Life After Menopause-Increased Joy And Risk
Menopause is a difficult ordeal, but every woman goes through it. For some, the side effects are worse than for others. After menopause is over, however, a double edged sword awaits. On the one hand, women who have gone through menopause no longer have to go through menstruation every month-something that many women spend their entire lives looking forward to. On the other hand, women are susceptible to a few specific health risks after they go through menopause as well. Just like going through menopause, learning to take the good with the bad is just another part of getting older.
Post Menopause-A Technical Term
The scientific term for the time in a woman's life after menopause is post menopause. A woman is considered post menopausal when she has gone a full twelve months without experiencing a period. Because menstruation can become extremely erratic during menopause, it is necessary that a full twelve months go by before officially declaring a woman postmenopausal.
Another indicator of the cessation of menopause is the level of Follicle Stimulating Hormones that can be found in the body. A blood test done by a doctor can measure these hormones; typically they are very high in women after they have gone through menopause.
Even after a woman has not experience her period for a year, she might continue to experience symptoms of menopause for as many as several years after. This is because the hormone levels in the body continue to fluctuate.
A Helping Of Health Problems
Something that occurs after menopause ends is the increased risk of being affected by several health issues. Women who are post menopausal are more likely to be affected by osteoporosis, heart disease, and breast cancer. This heightened risk applies to other forms of cancers as well.
The cause of this increased susceptibility is the decreased production of estrogen. It is important for women who have gone through menopause to consult regularly with their doctor in order to address any potential health problems that might arise.
A Reasonable Trade Off
Though life after menopause might leave women more vulnerable to certain diseases, that does not mean that they has to live the remainder of their lives sheltered and afraid. Some people claim that the later years are some of the best of your life. It is important to live them to the fullest, while still taking care to be safe and healthy at the same time.
