Menopause

Wetin be menopause?

Menopause na wen woman period no dey show again because some kain chemical (hormone) for her bodi don dey reduce. E dey usually happen wen woman reach between 45 to 55 years.

• Most of di time, menopause go happen to woman naturally. But sometimes, e fit happen because di woman bodi don go through some tings like surgery to remove her ovaries abi her womb. E fit also happen if di woman don get some kain treatment for cancer or maybe early menopause don dey for her family already. E get sometime wen di reason for early menopause no go dey clear

• If woman period still dey show every month but her bodi don start to dey show some kain signs of menopause, dat one na perimenopause. Na wen woman period no show for like 12 months before we fit talk say woman menopause don reach

• Wen woman dey go through menopause or perimenopause, e dey affect her life no be small. Even her relationship and work fit dey affected.

Di sign wey fit show if pesin dey go through Menopause or Perimenopause

Menopause and perimenopause dey affect woman daily life, relationship, social life, work and family life no be small. Even before woman period don stop to dey come, her bodi fit don dey show di signs, na dat one dem dey call perimenopause. Some women dey get plenty sign to show say menopause don land and some women no dey see anything . For example:

• Di cycle of the period go change : di number one sign wey woman fit don dey see, na change for di normal pattern of her period – e no go regular. Last last, di period fit stop finally

• Mental Health :woman mood fit dey show some changes like make she quick vex or sad or make her mood dey change anyhow (mood swing). She fit even dey get low self esteem.She also fit get some issues with memory (meaning say she go dey forget things easily) and she go dey get problem with her concentration.

• Sign for bodi

1. Woman go dey get hot flushes (dat na wen her face neck or chest go suddenly hot or cold and e fit dey make her dizzy)

2. She go suddenly dey notice di way her heart dey beat (palpitation)

3. She fit dey get some serious headache and migraine

4. Her muscle and joints fit dey pain her.

5. She go start to dey gain weight and di shape of her bodi fit start to dey change

6. Her skin go begin show some changes – her skin go start to dry, come make her dey scratch.

7. She no go dey dey in di mood to have sex like before.

8. Her vagina go dey dry and she fit dey experience some itching, pain or discomfort anytime wey she dey have sex.

9. She go dey get UTI (urinary tract infection) plenty times.

How woman fit change her lifestyle to help Menopause or Perimenopause

To dey chop good and healthy food, exercise and taking care of her mental health fit help with di signs wey dey show for woman bodi during menopause and perimenopause

Oda tings wey woman fit do include:

• To dey rest plenti, and make sure say her sleep dey regular

• Make sure say she dey chop good food and healthy balanced diet

• Dey chop food wey get plenty calcium for inside like milk and yoghurt so dat her bones go dey strong

• Dey do things wey go dey relax her mind like meditation

• She fit dey talk to other people wey dey go through di same ting like her friends, family and colleagues.

• Before she start to take supplement and local medicine, she gats make sure say she tell her doctor.

Di tings wey woman no suppose do.

• Smoking

• Make she no dey drink too much alcohol.

How woman fit dey cope with Hot Flushes and sweating for night

1. Wear cloth wey no too thick

2. Make sure di room for sleep no dey hot or stuffy

3. Baff with cold water, sleep under fan or drink something wey cold

4. Avoid tings wey go dey cause stress

5. Try dey avoid things we go dey trigger her like food wey dey too spicy, caffeine, drinks wey hot, smoking and alcohol

6. Exercise her bodi regularly.

7. If necessary, try lose weight.

How woman fit dey cope with Dry Vagina

• Woman fit buy moisturiser or lubricant for her vagina from pharmacy without prescription from doctor

• If she no sabi di moisturiser wey she go use, she fit talk to her pharmacist.

• If woman dey use condom anytime wey she dey have sex, she gats make sure say di lubricant wey she dey use na water based lubricant no be oil based. Dis na because oil based lubricant fit damage condom.

• Her doctor fit prescribe some other treatment for dry vagina like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormonal treatment like cream or pessary wey she go insert for inside vagina.

How woman fit make her bones strong

• Try to dey exercise regularly. Exercise wey be say her leg go dey support her bodi like jogging, walking, running, dancing

• She go make sure say she dey chop good food, fruits and vegetables wey get plenty calcium for inside for example milk, yoghurt, ewedu, ogbono soup and beans.

• Dey make sure sun dey touch her skin everyday. Dis na because sunlight dey help bodi produce vitamin D wey go make her bones strong.

• Make she dey take vitamin D supplement

• Make she no dey smoke and dey make sure say di alcohol wey she dey drink no too plenty at all.