Menopausal Hot Flash Ladies

They work in offices and homes around the globe; droplets of sweat cascade down their faces, necks, and backs. They fly into rages one minute, and then sob convulsively the next. They are women going through "the change."

Menopause, or "The Change," as some people call it, occurs when menstruation ceases, generally between the ages of 45 and 55. Unlike menstruation, however, which marks its beginning with obvious signs, the onset of menopause is so gradual, women don't always recognize the symptoms as being part of menopause.

According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide (Simon & Schuster Source, 1999), perimenopause, the first phase, begins with irregular periods. Symptoms of the second phase, menopause, include hot flashes, insomnia, and night sweats. Post menopause, the third phase, is characterized by vaginal dryness, urinary and sexual problems, and mood swings. Menopausal woman also experience feelings of anxiety and depression and have difficulty managing their weight.

Not everyone is affected the same way, however, and even though the effects of menopause can be felt as early as the 30's, menopause remains one of the most disruptive parts of women's lives. Living with fear and uncertainty, women are faced for the first time with the realization that in terms of life limits, they are now over the hump of midlife and leaning firmly against the invisible but obvious hurdle of old age. One might think of it as puberty in reverse.

Some women are elated with the change; others regret lives unlived and dreams unrealized.

The menopausal mama can be a comedy - or tragedy - of errors. Watch one mother place the phone in a cabinet, throw food down the laundry shoot, empty prepared dishes into the garbage. Another mom grabs a plastic bottle of ammonia instead of vinegar to create a cucumber salad.

It's almost as if the synapses (those little nerve connectors in the brain that pass impulses from one neuron to another) mutate into some unrecognizable alien life form causing confusion and contorting information that makes the recipient feel dysfunctional for brief (and sometimes longer) periods of time.

However, menopause doesn't have to mean the end of living. Friends who are making the same transition can lean on each other for wisdom, for advice, for laughter, and for support. Therapy offers consolation to some women. Meditation and spiritual beliefs offer comfort to others.

Treatments vary from the use of prescription drugs that help maintain normal hormone levels and that alleviate the discomforts of hot flashes and bone loss to alternative therapies that include diet, soy food supplements (which may help increase levels of estrogen), vitamins, vitamin supplements, nutrients, herbs, and nontraditional spiritual practices, such as Reiki and therapeutic massage. A sensible diet may also help to prevent diabetes.

Some women receive HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which consists of estrogen alone for women who have had hysterectomies or a combination of estrogen and progesterone to protect the body against endometrial cancer for women who still have their uteruses.

Women who perceive their new experience as a challenge and who educate themselves about menopause will cope better than those who experience sudden panic attacks for reasons they can't explain. Body signals, like those mentioned above should serve as beacons that alert women to the fact that they are transitioning to another life-changing phase of their lives.

While menopause is a life-altering experience, taking precautions can help alleviate some of the more difficult symptoms. Because bone loss from osteoporosis is a possible factor, women should take extra calcium to strengthen their bones.

Monitoring intake of fat will help maintain healthy distribution of body fat and help prevent heart disease. So will adhering to admonitions to quit smoking, as smoking constricts blood vessels to the heart. Exercising helps women feel better physically and emotionally, because they know they are contributing to their overall health.

All women eventually go through this transition. Preparation for and acceptance of the inevitable changes lessen the anxiety associated with change in general. With more years to live than in earlier times women still have time to realize their dreams and to explore new beginnings and possibilities.

And what is the best medicine for all hot flash ladies? Laughter is scientifically proven to be beneficial for all maladies and will help women adjust to their new image.

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." (Henri Bergson)