Menopause and Mood SwingsWritten by Cathy Taylor
Menopause equals mood swings. You know, where slightest request from your husband can cause you to go off. Or perhaps cries of your child for a new Playstation game makes you lose it. Mood swings, which can trigger sudden onset of crying, play a significant role in menopause game and are often one of first things women notices that causes her to suspect perimenopause. Characteristics of menopausal mood changes include extreme irritability, concentrated anxiety, depression, indifference (neutral feeling to both good and bad situations), and nervousness. Menopause and mood swings work together because changes in hormonal levels (most notably, progesterone and estrogen levels) take place. For one, hormone levels may affect level of serotonin (the ¨emotional chemical¨) in brain, causing depressive symptoms. Women often times feel insecure and irrelevant about themselves and their current roles, contributing more to feelings of worthlessness. Other factors that trigger mood swings in menopause sufferers are symptoms they face. Tinnitus (whooshing and ringing sensations in ear due to nerve damage as a result of aging & hearing loss), incontinence (abnormal bladder behavior), and hot flashes also add on to overall crankiness a menopausal woman can face. And of course, low levels of serotonin, and lack of progesterone production that relieve stress levels, can lead to sudden onset of crying – a definite disadvantage to any woman under this condition.
| | Ten Tips for Responsible Medication UseWritten by Barbara C. Phillips, NP
All medications, which include over-the-counter preparations, vitamin and mineral supplements, and herbal preparations, are potentially dangerous. Following some simple rules will not only reduce your chance of having a problem, but should reduce your cost as well.1. Always shop around for medications – there is a significant difference in cost from pharmacy to pharmacy. Check both online and offline sources. For example, several of my patients have realized a significant cost savings by using Costco pharmacy as well as online Canadian pharmacies. Should you choose to use a Canadian pharmacy, please keep abreast of any laws that may affect your purchase. 2. Always check to see if a generic equivalent is available. Today, there are very few medications on market where generics are not acceptable. 3. If you can, have your prescription filled for 90 days. It will cost less than if you bough 30 days worth over 3 months. One of reasons is that pharmacies charge a filling fee for each prescription filled. 4. Will you medication allow you to take a half-tab? For example, if you are taking lisinopril 20mg, you can purchase 40mg tablets and break them in half – a savings of 50%. Always check with your health care provider and/or pharmacist first…not all medications can be broken. Also, consider those nifty little pill cutters…they work wonderfully. 5. Do you really have to take all that medication in first place? The best advice I can give you is to put everything into a bag and take it with you to your appointment. Make sure that you and your provider are on same page when it comes to medications/supplements that you are taking. This is especially true when you are seeing more than one prescribing provider. You may have duplicates that you are unaware of. Always ask…”do I really need this”?
|