Menopause

This is something different than the normal for me to write about, but I think that Women's Health is important.  As Women, we often take care of everyone but ourselves, and that should change.  We need to know our body's and be educated on what happens as we change/age.

What is Menopause?

Sadly, I had to look up the definition for this one because although I know a little about it, I didn't know enough, and wanted to assure the information I was providing was accurate!  When I searched Google for the definition of Menopause, this is what I got...

men·o·pause

ˈmenəˌpôz/

noun

1. the ceasing of menstruation.

   • the period in a woman's life (typically between 45 and 50 years of age) when this occurs.

Menopause is something that I have been giving a lot of thought to lately, and discussed it a little bit with my mom and aunt whom have experienced it (both a little differently though, surprisingly).  My aunt said that she never had the hot flashes until she had had stopped her menstrual cycle for years, yet my mom said she had them from day one; and my aunt expressed how she never had the mood-swings and irritability that so many others had told her about.  Personally, I always thought that menopause was losing your period and having hot flashes, not much more; but I was wrong!!

When do Women usually go through Menopause?

After researching this on many websites, it appears that the normal age is around 45, but can start years before or could be older as well depending on a few things in family and medical histories.

I read one article (sorry, can't remember where) that said the age our mother's went through menopause had a lot of barring on the age we do; and that smoking and other unhealthy habits could bring it earlier as well...

I didn't really like reading that considering that my mom and her sister went through menopause at the age of 42; and I am over weight & smoke... which means, if this is fact, that I could be experiencing this sooner than I thought, since I am already 38.. and notice that many of the symptoms listed for this are things I am already seeing.

Symptoms of Menopause

There are more symptoms than I ever knew for Menopause! I want to list/discuss a few of them (you can get the whole list and details in the PDF file linked in this post).

• Menstrual Cycle Stopped
• Hot Flashes
• Lack of Sleep: This can be caused by the hot flashes, anxiety, being wide awake, etc.   
• Hair:  Being dry or losing it.
• Intimacy:  Sex Drive can slow down, pain during intercourse, dryness, etc. 
• Mood:  Being moody, sad, depressed, anxiety, etc.
• Memory-Loss: Many women say that they experienced memory loss while going though menopause, I seen this a lot while reading up... I wonder why!?  I have this, not sure if it has to do with menopause or too much stress, but it is nice to know it's a symptom that I should be aware of in the future.

*You can view and download the pdf file on Google by searching the word Menopause (or) Read more at the link below, it has a lot of valuable information about menopause facts and symptoms.   Consult your doctor if you need to know for certain.

https://www.gstatic.com/healthricherkp/pdf/menopause.pdf

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Menopause is something that all women need to know more about, I'm sure glad that I researched it more so that I am prepared and know what is happening when it comes time!!

Research it, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider... better yet, talk to the woman closest to know about what they know and what to expect!!

Hope this was helpful!

Surgery

I went to see my Doctor yesterday and I will be having my hysterectomy this month. The way he explained things it is in my best medical interest to go ahead and have this procedure done. So, I am! As someone who has never had this done I wanted to compile a list of resources that could possibly help other women who have never had this procedure. 

List of Resources for Hysterectomy:

1.  http://www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk/blog/ 
This blog is a great resource. I signed up and I get an email everyday which is great. The email always has loads of information about hysterectomies and what to expect and they have free handouts you can access on the blog. Very informative. If I am not mistaken I hooked up on this through google plus. +HysterSisters. 

2.  http://www.hersfoundation.com/
This is a great website with lots of links not only about hysterectomies, but about cervical dysplasia, cervical cancer, STD's, etc. 

3. http://www.healthywomen.org/condition/hysterectomy
This website is very informative as well. There are articles about what happens after a hysterectomy, what kind of complications could occur and what sex will be like after the procedure.  

This list isn't very long but all the sites listed above are great resources for anyone who needs more information regarding the medical procedure. These websites have helped me understand the process. There is always youtube. I have watched a laproscopic hysterectomy and it is kind of gross but neat to see at the same time, so check it out. 

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy vs. Cervical Cancer

This is an important post to me because cervical cancer or any type of cancer is no laughing matter. There are so many women that suffer through this type of cancer and usually there are no symptoms until the disease has progressed. It is so important that we as women take care of our pelvic organs and have the necessary examinations to "catch" this cancer before it progresses. 

