Links between Menopause and Nausea
The links between menopause and nausea have only recently been uncovered. For this reason, much of what you will find here is still in the conjectural stage. Scientific studies establishing or debunking this connection have not yet been conducted, much less the effectiveness of treatments that may help with these conditions. For this reason, you should take everything that you read hear with a grain of salt, and consult with your own physician before embarking on any treatment for this condition.
Progesterone Deficiency
Some physicians have a hunch that the link between menopause and nausea may result from a hormone deficiency. Most believe that it has to do with progesterone because of the place progesterone has in the menstrual cycle. Progesterone release signals the beginning of a woman’s period. Some women find that just before the beginning of their periods they experience cramping and general ill ease. One of the symptoms they often complain of is nausea. Often this is in relation to eating and lack of appetite during PMS.
Physicians suggest that as progesterone begins to decrease, menopausal women experience similar hormonal discomfort, including nausea. A smaller number of doctors suggest that it may actually be estrogen deficiency that spurs on such nausea, noting that it is the presence of progesterone that brings on such nausea in pre-menopausal women.
Cholesterol
Still others suggest that it may actually have to do with an imbalance in blood sugar levels during menopause. If this is the case, nausea symptoms during menopause are probably much more closely related to diet than previously thought.
Fatigue and Nausea
Finally, one of the most promising leads suggests that the link between menopause and nausea is actually a link between menopause and fatigue. Most of us have had the experience of feeling so tired that we feel like we are physically ill. As women coping with menopause know all too well, fatigue is one of the major symptoms of menopause. Much of this fatigue is brought on by the hormonal shift in the body that interrupts the circadian rhythms we are accustomed to.
Often, however, the fatigue during menopause is due directly to lack of sleep. Studies have shown a direct connection between insomnia and menopause. In addition, several of the side effects of menopause also serve to interrupt sleep. Night sweats, for example, may awaken women and keep them from enjoying the full salutary effects of uninterrupted rest. Frequent urination, aches, and pains may have similar effects.
Yet another cause may arise from oversensitivity to light. Many women experience migraine-like symptoms during menopause that give them extremely debilitating headaches when exposed to light. As with migraines, these symptoms often lead to feelings of nausea as well.
Treatment
Although we are in the early stages of investigating this connection, there are some actions you can take to manage your nausea during menopause. Of course, the first step is to consult your doctor about possible treatments that may help you.
There are also certain actions you can take in order to reduce the likelihood of feeling nauseous. For example, you might avoid foods that you notice seem to precipitate nausea. If every time you have beans for example, you get sick, then simply avoid beans for a while.
If you are suffering from fatigue, there may be medicines your physician might recommend to help you increase your energy level. Until you have resolved this issue, you might consider allotting extra time to rest during the day.
Exercising and taking vitamin supplements are also helpful in effecting energy levels and helping you to remain in optimal health during menopause.
With a bit of care you can help break the connection between menopause and nausea once and for all.