Mouth Ulcers
Those annoying and painful little "blighters" also known as mouth ulcers can suddenly start appearing on your tongue or across your gum/lip line and can be caused by anything from stress, to certain foods, vitamin deficiencies and the dreaded hormonal changes!
As oestrogen levels begin to drop, changes to the oral mucosa can make the mouth a lot more prone to ulcers developing.
Saliva production can also reduce due to lower oestrogen levels, leading to a dry mouth and making oral irritation more likely.
Vitamin deficiencies such as B12, zinc and iron can occur around this time and can all contribute to the development of mouth ulcers.
Stress or anxiety is known to heighten during the perimenopause and contribute to the triggering of these painful little erruptions!
Spicy, acidic foods can also create further irritation.
What can help?
Keep yourself hydrated - this helps keep your mouth clean and prevents a dry mouth. ( by hydration we mean water not pinot, sadly )
Saltwater or baking soda rinses can be gentle and soothing.
Over the counter gels containing benzocaine can help numb the pain.
Consider a daily multivitamin if you don't think you're getting all the essential nutrients from your diet on it's own.
HRT for some people can help to level out the fluctuating hormones which can contribute to mouth ulcers developing.
Stress management - exercise, therapies and meditation can all help to reduce flare ups.
Book a check up with your Dentist if it's been a while since you saw them. ( we can all be guilty of that one )
Dodgy tum? Feeling a bit bleurghhhhh??
Bloating, indigestion, changes in bowel habit and IBS can all pop up due to the effect that hormone changes has on our gut and the gut microbiome.
Our hormones can affect gut bacteria, metabolism and even our liver - so any changes to our hormone levels can easily jolt our poor tums into chaos!
As oestrogen helps to regulate bile production and keeps the gut lining healthy, once levels drop we can begin to experience more bloating coupled with slower digestion. As this slows, we might even begin to develop constipation or irregularity in how often we poo.
Some women can also develop new intolerances to foods which they've eaten their whole lives. Changes to the gut microbiome can lead to increased inflammation, bloating, food sensitivities and even weight gain. We might feel more sluggish and the digestion of fats can become a lot less efficient than it used to be.
The menopause can also increase our stress levels ( potentially due to lack of sleep, mood swings or weight gain for example ) which can then increase Cortisol levels. This can disrupt our digestion further and can cause IBS-like symptoms, bloating, nausea and alternating constipation.
What can help?
Probiotics - to help support gut flora.
Try eating smaller portions to ease the digestive load.
Reduce or limit your trigger foods - cut down on caffeine, alcohol and spicy/fatty foods.
Stress management - think about increasing your exercise, yoga, meditations or mindfulness therapies to help.
Get your thyroid checked out if you constantly feel sluggish and your digestion is not improving.
*Always see your GP if you develop any bleeding in your poo or if your symptoms are accompanied by pain or nausea / sickness, shortness of breath or just not improving.
Heart palpitations/flutters
Changes in our normal oestrogen levels can affect how your heart responds to adrenaline leading to skipped beats, a fluttering feeling or like your heart is beating stronger than normal. This can feel quite scary and might increase your anxiety, hot flushes or even cause you to wake with a fright.
Hormones help to regulate the cardiovascular system and how the heart responds to stress hormones like adrenaline.
Your heart rate might increase while you're having a hot flush and your adrenaline can surge leading you to experience feelings of panic or even make your heart race!
Nutrient deficiencies can also change the heart's electrical system. Low levels of magnesium, potassium, calcium or B Vitamins can all make palpitations more likely.
What can help?
Although most heart palpitations are benign, they can still feel very scary.
* You should consider speaking to your GP if they last more than just a few minutes, if you also feel dizzy or lightheaded, get chest pain or have shortness of breath. It's always better to be safe than sorry with our heart health. Calling 111 can also help for non emergencies.*
Try to limit your caffeine intake, alcohol and sugar if you can as these are known stimulants. Think about switching to decaf.
