Tracking the Signs of Aging
Before menopause or andropause sets in, be prepared for what is ahead by tracking your symptoms.
Whether you remember these feelings yourself or you can think vicariously through your children, a lot of us recall those first awkward feelings upon the arrival of our teen years. Puberty set in and it took years to figure out how to cope with those thoughts, desires and bodily changes that started to develop. Now that you are older more changes are coming, and they can be just as confusing.
Entering a new phase in life is difficult. It is stressful, confusing and coupled with anxieties about past disappointments and future fears. This is never truer than it is at the onset of menopause or andropause.
Men and women alike experience bodily changes that pack the same discomfort and awkwardness as puberty. Mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes, fatigue and decreased sex drive are just a few of the most common symptoms of aging. Instead of wondering what these desires are, a lot of adults start to ask why they are no longer desiring their spouse—and feelings like that can lead to depression and more mood swings which can just make matters worse.
Prepare yourself for what is ahead.
Don’t kid yourself; everyone ages. The problem is that the signs of aging don’t start at the same time for everybody. Some people will be years into retirement before they really feel the impact of age while others start to feel different while their children are still in grade school. It may not be fair, but it is a reality that everyone needs to be ready for.
No one knows you as well as you know yourself. That is why you need to monitor your own progress and track changes as they develop. In the age of smart phones and advanced technology this has never been easier.
Physicians have recommended journals to chronicle health concerns for years. Keeping a food and activity diary helps a lot of weight loss patients track their progress and overcome poor eating habits. By using the same premise to track the onset of menopause or andropause symptoms you can better relate to your physician how you have been and determine if you are ready for anti-aging treatment like bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
Changes worth noting may include:
- Realization that you are feeling weak or tired
- Decreased sexual desire
- Hot flashes
- Memory lapses
- Weight gain
- Feelings of depression or anxiety
By certain estimates, over 70 percent of menopausal women are not receiving treatment for their symptoms. A lot of these women are hesitant to talk to their physician about treatment options as they are still unclear about the severity of their symptoms
It only took forgetting your anniversary once for you to plug a reminder into your phone. While you are adding that reminder, why not pull up a simple health chart and put in the simple memory lapse? Sure, it may have been a fluke as a result of a stressful month at work, but by noting small changes in your memory, energy levels and overall health you can start to track trends and changes overtime.
Don’t let symptoms worsen as you look the other way. Take charge of your health by tracking your symptoms and let Dr. Waller, or Mary Wilson, our Nurse Practitioner, know what is going on in your life.