Weight increases
Another often described sign of the menopause is weight gain despite unchanged eating habits. Many women notice, especially between their 40th and 50th year of life, an accumulation of fat that is pronounced for their circumstances. Typically, the stomach and breasts become larger, the bottom flatter and the waist wider.
The areas of the body where fat accumulates are somewhat similar to those of a man, which is due to the continuous drop in estrogen levels. As a result, the male sex hormone testosterone, which every woman carries in her body along with estrogen and many other hormones, gains the upper hand and its effect is intensified. Another reason for unintentional weight gain during the menopause is the increasing age of the woman. A slightly older person usually needs much smaller amounts of food than a younger one, which means that normal portions are often already too much and can thus lead to insidious weight gain. However, the increased fat accumulation during the menopause also has an advantage for the woman: Fatty tissue has the property of producing estrogen.An increased fat content thus increases the level of female sex hormone, which leads to a reduction of all symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency.
Similarities to pregnancy
However, some women experience symptoms similar to those of pregnancy during their menopause. For example, a feeling of tension in the breasts, sensitivity to touch and even severe breast pain, which can occur on one or both sides, are sometimes described. Mostly, these occur in the second half of the cycle, which, however, cannot always be clearly assigned due to the increasing irregularity of the cycle.
The unpleasant feeling in the breast can, however, not only become a physical strain on the woman, but in some cases also limit the tenderness in the partnership. Intimate moments with the partner, but also warm hugs with good friends can become a torture, which often leads to them being avoided. Avoidance behaviour of this kind can lead to problems in the social environment and should be clarified by an honest conversation with the partner or other close persons.
