Life After the Menstrual Cycle: Post Menopause

For some women, when they reach the stage of their life where they no longer have to make an extra stop on the way home to get tampons or sanitary pads, it is a big relief. Not only are they saving money, but they don't have the hassle of having to count out when their next period is due. On the other end, it can be a little disheartening to know that their reproductive ability is now gone.

Post menopause can be bittersweet, but knowing how to deal with it and what to expect is a good thing. Here is some information on what women should expect when they reach that post menopause stage of their life.

Facts on Menopause

Before reaching the post menopause stage or course ,a woman has to go through peri-menopause and actual menopause before they are done with the "change of life." Menopause is the stage of a woman's life typically from the age of 45 to 55 when she stops producing eggs, thus no longer being able to bear children.

When a woman reaches her late thirties, she may begin to experience the early symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and irregular periods. This stage can last up to ten years, to the point where the menopause stage begins. At this point, the periods become more irregular or shorter, and the hot flashes, irritability, depression, and decrease in sexual drive all become apparent. This is all caused by the cessation of the release of estrogen and progesterone, the two hormones that control the ovulation cycle.

When Menopause is Over

A woman has fully reached post menopause when she has not had her period for at least a year. At this point, estrogen and progesterone are no longer being released, thus not initiating ovulation. The child-bearing years are no done with.

As mentioned before, this can be a joyous, liberating time for a woman, but at the same time can be a bit depressing. Post-menopausal counseling is available, as is the option of hormone replacement therapy, in which the two hormones are replaced in the body with their bio identical counterparts that are created in the lab. Hormone replacement helps to reduce the symptoms of menopause, and help prevent bone loss.

If you are a post menopause woman, this part of life should be considered a new beginning. Just as puberty and post-partum are all the end of an era, so should be post menopause. How you choose to handle this new stage is entirely up to you.