Andropause
(Male Menopause)
I must admit, I do feel sorry for males going through their mid-life crisis. Women have easy access to loads of information about “the change”, they ask their doctor about it, they share their experiences with their friends and they are not reluctant to try alternative treatments.
Males, approaching age 45-55 years of age may start to experience andropause, the male climacteric, change of life. Many men do not know about it, they think they are “over the hill”, losing it, and that's the way it is. They may not talk about it to their partner, to their doctor or to their friends.
As they age, males may produce less Androgen, hormones, of which testosterone is one. This reduction occurs over a 10 year period and can be diagnosed by a simple blood test. Treatment is simple and if accompanied by some simple life style changes, is very effective.
Not all males go through andropause; only 30-40% experience a drop in testosterone levels.
Males may complain about any or all of these symptoms:
Fatigue, night sweats, depression, irritability and anger.
Aching and stiff joints, loss of muscle strength and endurance.
Reduced libido, inability to attain or maintain an erection, low sex drive, lack of interest in sex, reduced early morning erections, testicular atrophy, irritable bladder, frequency of urination, Palpitations or irregular heart beat.
Osteoporosis, calcium is coming out of their bones leaving the bone weak and vulnerable to breakage. Most common breaks occur in the arms, wrist, ankles, long bones, hips and spine. I have read statistics the 1.5 males have undiagnosed osteoporosis.
Some of the psychological side effects include:
Depression, sadness, crying, even contemplating suicide.
Stress, anxiety, feeling inadequate as a male and at work.
Being very critical, angry, becoming a “grumpy old man”.
Forgetful, preoccupied, confused, low mental energy.
Weight gain, reduced muscle mass and strength, endurance.
Lethargy, not interested in old friends or favorite pastimes.
Some males become more “androgenous”, gentler, maternal, spiritual, kinder, more loving, more interested in intimacy, sensuality.
Some males go through what is often called the “pink Porsche mentality”. Desperately seeking their lost youth, they have meaningless affairs with a much younger sexy female, they may end their marriages and find a “trophy wife” or become swingers.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
Share your experiences with your family and close friends.
Talk to your doctor, ask for a simple blood test called a bioavailable testosterone level. If indicated, start on testosterone replacement therapy. This could be a body cream, gel, patch, pill or injection.
Exercise regularly, foot to ground exercise such as walking, running.
Reduce alcohol intake and stop smoking.
Eat healthy, reduce fats and sugars.
If overweight, lose weight gradually through diet and exercise.
Reduce your stress levels.
EFFECTS OF ANDROPAUSE ON A RELATIONSHIP
Because a couple may be going through this “climacteric”, change of life at the same time, the effects could be devastating. What was a stable, predictable, loving relationship may suddenly be in chaotic turmoil as both of them experience their fluctuating reactions to the hormone upheaval. They may alternate between depression, poor body image, crankiness, hot flashes and mood swings.
He may be dissatisfied with his job, feel like a failure because he is not a CEO, his kids are now rebellious teenagers and hero daddy is replaced by some rock star. The kids may be entering college, and he suddenly is faced with an empty nest syndrome, realizing that the rest of his life will probably be spent with his wife of 25 years. This may not be an appealing concept.
Another scenario, he, realizing that his work is not the be all and end all, decides he want to reintegrate into the family again, literally “nesting” with “the little woman”.
But “the little woman” has either gone back to work, has an active social life with the girls, or has become very involved in community activities and is not willing to settle for marriage 24-7.
As he enters andropause, the changes in his sexual performance become glaringly obvious. His erections are not as frequent nor are they as rigid and reliable as they used to be. He is bored with “same old same old” but he is intimidated if his partner becomes sexually innovative and frisky. He feels he can't keep up.
But suddenly, with that young flirtatious secretary, he becomes the romantic lover he used to be. That lasts for approximately 6 months, then she becomes disenchanted and critical or demanding. Just like his wife. Again his antennae go up and he is on the prowl for another conquest. This is known as the “Foolish Forties” or “The Second Adolescence”.
If his partner can hang in there for about 12-18 months, this too will pass, but the old status quo has changed, the balance of power has shifted in the relationship. He may have difficulty accepting the new egalitarian partnership.
Couples have a lot invested in this relationship, and I would like to suggest that they see a good marriage counselor/therapist to give them the communication skills for effective conflict resolution so the new relationship can evolve.
For men and women, this “change of life “ can become the common ground where they can join together as friends, partners and lovers.
Menopause and Perimenopause
PERIMENOPAUSE
For most women menopause is established around age 50. About 5 years before menopause, women go through a period called perimenopause.
Perimenopause is triggered by the gradual aging of the ovaries, producing less estrogen, so she is not ovulating every month and menstrual periods becoming irregular. Her periods may be very heavy, even “flooding”. This may leave her anemic.
Symptoms of perimenopause include facial wrinkles, “turkey neck”, floppy breasts, all body hair becomes thin and starts to turn grey. The skin under her arms and at the back of her thighs becomes wobbly, her waist thickens as more fat is deposited around her abdomen. Some women are aware of heart palpitations or an occasional irregular heart beat.
