What are the Side Effects of Menopause? Pt I – Minor
When most of us think of problems with menopause, we think of those early symptoms – like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood shifts – that can often be alleviated by treatment with natural remedies like soy isoflavones or black cohosh. We rarely consider that time period after menopause, after the full year with no menstrual cycles is complete.

In terms of minor but long-term side effects, many of those same symptoms that happen early on can also continue after menopause has passed – that is, during the postmenopausal stage. And like the symptoms of the earlier stages, the lasting minor side effects can be just as frustrating as they were at the start.

What were just symptoms during the early stages of menopause become long-term side effects. When that happens, many women consult their primary care providers to inquire about various treatments such as soy isoflavones and black cohosh as continued remedies for the following minor, yet still annoying, conditions:

• Skin Changes – Often with menopause come changes in the skin tissue in a woman’s genital area. Vaginal walls become thin and dry, and outer areas become itchy and seem to be constantly irritated.

• Muscle Tone Changes – Along with the skin changes in the genital area, the muscle tone of the entire region can change, too. The muscle tone changes affect bladder control, and this is frequently a major cause of stress incontinent in women who have completed menopause.

• Libido Changes – Drops in estrogen and progesterone can quickly lead to changes in a woman’s sex drive. This can often be one of the most minor, yet severe, long-term side effects of menopause...even to affecting a woman’s relationship with her significant other.

The nicest aspect of considering herbal supplements like black cohosh or the natural replacement of estrogen in soy isoflavones is that these are natural products – not synthetic, man-made, artificial treatments. Synthetic medications often end up having their own side effects when used long-term. But, to date, no long-term effects have been reported by users of black cohosh and soy. And they seem to work just as well for these minor side effects that occur during the postmenopause stage. Always consult your primary care provider before taking any supplements, but be armed with the right questions about natural remedies, too!

What are the Side Effects of Menopause? Pt II – Major

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