You can see it in birthday cards that display the prospective horrors of the old age. Find out more about our GP phone service.While we rarely think about ageism, and we don't hear something like “Oh, he's/she's so old”, “At your age” or “Aren't you too old for that?” less frequently then we used to before, ageism is alive and well, and it's not going anywhere in the next few decades. Need more time to talk to a doctor? Saga's GP phone service offers unlimited access 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The best advice is to speak to your GP or health professional about the options available to you. Fact sheets on CBT for women are available on the Women’s Health Concern website. However, there is evidence that cognitive behaviour therapy can help women to reduce the impact of menopausal symptoms. Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) do not recommend the use of complementary therapies for the treatment of menopause symptoms. Some treatments may not be compatible with existing medication, for example some species of red clover should not be taken by women who have been prescribed anticoagulants. There is very little evidence that these remedies are effective and they are not regulated, so the quality of the products varies. There are many alternative or complementary treatments that are thought to relieve menopausal symptoms, such as evening primrose oil, black cohosh, ginseng, soy and red clover. However, the effects do not work for everyone and the drugs may also cause side effects, such as nausea and a reduced libido. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are often used to provide relief from hot flushes. Some classes of antidepressant have been found to reduce menopause symptoms.
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Regular aerobic exercise is thought to lead to an improvement in symptoms. Exercise generally improves mood and wellbeing. Alcohol and smoking have also been linked to hot flushes, so you might want to reduce or avoid these. There are a few small practical things that you can do to alleviate hot flushes, such as wearing lighter clothing, sleeping in a cooler room, and avoiding spicy foods and caffeine. There are a range of non-hormone alternatives that have been linked to a reduction in menopause symptoms: Lifestyle changes So what can you do if you are still suffering post-menopausal symptoms but are worried about prolonging your use of HRT? Need to talk to a GP from the comfort of your own home? Saga Health Insurance customers can talk to a qualified, practising UK GP 24 hours a day by phone. There is a need for effective non-hormonal treatments for those who have problematic hot flushes and night sweats, and for women who have a recurrence of hot flushes after they stop taking hormone therapy.”
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“Health professionals need to be aware that women can still have hot flushes and night sweats in their late 50s and 60s. They were still having hot flushes on average ten years after their last period.
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Professor Myra Hunter explains: “Our study looked at a large number of post-menopausal women and we were surprised to find that menopausal symptoms persisted in over half of the women.
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The study also found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduced the likelihood of symptoms but the treatment is usually only offered for five years because prolonged use has been linked to an increased risk of health problems, which include breast lumps, cysts, cancer and stroke. Over half reported continued hot flushes and night sweats, with some women still experiencing them up to 10 years after their last period. In 2011 Researchers from King’s College, London, studied over 10,000 post menopausal women between the ages of 54 and 65. However, a third of the 255 women who took part in the research continued to experience symptoms for as long as 10 years. Research from the University of Pennsylvania found that, on average, women experience hot flushes for five years. It is generally believed that symptoms of the menopause last for two to five years but research is continually providing evidence that some women are still suffering from hot flushes and night sweats up to ten years later. Post menopause symptoms can also last longer than you might expect. While many women have mild to moderate symptoms during the menopause transition, around a quarter to a third have hot flushes and night sweats that affect their quality of life.