Tue, May 10, 2016 at 05:00 AM

Menopause: how you will feel and what you can do about it

Usually the people around you notice the signs of menopause before you do.

You’ll have difficulty sleeping, irritability and mood swings—which you might not notice as a sign of what’s happening.

Menopause will start between the ages of 45-55. Its effects vary widely among women, from a rare hot flash to sleep disorders or even to violence.  

Dr. Bernice Craze works at Grant Primary Care, where the majority of her patients are women. She explains what the signs of menopause are, and importantly, what you can do about it.

How you’ll feel

• You lose the ability to control your emotions
• Your previously built-in sensors don’t react
• You lose your filters 
• You lose the ability to rationalize.

“You feel like someone has possessed your body,” Dr. Craze said. Emotions can range from happy to a rage reaction due to a minor event and a dumb commercial can make you cry.

This is all due to raging hormones.

 “I tell my patients not to worry too much about that,” she said. “It’s okay.”

How to ease your symptoms

Dr. Craze suggests healthy habits to help regulate your mood.

• Regular exercise
• Eating a Mediterranean diet or any diet that includes lots of fruits, nuts and vegetables 
• Eating lots of lean protein like fish, turkey and chicken

Sometimes you need extra help 

Dr. Craze says if symptoms get to the point of being mean-spirited or irrational then they should be addressed with your doctor, who might prescribe you helpful medications.

Medications that could help with the effects of menopause include:

• A multivitamin with zinc, magnesium, selenium, the B-complex vitamins and folic acid
• Omega 3s with antioxidants
• Anti-depressants
• Hormone replacements

Hormone replacements are controversial, but Dr. Craze said she is a proponent. 

“I think the good outweighs the bad,” she said.

Some positives of hormone replacements are that they can slow the effects of aging, decrease inflammation, prevent fatigue and slow bone loss. 

Dr. Craze advises women dealing with the ups and downs of menopause to share with their family how they feel and what is happening. Family members can offer helpful insight based on what they witness during daily activities.

“I’m happy when the husband comes in with the patient,” she said. “You have a sounding board.”

Dr. Craze can be reached at Grant Primary Care, which is located at 4500 Main Street in Grant. For appointments call: (256)728-8600. For a list of doctors, click here.