COUNSELLING FOR MENOPAUSAL

PROBLEMS

Rehna Abdul Samad

181232
What is menopause?

Menopause is the natural cessation or stopping of a woman's

menstrual cycle and marks the end of fertility. It happens when the
ovaries no longer make estrogen and progesterone, two hormones
needed for a woman's fertility and periods have stopped for one
year. Most women experience menopause by the age 40-58,but
pelvic or ovarian damage may cause sudden menopause earlier in
life.
There are 3 stages of menopause :

• Perimenopause : is the transitional time that starts before

menopause and includes the 12 months that follow a persons
last period.

• Menopause : starts either 12 months after the last period or

when menstruation has stopped for a clinical reason, such as
removal of ovary.

• Post menopause : refers to the years after menopause, although

it can be difficult to know when menopause finished and post
menopause starts.
Vaginal canal- normal v/s menopause
Symptoms of menopause

• Irregular periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes
• Chills
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes
• Weight gain and slowed metabolism
• Thinning hair and dry skin
• Loss of breast fullness
• Anxiety , depression
• Difficulty concentration
• Reduced sex drive
Associated problems

• Osteopenia and osteoporosis

• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Urinary incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction
Statistics

• According to statistics the average age at menopause occurs is

51.
• The average age of onset of menopausal transition is 47.5
years
• It occurs in most women around the age of 50, unless loss of
the ovaries due to illness or injury causes it to occur earlier.
• Menopause before age 40 is considered premature menopause
and occurs in about 1% of women.
• Late and early menopause occurs in 5% of women each.
• Osteopenia(35-45%) and osteoporosis(8-30%) are significant
in Indian women
• Most cancers occur in women between 35 and 64 years.
Ways for coping

• Vaginal lubricants, moisturizers and creams

• Drinking cold liquids, staying in cool rooms, avoiding
excessive clothing and spicy food
• Regular exercises and calcium supplements
PHYSIOLOGICAL TREATMENT

• Hormone replacement therapy

• Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)
• Antidepressants
• Mood stabilizers
PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT

• Individual counseling
• Relaxation techniques
• Psycho education
• Supportive group therapy
Case 1
Sania of age 50 she is having a supportive and happy family
environment. Her periods irregular from the past six months. For
past 9 months she is having problems with sleep, anxiety and
reduced sexual drive, which lead to a strained relationship with
her husband. She is having frequent mood swings and all these
lead to disturb her healthy functioning. She had quarrels with
her daughter . She is not able to talk with her husband about
these problems
Case 2
Lilly of age 52, working in IT sector. She has attained her
menopause before one year. She is having sleep disturbances
and it lead to poor concentration and affect her daily life. she
was also having irritable mood and aggression. She was not able
to complete her work. Which lead to problems in her workplace.
Case 3
•  Larissa is 52. She's excited to be starting a new phase of
her life as her children leave home and she has more time
for her other interests. She's looking forward to traveling
and taking a computer class.

But, recent health changes have been getting in the way

of her plans. Larissa has been having irregular periods for
the past few months. Now, she's getting hot flashes and
having trouble sleeping. The hot flashes, which cause her
body and face to heat up quickly and uncomfortably, are
waking her up several times a night. Larissa is tired and
irritable from lack of sleep and fed up with the hot
flashes.
THANK YOU