Memory Problems
Memory problems are very annoying and sometimes disturbing. They may begin in menopause, and women are sometimes alarmed when they find they are forgetful. Although some memory loss is part of aging, there may be some transitory loss that comes with the dip in estrogen. Here are some suggestions for relief:
- Estrogen Estrogen, as with the other symptoms listed above, can be effective as a short course to ease you through the wild hormone fluctuations of menopause.
- Stress management. Whatever memory lapses you may have during this period will be much worse if you are not coping and feel stressed. See the suggestions above for stress management.
- Sleep. Even youngsters have memory problems if they don’t get enough sleep. If insomnia is making your memory fuzzy, see above for ideas.
- Good Nutrition. Eating right will keep your brain in good form. Get plenty of colorful fruits and vegetable for antioxidants and vitamins. The real memory villains are alcohol, sugar and caffeine. Try cutting them way down, or out altogether and see if it improves your ability to remember.
- Memory strategies like acronyms to remember names or streets, associating one thing with another (cue words to remind you of errands or tasks you want to do).
- External supports. Leave paper and pencil where you can easily jot down lists and reminders of what you want to remember; hang your keys in the same place every time you come into the house; keep a grocery list on your computer, and print it out to make your shopping easy; put information into a personal digital assistant (PDA) so you can easily carry the information you need. Set up your environment to make remembering easier.
Mood Swings
Mood swings, periods of irritability, crying at the drop of a hat, being “hormonal” or “sensitive” is common during menopause. If you are prone to premenstrual syndrome, then you will probably see some mood swings while you are going through menopause. Because mood swings can disrupt relationships or cause conflict women who are emotionally labile will often seek some sort of remedy. Don’t be embarrassed to tell your medical provider that you are raging or crying. There’s help!
- Exercise. As with earlier symptoms, your mood stability will benefit from exercise. Find an exercise buddy, or walk with your spouse or teenager – that way the “cure” can help strengthen relationships during this challenging time.
- Estrogen can smooth out those mood swings. Since some of your emotional swing is a withdrawal phenomenon as your estrogen plunges, keeping a steady, low level of estrogen can level you out. As mentioned earlier, estrogen has risks, so talk it over with your medical provider first.
- Meditation What isn’t meditation good for? Calming your mind can calm your mood if you practice it frequently. The benefits of daily meditation can go a long way with your menopause symptoms.
- Stress management is always helpful to even out your life and moods. See the earlier section on stress management for ideas.
- Herbal and plant extracts are sometimes recommended for managing mood. The research has not yet proven herbal supplements to be effective, but most of them are safe if used moderately, and many women report benefits from them. If you are on other medications, check with your medical provider or pharmacist before adding herbal supplements since they can interact with other drugs. Some of the herbal choices that have a reputation for smoothing out those moods are black cohosh, kava, chasteberry, ginseng root, SAMe, and DHEA derived from yams. Soy products and red clover are plant estrogens that women use for menopause symptoms, including mood management. Again, there are plenty of studies trying to sort out whether and how these plant remedies work, and so far there is no conclusive data to support them.