Keep yourself hydrated.
Consider how exercise and breathing exercises can help improve your health overall.
Menopause can be the perfect time for a much needed health overhaul.
Try to find safe ways to reduce your stress.
HRT might be prescribed.
Beta blockers can also help if palpitations are severe. Speak to your GP if they are something you'd like to know more about.
Formication ( yes, you read it right )
Formication might not be what you initially thought it was. Rather than forNication which is a whole other subject best discussed over a bottle of wine - Formication the term used to describe the sensation of creepy-crawlies just under the skin surface or insects moving across your skin - without actually seeing anything there.
This particularly unpleasant symptom can sometimes drive you to absolute distraction, scratching and clawing at the area despite no obvious cause being visible.
Fluctuating and low levels of oestrogen cause skin sensations such as tingling, prickling, burning and itching as healthy nerve signalling becomes disrupted. Normal blood flow to the tissues can also change skin health, thickness and lack of hydration. Nerve endings can become more sensitive and send some odd signals to our brain. Skin might become drier and amplify unusual sensations which the brain can then interpret as itching/crawling.
What can help?
Hydration and moisturisation - again, keep yourself well hydrated to help with skin elasticity and repair. Moisturise can help protect the outer layer and retain moisture below the surface.
HRT - if this symptom appears to be related to fluctuating and declining hormone levels.
Antihistamines - can help to calm nerve receptors BUT - do be cautious as they can also contribute to drying tissues out further ( including the vaginal tissues, so watch out if you already struggle with vaginal dryness )
Aloe vera
Supplements might help with potential vitamin deficiencies such as Magnesium or B vitamins.
Feeling more meh than yeahhh!?
As we begin to feel a shift in our usual hormone levels we might start to feel some emotional changes occurring which can affect how we normally feel about ourselves. Many people report feeling unsure of themselves, their abilities and just not having the drive or motivation that they used to have. Some feel they can no longer do the job they've done all their life or that they would rather not go out or take part in any socialising.
Just "can't be ar*ed?" Yip - we totally get it! It's a very well known feeling among those in the peri and post menopause.
Hormones play a huge role in the regulation of our mood, focus and drive.
Oestrogen helps to regulate serotonin and dopamine - the neurotransmitters which are linked to happiness and motivation.
When hormone levels dip and decline so too can our sense of clarity, energy levels, ability to rationalise or have confidence in our abilities.
As mood changes can be so erratic at this time, we might develop feelings of irritability, rage or low mood which can feel confusing, upsetting and unsettling afterwards. Some people feel that the range and unpredictability of their emotional changes makes them really doubt themselves and they might feel that withdrawing from social circles or people is just easier than dealing with the emotional changes they're experiencing.
Changes to our physical appearance due to weight gain, skin changes or hair thinning might make us feel less youthful or just less like our usual selves.
( psst - we like you exactly as you are! )
What can help?
If the changes you're feeling have appeared around the time of other changes taking place such as period changes, new physical symptoms such as hot flushes, muscle/joint aches, less interest in intimacy, hair thinning/loss or weight gain - it's possible that the feelings you are experiencing are due to fluctuating and declining hormone levels. Once you have confirmation of this by a qualified, clinical menopause practitioner, you can start to build on some self compassion and rationalise the changes taking place.
HRT can help many people by levelling out the hormonal peaks and troughs, making it feel less like you're on the crazy lady rollercoaster.
Incorporating exercise, relaxation and stress busting alleviators like meditation, breath work and mindfulness can all help in combination.
Speak to your GP about how you've been feeling. Consider whether you might be deficient in vitamins and nutrients or normal thyroid levels. It's not uncommon for our thyroid regulation to change at this time.
Anti depressants are not considered to be a first line treatment option for mood changes occurring at the time of the menopause. These will not replace the hormones which can cause mood shifts at this time.
Anti depressants can however still be used alongside HRT to help manage persistent or worsening depression caused by factors outwith hormonal decline.
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