Momentum - Spring 2012

Menopause and MS

by Alison Dale

At menopause, a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone, and menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether. Like MS, menopause affects every woman differently—not all women, for instance, experience hot flashes. Chances are, however, that everyone going through menopause will experience something—whether it’s night sweats, changes in sexual interest or response, irritability, sleep issues or depression.

Add MS to the mix, and things become a bit more challenging.

For a woman with MS, hot flashes can be as exhausting and debilitating as a hot, humid day. They can cause difficulty walking, balancing and even thinking clearly. It helps to wear layers of clothing that can be easily taken off or put back on, and to keep cold water and a hand-held fan nearby. Deep breathing, too, has been found to be effective for many women.

Menopause-related night sweats, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and other sleep issues can lead to sleep deprivation, which results in exhaustion for someone who’s already fighting fatigue. When insomnia strikes, it’s best not to toss and turn for more than 15 to 20 minutes. Instead, go to another room, dim the lights and do something relaxing, like reading a book or working on a crossword puzzle, to help evasive slumber return.

Similar symptoms

Many symptoms of menopause also occur in MS: depression, fatigue, interrupted sleep, urinary issues and mood swings. How does someone know if what

“Rock and menopause do not mix”
—Stevie Nicks

they’re feeling is menopause or MS? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. Sometimes it’s both.

Diane, for example, is 56, has MS and owns a landscape design business. During her transition from perimenopause (the beginning of menopause) to menopause, she had a relapse that lasted six months and included visual difficulties, extreme fatigue and significant depression.

“I really didn’t put it together until later, but looking back, I don’t believe it was a coincidence. I think there was a connection between hormonal changes and the episode.” More and more women believe that hormonal activity affects their MS and can feel frustrated by the lack of research on the subject.

Looking into hormones

Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, professor of Neurology and program director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program at UCLA has done pioneering research focusing on the role of hormones in MS. She and her team recently launched a clinical trial of oral estriol plus Copaxone (glatiramer acetate). Enrollment has just been completed and results will be available in two years.

Dr. Voskuhl suspects that hormones do affect MS and other autoimmune diseases. Women get autoimmune diseases more frequently than men. And women with MS generally do very well during pregnancy—and have a high risk of a flare-up following childbirth.