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PMS After Menopause

Women who are menopausal no longer menstruate, and they are not supposed to experience PMS. In fact, according to wdxcyber.com, symptoms experienced during menopause are often mistaken for PMS. You can prevent such symptoms by identifying their causes with the help of your doctor.

  1. Misconceptions

    • Some women may think they periodically experience Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) after the onset of menopause. However, according to wdxcyber.com, PMS only occurs due to the release of eggs and hormones before and during your menstrual cycles. If you are truly menopausal, then you no longer menstruate, and PMS is no longer an issue. However, other factors may contribute to symptoms that mimic PMS during menopause.

    Symptoms

    • The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that PMS symptoms fall into two categories--physical symptoms and emotional symptoms. Physical symptoms include bloating, body aches, headaches, swelling and tender breasts. Emotional symptoms may include anger, anxiety, confusion, crying, depression, insomnia, increased appetite, irritability, poor concentration and social withdrawal.

    Hormone Replacement Medications

    • Hormone replacement medications are taken during menopause to replace your estrogen and progesterone levels. These hormones are responsible for PMS as their levels peak during your menstrual cycles. When you reach menopause, hormone replacement medications may create similar symptoms that you had experienced during PMS. Examples of such prescription drugs include Activella, Aygestin, FemHRT, Premphase and Prempro. According to wdxcyber.com, some of these medications are take for only 5 to 14 days each month. Ask your doctor about hormone replacement medications you can take every day, as this may help ease PMS-like symptoms.

    Medication Interactions

    • According to wdxcyber.com, taking certain non-hormonal medications during menopause can cause PMS-like symptoms. Wellburtin may cause muscle aches and headaches, which can be mistaken for PMS. High blood pressure and low blood sugar medications may also cause symptoms.

    Prevention/Solution

    • If you think that your medications or hormone replacement therapy drugs are the cause of your PMS-like symptoms, see your doctor. He may prescribe different types of medications or recommend that you stop taking them altogether if the benefits are outweighed by the risks. If your symptoms do not improve, it may be possible that you have not actually started menopause yet, according to the ACOG. Talk to your doctor to track your symptoms and your last menstrual cycle.

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