Type 1 And 2 Diabetes And Menopause - The Effects Of Diabetes On Menopause
By Michael Mensa
Most women who are approaching menopause are aware that it will cause their hormone levels to change, however most women are not aware that it can also cause a change in the levels of blood glucose. This is a problem for diabetic women, in fact sometimes diabetics only discover they are approaching menopause when they suffer hypoglycemia. In this article we look at Type 1 and 2 Diabetes and menopause, the affects and how to cope with diabetes during menopause.
Menopause can be tougher for a woman suffering from diabetes because they have to monitor their blood glucose levels as well as manage the symptoms of menopause. It is also highly likely that a diabetic woman will need to change the dosage of their medication or insulin as a direct result of menopause.
How does Menopause affect Diabetes? During menopause there is a reduction in the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. The reduction of these hormones can play havoc with blood sugar levels.
During perimenopause many women find that their blood sugar levels increase, during this time the body becomes more resistant to insulin which causes this increase in blood sugar levels.
When a woman reaches menopause the body becomes sensitive to insulin like it was prior to premenopause , furthermore the levels of estrogen and progesterone decline for good, as a result the blood sugar levels drop.
Menopause has a slightly different affect on diabetic women depending on what type of diabetes they suffer from. Type 1 diabetes sufferers tend too go through menopause earlier than other women, whilst type 2 diabetes sufferers go through menopause later than other women, this often happens to women above the recommended weight.
If you are diabetic and you are going through menopause it is very important that you continue to follow a healthy diet. It is also just as important to get exercise and lead an active lifestyle. When women gain weight it reduces their ability to absorb insulin, since insulin is used to treat diabetes, it is very important that you try and maintain a healthy weight. Besides, leading an active lifestyle, eating healthily will also help you to cope with menopause.
On of the problems that face diabetic women who are going through menopause is the fact that diabetes shares some of the same symptoms as menopause. These include dizziness, fatigue, moodiness, and elevated body temperature. Fortunately you can tell what the cause of your symptoms is by taking a blood test. It is important to distinguish the cause of these symptoms because you may end up accidentally overdosing on insulin because you thought your diabetes was causing the symptoms when in fact it was menopause.
This article looked at diabetes and menopause, the affects of diabetes and menopause, and how to cope with diabetes when you are going through menopause.
For more information on menopause head over to [http://www.menopausefactsonline.com]
http://www.menopausefactsonline.com, where you can also find out about target=_new [http://www.menopausefactsonline.com/weight_loss_and_menopause.php]weight loss and menopause and target=_new [http://www.menopausefactsonline.com/]early menopause symptoms.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Mensa http://EzineArticles.com/?Type-1-And-2-Diabetes-And-Menopause---The-Effects-Of-Diabetes-On-Menopause&id=980168
Home 