I received a call from my Doctor a couple of days ago and was a bit terrified because he NEVER calls me. My Doctor told me that I could not have another LEEP done and that I would need to have a partial hysterectomy. The partial hysterectomy does not have to take place tomorrow or next month because the dysplasia is slow progressing, but next year at my 6 month follow up we will get a plan in place to take care of this before it gets worse. I have been having an issue with CIN III, which is high grade cervical dysplasia, and this is the stage before it turns into cervical cancer. 

A partial hysterectomy is the removal of the cervix and uterus but leaves the ovaries intact. I am very happy about that because I will not have to take estrogen and I will not have a menstrual period anymore. I am so looking forward to that. In the meantime, I am doing lots of reading about hysterectomies as to educate myself about the surgery and the healing time after.

I realize this is sensitive information but there are women out there in this great, big world that are not having yearly check ups or not going to the Doctor because they do not have health insurance. The fact that this is happening in the 21st Century is astounding!! 

Cervical Dysplasia

Sometimes I over share. I think it has a lot to do with the times in which we live. Who knows? The thing with over sharing is I don't really want to talk about this but if another woman is going through this maybe this will help her.

Since 2012 I have been having issues with dysplasia which is abnormal cells on my cervix. These abnormal cells are high-grade squamous legions, so in medical terms it's CIN III. This is the stage the cells are in before they turn into cancer which could take 10 or more years. This is why having a pap smear is vital. These screenings should be done every 1 to 3 years so if you do have abnormal cells the issue can be corrected. As of right now I have to go every 6 months again. 

This is scary to me because my Mother had Stage III cervical cancer when she was in her early 30's. She had to have a radical hysterectomy so I am very cautious when it comes to the health of my female pelvic organs.

There are several ways to get rid of the abnormal cells. I have had the LEEP procedure done twice. This procedure removes abnormal tissue by cutting it away using a thin wire loop that carries electrical current. Sounds scary but it's not really that bad. My OBGYN is a great doctor so I feel very comfortable with him. During this last procedure, he said he would not be able to do it again because there are only so many times a LEEP can be done. Obviously there is scar tissue. If the problem persists I will have to get a hysterectomy. Nothing radical, maybe partial. 

There are a lot of great websites with information regarding this topic. Here is a list:

1. The Mayo Clinic website
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cervical-cancer/expert-answers/cervical-dysplasia/faq-20058142

2. Medicine Net
http://www.medicinenet.com/cervical_dysplasia/article.htm 

3. US National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001491.htm 

4. Hopkins Medicine (Leep Procedure)
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/gynecology/loop_electrosurgical_excision_procedure_leep_92,P07780/

5. The New York Times (Explains CIN III/cell changes)
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cervical-cancer/print.html 

I hope this information will help someone out there in the blog world. Please make sure you are getting regular check ups and take care of your health!

Annual Health Check Ups Are Important

I'm not a Doctor, but I play one on T.V..........

As women, we need to make sure that we are getting annual check-ups in regards to gynecological and breast exams. Having these exams could save our lives. These exams are important because they are a screening tool and if there are any abnormalities in the test the doctor will definitely call you back in for further examination. 

So many women die from breast cancer and the statistics are staggering. Before I started blogging I was reading a blog written by Lisa Bonchek Adams and she detailed the treatments that she would go through and she would talk about how she felt having this type of cancer. She passed away a few months ago and when she did it hurt me. I felt as if I knew her through her posts. Here is a link to her blog so please go and check it out.
http://lisabadams.com/

Another type of cancer that affects women is cervical or ovarian cancer. Having your annual pap tests helps when it comes to detecting this type of cancer. I do not know what the statistics are concerning this type of cancer. My mother had cervical cancer at the age of 33 and it was Stage III if I am not mistaken. She has told me that the year before her pap test came back normal and then the following spring, she said she had a sore spot under her navel and it was very tender to the touch. She also has said that her legs began to buckle when she would walk and she was dog tired all the time. 

The best source of information is with the CDC or cancer.org I am assuming. So, here is their link. 
http://www.cancer.org/healthy/findcancerearly/womenshealth/earlydetectionofspecificcancers/nbccedp