{"id":1736,"date":"2020-05-28T11:25:41","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T10:25:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/?p=1736"},"modified":"2022-10-03T10:57:48","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T09:57:48","slug":"how-to-cope-with-early-menopause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/news\/how-to-cope-with-early-menopause\/","title":{"rendered":"How to cope with early menopause"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published:<\/strong> 28th May 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cancer and its treatments will undoubtedly cause many changes in your life. One change you might not have anticipated at the outset is going through the menopause early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a gynaecological cancer (womb, ovarian, cervical, vaginal or vulval), certain types of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery may bring on symptoms of the menopause and it can happen quite suddenly. There are also some types of drugs used for the treatment of breast cancer that block the action of hormones working and bring on menopausal symptoms while you are taking the treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An early menopause can be distressing and make you feel overwhelmed, isolated or confused about the changes happening to your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is – for most women – there are very effective menopause ways available to help you live well, after cancer. This is why it is so important to find out about an early menopause, ask for support when you need it and get the right help as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are my top 10 tips for staying ahead of the menopause:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Learn about what might happen and why<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you know your cancer treatment might cause an early menopause, it is worth taking the time to find out how it might affect you and what the treatments are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Forewarned is forearmed\u2019, as the saying goes, so read up about early menopause. \u2018Surgical menopause\u2019, \u2018premature ovarian insufficiency\u2019 or \u2018POI\u2019 can also be useful search terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My website has a downloadable booklet about early menopause as a result of cancer treatments.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Be on the lookout for menopause symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The severity of symptoms varies tremendously between women; they may come on very suddenly after surgery and be noticeable straight away, for other women, maybe after chemotherapy, it might be a gradual change that you won\u2019t initially realise is related to an early menopause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common symptoms of the menopause include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes to your periods (in frequency or flow, or them stopping altogether), hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes (especially if you\u2019ve had PMS in the past), fatigue and poor sleep, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in sex,  joint pains and muscle aches, dry or itchy skin, headaches (or worsening migraines if you already suffer with them), needing to wee more often or having leaks of urine when you cough or sneeze, urine infections or thrush, and dryness and soreness in and around your vagina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms can really vary between different women. Some women experience very few symptoms whereas others experience many symptoms that can have a very negative effect on the quality of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Keep a note of your symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A really useful idea is to start logging symptoms as they occur. There are several ways you can do this, keep a diary, use a period tracker app, or fill in a form called the \u2018Greene Climacteric Scale\u2019<\/a> (available on my website) and take that with you to your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping track of your symptoms will also be really useful if you start any treatments for the menopause – to see if it\u2019s working for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. See a doctor that specialises in the menopause<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may feel as though you see enough medical professionals already and the thought of another set of appointments will put you off this idea, however getting the right treatments for your menopausal symptoms is essential to feeling the best you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main hormones your body will not be producing inadequate levels are estrogen and progestogen. Treatment involves replacing these with \u2018body identical\u2019 versions in the form of HRT for many women. Making sure you are on the right type and dose of HRT can sometimes need a specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also benefit from taking testosterone, particularly if you\u2019re struggling with low energy, mental fatigue and a lack of interest in sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are alternatives to HRT for women who often cannot take HRT due to the type of cancer they have had. These can be discussed by a doctor who specialises in the menopause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Be open with family and friends and use them for support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If treatments for your cancer have finished and things have calmed down on that front, family and friends may think you\u2019re through the worst and attention can move on to other things. You, meanwhile, maybe just at the start of another challenge. Some women find coping with their menopausal symptoms harder than going through the cancer treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you can feel as if you\u2019re going mad for example if your mood changes suddenly or you start forgetting simple things. Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s usually just your hormones and it\u2019s so common for women going through the menopause to feel exactly like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Get treatment for menopausal symptoms, sooner rather than later<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hopefully, if your doctor knows your surgery, chemo, or radiotherapy is likely to cause an early menopause, she or he will already talk to you about replacing the lost hormones you will need and will mention HRT (hormone replacement therapy) early on in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not a great idea to resist or put off taking HRT if it has been suggested to you by your doctor. Symptoms can come on very suddenly and the earlier HRT is started the better you will feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you had a hormone-sensitive (hormone-dependent) type of breast or uterine cancer you may not be able to take HRT but check this out thoroughly with a specialist and see what else you can do to improve symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Persevere with getting the right treatment and stay on it for as long as you feel it\u2019s needed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

HRT will normally be recommended until you are at the age of a natural menopause, which is 51 years. It is understandable that you might not be keen to be on medication for so many years if you are still in your 20\u2019s or 30\u2019s. Many women continue to take HRT forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the replacement hormones are doing is \u2013 as well as keeping away symptoms that can impact negatively on your life \u2013 they are protecting your health and preventing long-term consequences of a lack of estrogen and progestogen. Without HRT, you will be at risk of your bones becoming weak and developing osteoporosis; you are also at risk of heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Look after yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

it is important to try and have a lifestyle that will help not hinder your menopause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of tips on my website to help you do this, but the basics are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n