Menopause

Menopause

Every woman’s experience of menopause is different. And whether you suffer from hot flushes, mood swings or sleeplessness, this “change of life” does not have to mean the end of your way of life.

Menopause is the natural process of your periods becoming irregular and eventually stopping. This means your body has ceased preparing every month for pregnancy - your ovaries stop releasing eggs and your hormone production decreases.

How do you know if you are going through menopause? The symptoms for menopause are varied and vast. You could experience any or all of the following symptoms:

Other changes during menopause may include fatigue, hair loss, sleep disorders, dizziness and weight gain. As bones can get thinner due to hormone changes, some woman are also at risk of developing osteoporosis. Talk to your community pharmacist about managing the possibility of weakening bones.

Many women do not seek treatment for menopause but those that do often experience severe symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most common treatment and comes in the form of tablets, creams, patches and implants.

Menopause is generally manageable if you make a few adjustments to your lifestyle. Ask your community pharmacist for advice which may include:

sticking to a health diet
getting plenty of exercise
doing weigh-bearing exercise
avoiding stressful situations
getting enough sleep
stopping smoking
not drinking coffee, or exercising, before you go to sleep
sleeping in a well ventilated room
using lubricant during sex.

It is also critical that you get support from your family and friends during menopause. Their help will assist you during this change in life. Menopause can be managed with the help of health professionals, talk to your community pharmacist about the appropriate treatment options for you.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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