Diabetes and menopause have many instances where they may affect one another, or make worse the symptoms of each other.
For instance, having diabetes complications can arise when Menopause causes changes in the production of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones affect your body’s absorption of insulin, and this can cause unpredictable and harder to maintain blood sugar levels. This opens the door for complications from diabetes. Measure your blood sugar frequently and record it for discussion with your doctor about potential changes in your diabetes treatment.
During menopause, the loss of hormones enables the bad bacteria to flourish in your vagina, allowing infections to occur. When you have diabetes, having high blood sugar levels contributes to vaginal and urinary infections, which means having both menopause and diabetes increases the risk of infections running rampant.
Diabetes can become more difficult to control when weight gain (common with menopause) occurs, causing a need to take insulin or oral diabetes medication. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet are your best weapons in combating both diabetes and menopause.
During menopause, hot flashes and night sweats can prevent you from obtaining adequate sleep. This can lead to problems controlling your blood sugar levels, affecting your diabetes. Ask your doctor about medications to help relieve you of the symptoms of menopause to alleviate the stressors to diabetes.
Another time to go to your doctor for relief is when you may experience vaginal dryness due to menopause combined with the damage to nerves in and around your vagina (due to diabetes). Together, these can cause sex to be painful. Vaginal lubricants can provide wonderful relief so that you can once again enjoy a healthy sex life.
For further reading, see nih.gov’s page on Burning Mouth Syndrome
Menopause and Diabetes FAQs
What Is My Circulatory System?
Our bodies are a series of intricate interconnected systems. Our blood vessels are like pipes and tunnels that distribute blood around our bodies. Our blood gives our cells all of the nutrients that they need. Our vessels distribute sugar, oxygen, and other nutrients. A healthy circulatory system is essential in ensuring proper bodily functions.
How Is My Circulatory System Impacted by Diabetes?<
Diabetes impacts our bodies by impacting our blood circulation. Diabetes causes blood to not reach the hands or feet. As a result, people who have diabetes tend to have a number of problems with their hands and feet, including numbness.
What Can I Do If I Feel Numbness as a Result of Diabetes?
Get a test to assess your blood circulation.
Stop smoking. Smoking negatively affects the circulation of blood in your body.
Exercise regularly to increase blood circulation.
What Are Some Common Menopause Symptoms?
Menopause is a process that occurs over time. Symptoms of menopause begin a few years before periods stop, and they continue a few years later. Common symptoms are:
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Difficulty sleeping
- Vaginal dryness
How Can Menopause Affect My Health?
Women who are impacted by menopause have an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Menopause can decrease bone density.
Menopause can cause atrophy, which can make intercourse uncomfortable.
Should I Still Use Birth Control and Condoms?
To avoid any possible pregnancy, continue to use birth control and condoms for at least a year after your last period. Lubrication can help with any dryness you may be experiencing.
What Is Postmenopause?
Postmenopause is the technical term for the time in a woman’s life after menopause.
I’ve Been Moody Lately. Is Menopause Causing This?
When women experience menopause, they can be affected by symptoms like moodiness, anxiety, and stress. These are the result of natural hormone fluctuations. Ask Dr. Geldernick what she can do to help you lessen the symptoms of menopause.