The mucous membrane of her genitals thins out and becomes dry. Because there is less fat behind the walls of the vagina, and there is much less lubrication, intercourse may become painful. This is called dyspareunia. There may be a significant decrease in sexual arousal and fewer orgasms. She may also experience some loss of bladder control so she may dribble or spurt urine when she laughs, sneezes or coughs. Before you buy a package of “Attends” or “Tema”, do start doing Kegel Exercises frequently and regularly. You may also be prone to urinary infections.
During perimenopause, most women report hot flashes and night sweats; they complain of insomnia resulting in fatigue and she may have difficulty concentrating on her work, become confused or forgetful. Women call these times “menopause moments” but I prefer to think of them as a “brain fart”.
Unbeknownst to you, calcium may be coming out of your bones, leaving them porous, weak, and they may break easily, especially wrists, ankles, hips and spine. Called OSTEOPOROSIS, your family doctor will probably prescribe a “Bone Density” test as a base line. “Osteo” seems to affect thin, blond, white Anglo-Saxon women. Women of colour and heavy women seem to be exempt. Women who smoke, drink alcohol and who are sedentary are at increased risk. You will see older women who have developed a “Widows Hump”, their back becomes totally rounded from Osteo. If you develop Osteo, your doctor may prescribe alendronate (Fosomax) taken once a week.
Psychologically, many women become depressed and have difficulty coping. If this is a problem, please talk to your family doctor. Anti-depressants, (SSRI's) such as Effexor are effective. Many women experience low or no sex drive, dramatic mood swings, and are irritable and cranky.
I am not painting a pretty picture, but not all women have all these signs and symptoms. About 1/3 of women sail through peri- and menopause with little discomfort, 1/3 are moderately affected and the other 1/3 are really whacked by every symptom in the book.
MENOPAUSE
You are menopausal when you have not menstruated for one year but you will still have many of the above signs and symptoms. Do see your family doctor; they may prescribe “hormone replacement therapy” (HRT) which is estrogen and progesterone for a two year period to get you over the worst of peri and menopause.
Because there is an increased risk of developing cancer on long term use of HRT, most doctors are reluctant to prescribe it long term, especially if there is a family history of cancer.
Do tell your doctor if the genital dryness is inhibiting your sexual pleasure; there are low dose Estrogen creams that you can apply daily.
Androgens are the male sex hormones, of which one of them is testosterone. It is well known that women do produce small amounts of testosterone.
Testosterone is the hormone that affects sexual desire, sexual response and psychological well-being. In small doses, testosterone can reduce body fat and increase mean muscle mass. As women age, they gradually produce less testosterone, this reduction results in loss of sexual desire, increase in body fat and reduction of mean muscle mass. If a doctor is prescribing Estrogen to their menopausal patients, they may also prescribe low dose testosterone if she complains of low sex drive, and dyspareunia.
A blood test is essential to determine if a woman needs testosterone therapy. Testosterone is available as a body cream, or a genital cream, a patch or a pill.
NATUROPATHIC ALTERNATIVES
Avoid tea, coffee, smoking, alcohol - these prevent the absorption of calcium. Include calcium rich foods in your diet: milk, cheese, low fat cottage cheese and yogurt, green leafy vegetables, tofu, all soy products, shellfish, and salmon canned in water.
Exercise regularly, especially “foot to ground exercise” such as walking, speed walking, even jogging are best for preventing bone loss and increasing mean muscle mass.
Here are a few of the herbal remedies that you may wish to try:
Vitamin D. 800 IU daily to reduce bone loss.
Black Cohosh 250 mgms. Daily
Vitamin B Complex containing Niacin, Vit.B 6, B12, Folic Acid
Vitamin C 500 mgms daily.
Vitamin E up too IU daily.
Vitamin K to regulate calcium levels and blood clotting.
Beta Carotene 10,000 IU. Daily.
Coenzyme, Q10 boosts the immune system.
Ginseng, 1000 daily provides oxygen to your body.
St. John's Wort 300 mgms daily for depression.
Dong quai to relieve symptoms of menopause, headaches.
Soy Isoflavins100 mgms daily for heart and menopausal symptoms.
Valerian, short term treatment for sleep disturbances.
Calcium. You need about 1500 mgm. Daily. Supplements are not as good as milk, cheese, yogurt etc.
BENEFITS OF MENOPAUSE
Some women celebrate menopause. It is the beginning of the last 1/3 of her life. No more menstrual periods, no more worrying about getting pregnant, no more PMS, no more hormonal highs and lows, fibroids may shrink, endometriosis is not as much of a problem.
Reasons to celebrate!:
Many women start to enjoy their body more, may start to pleasure themselves, and many find they have an increased sex drive and are more uninhibited in their sexual relationships. There is evidence that women who continue to be sexually active will continue to produce more lubrication and prevent vaginal atrophy.
They may find that the “urge to merge”, to have intercourse decreases, but the desire for intimacy, hugging, cuddling, snuggling, touching and genital stimulation increases dramatically.
The best medicine for women during menopause is to have a positive attitude, a strong support system already established. An understanding supportive partner, children who know and accept what is happening, and other women friends who may be at the same stage of their lives – these factors will make the transition a helluva lot easier and let you get on with it!
2006-07-27 16:50:46
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answer #1
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answered by Jennifer B 5
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