9 Things You Should Know About Medically and Surgically Induced Menopause
Most women expect to start going through the phases of menopause in their mid-40s to early 50s. During this time, their estrogen levels fluctuate then decline gradually. The entire process takes roughly 7 years until they have their final period.
This transition is riddled with hot flashes, sleep problems, weight gain, mood swings, along with other common symptoms and side effects of menopause. It is not fun, but it is manageable since it doesn’t hit all at once.
Then there is the other kind of menopause that is not exactly natural and it isn’t a gradual process. The symptoms hit all at once even if you are within the average menopause age range. This is called medically or surgically induced menopause. Women who had treatments that caused menopause symptoms are usually unprepared and are caught off guard. Here is what you might experience with medically or surgically induced menopause.
1. Estrogen is more important than you think
Estrogen is one of the most essential hormones in the body. It is responsible for the upkeep of many tissues and organs in the body, such as the vagina, uterus, brain, bladder, breasts, and bones. The heart, blood vessels, skin, and hair also stand to benefit from estrogen production in the body.
When there is a decrease in estrogen levels, you can expect these functions to decline, and the body is left at a disadvantage. Low estrogen levels can you at risk of developing a bone disease such as osteoporosis or put you at higher risk for heart disease.
Other side effects include dry skin and eyes, thinning hair, vaginal dryness and irritation, increased risk of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), and sleeplessness.
2. Premature menopause is not uncommon
Early menopause affects about 1% of women younger than 40, but this does not mean that it is rare.
Approximately 30%-60% of women who have early menopause suffer from autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism and Addison’s disease. Genetic disorders such as Turner’s syndrome and Ovarian dysgenesis, along with infections such as mumps and pelvic tuberculosis, can also speed up the menopause timeline.
Premature menopause can also be medically or surgically induced. This means that it is caused by something specific and is not a result of your naturally occurring bodily processes.
3. Medication can decrease estrogen production
Certain medications such as chemotherapy therapy drugs and prolonged Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Therapy/ GnRH agonists (for endometriosis) can cause disruptions in the menstrual cycle and can lead to eventual ovarian failure.
This, in turn, causes estrogen production to decline and leads to temporary or permanent symptoms of menopause.
4. Removing your ovaries can induce menopause
Most of the estrogen in the female body is produced by the ovaries. Removing them has an immediate impact on your body and can induce menopause.
Women remove their ovaries for different reasons. The most common reasons are:
• Ovarian, Uterine, or Cervical Cancer – To remove cancer and stop it from spreading, a doctor might recommend a hysterectomy or an oophorectomy. This affects estrogen production, which induces menopause almost instantly.
• Endometriosis– Endometriosis is a condition that affects many women where uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus and onto other organs, which can cause excruciating pain during menstruation and lead to high-risk pregnancies. Removing the ovaries stop the effects of estrogen on the uterus and help control the symptoms associated with the condition.
• Fibroids– Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths found on the uterus that can cause heavy bleeding and pain. In extreme cases, a hysterectomy might be the only treatment option along with an oophorectomy
• Hyperlapsia– This happens when the lining of the uterus is too thick due to excess estrogen production. This can lead to heavy, irregular bleeding, and discomfort. Removing the ovaries immediately stops the production of estrogen.
• Uterine prolapse – This involves the collapse of the uterus into the vagina and can happen to women who have multiple vaginal births or suffer from obesity. The doctor might think it is best to remove the ovaries along with the uterus.
• Adenomyosis– Adenomyosis is similar to endometriosis; however the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle of the uterus.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease– While this infection can be treated with antibiotics in its early stage, if it is left untreated, it can spread and cause considerable damage to the uterus and ovaries
• Ovarian Torsion– This condition involves one or two of the ovaries becoming twisted or rotated
• Tubo-ovarian abscess– This condition results from an infection of the fallopian tubes or ovaries, which causes a sac of pus to form.
