Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 44)

Irregular PerIods signal: Your menstrual cycle’s droughts—and floods storm advisory: Miller says she had very regular periods until age 41, when a “phantom period” midcycle turned her life upside down. The disruption in her normal menstrual cycle led to an unexpected pregnancy, and after the birth of her third child, “I started having heavy, heavy menstrual cycles to the point that I could not leave my bedroom,” Miller says. “I would go through a whole package of pads in two hours. It was just awful. And then the next one would literally be spots. It went back and forth like that for a number of months.” How to weather it: Margery L.S. Gass, M.D., executive director of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and a certified menopause practitioner, says a change in your menstrual cycle is one of the first clues you’re in perimenopause. In the beginning, your periods may come a week early or a week late. “The more common that pattern becomes, the greater the likelihood that a woman is entering perimenopause,” Gass says. “The peculiar thing is a characteristic of perimenopause is to have irregular bleeding. But irregular bleeding can also be a sign of problems such as endometrial cancer or hyperplasia. So breakthrough bleeding throughout the month or cycles that have gotten noticeably heavier or longer could be normal but are definitely things to check out with your physician.” Gass says a woman may choose to stabilize her erratic periods by taking birth control pills (if she doesn’t smoke, have high blood pressure or a history of blood clots) or progestin, the synthetic form of the hormone progesterone. a scarf and a big heavy jacket, and he was just freezing. When we got to the reunion, I ended up putting on a jacket and never taking it off because it was just too humiliating.” How to weather it: Perimenopausal women may get occasional hot flashes when their estrogen levels drop, usually around the time of their period, says Gass, who offers simple coping strategies: “First, try to stay cool—both physically and emotionally. Having emotional reactions can trigger hot flashes, as can letting your body get a bit too warm.” Gass suggests layered clothing to allow for flexibility and to keep the temperature around you lower. Low-speed fans can do the trick, along with clothing made of fabric that can wick moisture away from your body. sleeP dIsturbances can never forget her sleepless nights. “During the warring part of menopause, I had horrendous insomnia, and I took [the prescription sleep aid] Ambien for about three years because I just couldn’t sleep at all,” Miller recalls. How to weather it: Some women experience menopause-related sleep disturbances, especially if hormone changes provoke hot flashes (or “night sweats”) during the night, NAMS reports. To get more adequate shut-eye, women should first focus on improving their evening routines, including avoiding heavy meals and adjusting levels of light, noise and temperature. “As people get older, having caffeine and chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may be a stimulant that prevents falling asleep easily, so they should be avoided after late afternoon,” Gass recommends. To minimize night sweats, she suggests avoiding comforters that trap heat and opting instead for lightly woven bed linens that breathe. Also, keep the air circulating in your bedroom by setting an overhead fan on low. signal: Night skies with a slight chance of sleep storm advisory: Miller Hot FlasHes signal: The hormonal heat wave known as “hot flashes” storm advisory: As Miller discovered, hot flashes can hit when you least expect them. Miller recalls a road trip to her husband’s 20th high school reunion during an icy winter. She was sweating and asked her husband to crank up the car’s air conditioner. “I was sitting there in short sleeves, no coat, with my arms raised up over the vent to get cool air because I was having waterworks under my left armpit,” she says. “Meanwhile, my husband was wearing a hoodie, Mood swIngs signal: Dark moods and widely scattered emotions storm advisory: Miller called it “PMS on steroids” or simply “hell week”—the week before her period when she felt fragile and furious. 44 Vim & Vigor • FALL 2 012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Cardiopulmonary Connection
PMC Nurses Honored During National Nurses Week
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
STILL A SCREENING STAR
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
Inherent Beauty
Ask and You Shall Receive
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center