menopause

Living With Menopause

by W. David Hager, M.D.

Menopause does not have to be an unwelcome intrusion into your life. The following suggestions can help minimize the impact of menopause:

  • Stay informed, follow a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly.
  • Keep your mind occupied by interacting with other, reading and studying.
  • Reach out to others with visits, letters and prayers.
  • Take the vitamins and minerals you need and consider hormonal replacement therapy.

In addition, be sure to schedule the following:

  • Regular physical examinations and Pap tests.
  • A mammogram every one to two years between age 40 and 50, and yearly thereafter.
  • A screening for colon cancer every three to five years after two normal yearly exams.
  • A check of cholesterol and lipids every three years and thyroid function every five years.
  • Some doctors recommend an ultrasound scan of the pelvis to evaluate the ovaries every one or two years. Bone density can be measured with ultrasound techniques, which is especially useful when women are trying to decide if they will take hormones.

There is much confusion about menopause and the perimenopause, and the lay literature is saturated with agendas that distort or falsely report information. Share your questions and concern with your health care provider and construct a plan that is customized to your needs.

Remember that these can be the best years of your life, the years of a beautiful, mature woman.

It can be done. But maintenance is crucial to your health.

Copyright 2005 Focus on the Family

Background Information

An Overview of Menopause
Recognizing the symptoms and reviewing the treatments for menopause can ease this transition.

Perimenopause
Understand the life stage that precedes menopause.

Questions and Answers

I'm only forty-six, yet some days I can hardly get out of bed in the morning. Why do I feel so terrible?
Answer

Review Frequently Asked Questions

Stories

If you've been through a experience related to this topic, we invite you to share your story with others.
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Other Things to Consider

Getting Positive About Midlife Changes
Our culture may worship it, but physical beauty is not what ultimately matters. Women in midlife can reject negativity and learn to make peace with the aging process.

Over- 50 Birthdays
Worried about getting older? Here's how you can "get over it."

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