• Cysts– Ovarian cysts are not uncommon and can disappear in a few months without treatment. However, in more severe cases where are recurrent, large, and painful, it may require the removal of one or both of the ovaries.
5. Cancer treatment can jumpstart menopause
Radiation treatments for cancers (especially colon, uterine, and ovarian) can damage the ovaries, depending on how close the radiation was to the ovaries and how high the dose was.
This causes estrogen and other hormone levels to fall suddenly, which can cause temporary or permanent symptoms of menopause.
Chemotherapy medication attacks rapidly dividing cancer cells to slow its progression. However, the ovaries also contain these kinds of quickly dividing cells, which are affected by chemotherapy as well.
This causes fluctuations in hormone levels, which can intensify or stop periods and cause symptoms of menopause to occur.
6. You will experience some of all of the symptoms of menopause after your treatment or surgery
Inducing menopause through surgery or medication is not much different from naturally occurring menopause.
You can expect both physical and emotional symptoms and side effects.
Physical side effects of menopause include:
• Hot flashes and night sweats– These are sudden feelings of intense warmth for no apparent reason. They can happen during the day after having a meal or at night when you are trying to sleep. This can cause excessive sweating and discomfort that can lead to irritability.
• Bladder issues– Holding your pee might become more difficult during menopause since there is less estrogen to keep the lining of the urinary tract healthy. This can also lead to infection.
• Fatigue and sleep disturbances– Fatigue during menopause is caused by the lack of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which play a role in regulating cellular energy in the body. Other symptoms of menopause can make it harder for you to fall asleep at night or stay asleep, which can leave you feeling tired during the day.
• Weight gain– Going through menopause decreases metabolism, which means you burn less fat. This can lead to insecurity, loss in libido, high blood sugar, and increased risk of developing heart disease.
• Vaginal dryness and irritation – Without sufficient estrogen to encourage the production of vaginal fluid, the tissues of the vagina can become thin and dry, which can lead to discomfort during sex and increase the risk of vaginal and sexual infections.
Emotional side effects of menopause include:
• Anger and irritability – This can be caused by physical symptoms of menopause along with fluctuations in hormone levels.
• Depression and Anxiety– Depression and anxiety during menopause can be caused by the physiological side effects of menopause, such as weight gain or loss of libido. They can also be caused by whatever is happening in your personal life since your hormonal imbalances will make it appear ten times worse than it really is.
• Difficulty concentrating and memory loss– It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty concentrating or recalling things during menopause. This can lead to frustration and confusion.
• Mood swings– This is one of the most common symptoms of menopause and is caused by fluctuations in hormones in the body.
7. Your menopause might be reversible
When menopause is induced by certain treatments or medication, it can be reversed by stopping treatment. This will only work if the damage to the ovaries is not permanent, as in the case of chemotherapy, where menstrual periods return several months after treatment ends.
8. Hormone therapy can be a temporary solution
Hormone therapy is a type of treatment that involves feeding the body hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and progestin that is lost due to natural or surgically/medically induced menopause.
Hormone therapy can be administered through injections, pills, creams/gels, patches, and rings, each having their pros and cons.
This treatment helps to manage the symptoms of menopause and helps to lower the risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
As soon as you stop hormone therapy, the symptoms of menopause will return until you find an alternative solution.
9. What you eat can affect how you feel
Nutrition is something that every woman should take seriously, especially during natural or induced menopause.
Certain foods that contain estrogens such as soy and flaxseeds should be incorporated into the diet since it can help to pick up on where the body has fallen short. Other foods rich in vitamins and nutrients encourage bone health and addresses symptoms such as weight gain, hair loss, and skin dryness.
Final Thoughts
Menopause doesn’t always happen because a woman is “old”. It can be surgically or medically induced and can seem like the end of the world for some women.
With the right guidance and care, you can learn to treat your symptoms of menopause and cope with the changes that follow.
If you plan to have any medical or surgical treatment that might affect the way the ovary functions, you should expect to have some of the symptoms that women have when they go through menopause naturally.
