Menopause is a rite of passage for women, but not always a pleasant one. And it can be even more troublesome for women with Diabetes. Menopause signals changes in a woman’s body beyond your control, but if you know to expect, you can better deal with the changes ahead.
What to Expect
During menopause, your body decreases its production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone until you no longer menstruate. The decrease in estrogen and progesterone creates a hormonal imbalance that may have one or more of the following effects on your body:
- Changes in blood sugar levels
- Weight gain
- Sleep problems
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Sexual issues
- Infections
- Increased risk of heart disease
Changes in blood sugar levels: Estrogen and progesterone affect your cells’ response to insulin. As you go through menopause, changing hormone levels can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate, making it more difficult to control. You might need to check your blood glucose levels more frequently during menopause so they don’t get out of control and lead to complications such as nerve damage, eye disease or cardiovascular problems.
Weight gain: One of the most dreaded effects of menopause, gaining weight can change the amount of insulin or oral medications you need to regulate your blood glucose levels. You can keep weight gain at bay if you make healthy lifestyle choices such as eating nutritious foods and exercising daily. Hopefully you have already implemented these behaviors so you don’t have to make drastic lifestyle changes amid the radical physical changes your body is undergoing during menopause.
Sleep problems: Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats may keep you up at night or interfere with your normal sleeping patterns, which can cause changes in your blood glucose levels. If this is the case, you might want to check your blood sugar during the night to ensure it is not going too low or too high.
Hot flashes: The cause of hot flashes related to menopause is not known, but may be related to changes in circulation. To decrease or prevent the occurrence of hot flashes, avoid some of the things thought to trigger or aggravate them, including stress, caffeine, alcohol, cigarette smoke and heat.
Mood swings: Hormone fluctuations, coupled with stress and menopause-related concerns about body image, sexuality, infertility, or aging can cause uncontrollable mood swings in menopausal women. Stress and mood swings can also cause changes in your blood sugar levels and make them more difficult to manage. If this is the case, you might want to talk to your doctor about taking a prescription medication for depression.
Sexual issues: Changes in estrogen and progesterone can cause vaginal dryness and a decrease in libido, side effects that are compounded by Diabetes. Ask your doctor about treatment for these symptoms, such as a vaginal lubricant or a vaginal estrogen cream to correct thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls.
Infections: High blood glucose can increase the risk of yeast infections and urinary tract infections before menopause. The risk is even higher during and after menopause when low estrogen levels make your body more susceptible to these bacterial infections.
Increased risk of heart disease: Even before menopause, women who have Diabetes have a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease, and menopause further increases the risk. You might want to talk to your doctor about supplementing your healthy diet and exercise with a cholesterol-lowering medication to decrease your risk of heart disease.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of menopause and they are causing changes in your blood glucose levels, talk to your doctor. You might need to adjust the dosage of your insulin or oral Diabetes medications or try a new medication if your current ones lose their effectiveness.
SUPPORTER