gain
- Muscle and joint pains
- Dry and wrinkled skin
- Hair loss
- Lightheadedness
- Numbness or tingling of the extremities
- Osteoporosis symptoms: loss of height, spine, hip or wrist fracture