What is “Post Menopause”?
Post Menopause is the stage following menopause and generally starts between 24 and 36 months after a women’s last period. Outwardly, the most marked difference between menopause and post menopause is the reduction in symptoms – for instance hot flashes are less frequent and not as powerful. A woman is also considered post menopausal after the removal of the ovaries because it effectively ends menstrual bleeding.A reliable indicator of the onset of post menopause is the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Found at the base of the brain, the pituitary gland produces FSH. When women transition into post menopause, FSH will be extremely high, indicating her ovaries are beginning to shut down. Estradiol, a form of estrogen, decreases in post menopause when the ovaries are no longer producing eggs. This decrease in estradiol is in turn what causes the increase in FSH. The follicle stimulating hormone attempts in vain to stimulate egg production. Basically, this means the end of periods, fer