Temporary Menopause

Temporary menopause is a condition that affects women under 40. Unlike menopause, where the body has time to adjust itself, temporary menopause has no preparatory period. Some women, especially if they have not yet conceived, worry about future fertility due to this condition. Luckily, taking the time to learn about the symptoms and signs of temporary menopause, many women can receive effective help and treatment.

Definition

• Temporary menopause is the cessation of menstruation due to extraneous factors. The absence is, as the name implies, temporary, with the resumption of menses expected when the causation is removed. Temporary menopause can also be called induced menopause. The average age of a women to reach menopause is 50 years old; temporary menopause typically occurs at age 35 or younger.

Signs/Symptoms

• The signs and symptoms of temporary menopause are similar to those of menopause, but are of shorter duration. One or more symptoms, or in a rare case none of these manifest. Further, the symptoms may be aggravated by the cause of the temporary menopause. The most obvious symptom is the absence of menstrual periods. Many women experience changes in mental function. Concentrating may be more difficult and memory recall may be diminished. Hair loss is not uncommon in temporary menopause, and is also a symptom of all of the inducing factors. A decrease in sexual desire is often noted. Hot flashes, which can last from 5 to 15 minutes, are more prevalent at night.

Anorexia

• Extreme dieting can lead to a temporary cessation of menstruation. This is seen most often in women in their early to mid twenties. When the body is deprived of enough nutrients to maintain optimum health it goes into a shut-down mode. All non essential systems cease to function normally. The first loss of normalcy will be the absence of a sex drive. With the resumption of proper nourishment there should be a gradual return of menses. However, the greater the period of malnourishment, the longer the body will take to resume normal menstrual cycles.

Chemotherapy

• Women undergoing chemotherapy will sometimes experience temporary menopause. With chemo induced menopause, there are no patterns to go by. For some women it comes right away while others see the change only after several months of treatment. Most women on chemo will experience some changes in their menstrual cycle. However they are dependent on factors such as age, dosage of chemo, overall health prior to the start of chemo and how close they were to starting natural menopause. The resumption of menstruation after chemo can sometimes take years, if it returns at all.

Stress

• Stress is now seen as a legitimate cause of many conditions. The elimination of stress can be more difficult to accomplish than just taking a deep breath to relax. When the body is faced with prolonged periods of stress, the natural reaction is the release of adrenalin. The body feels that it is in survival mode and will start to conserve its resources. The symptoms will be similar to those of a person suffering from anorexia. Additionally, there may be an increase in water retention, which will eventually reverse itself. When the cause of stress is removed, it is possible to resume normal reproductive function.

Premature Ovarian Failure & Menopause

• Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a condition where the ovaries stop producing eggs prior to age 40, the average age being 27. It is not known what causes POF, but there appears to be a link with autoimmune disorders. Also, some people have found frequent viral infections to be a mitigating factor. There is no known effective cure at this time for POF; however, there are limited successes with hormone therapies. Irregular menstrual periods are the first sign of POF, so it is important to consult with a health care professional if you have any concerns about your menstrual cycle.

Treatments

• The treatment plan for temporary menopause is dependent on the factors which are responsible. In addition to addressing the cause, there is an attempt to ameliorate the symptoms. For night sweats the wearing of loose, light clothing in a breathable fabric may help. If necessary, sleep apart from a partner in order to regulate room temperature to a comfortable level. Vaginal dryness can be helped by the use of lubricants made for this purpose that are widely available. Irritability and mood swings are often handled through prescription medications. However, there are herbal remedies which some women find helpful for moodiness. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol, eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet, and moderate exercise, are good health tips at any time, and are particularly relevant during temporary menopause.