Menopause and Andropause: The Baby Boomers Nightmare

Menopause and andropause ideally should go hand in hand; the problems of one neatly reflected in the other like an old married couple.  Unfortunately, baby boomer men and women do not have the same experience of the symptoms of middle age and the effects of both conditions can cause chaos in a relationship that is usually well balanced.

Psychological articles show us that it is the absence of the natural hormone DHEA (dehyroepiandrosterone) in the adrenal glands that causes menopausal and andropausal symptoms in both men and women

For men, the symptoms of andropause can be debilitating.  One of the main symptoms is depression, which can be difficult to deal with at any time of life but during andropause is made more distressing, as the usual resolve to fight off the effects of depression is not available.  Some baby boomer men find that a daily dose of St John’s Wort is beneficial in tackling the symptoms of ‘male menopause’, along with Vitamin E for those who are not taking blood thinners.  Other signs of mid life change include a lower sex drive or even impotence, although that is not to say that male menopause automatically produces sexual difficulties.

Women experience a totally different set of problems when the menopausal stage begins, the transistion of which is commonly known as ‘perimenopause’, with symptoms that are in some respects more unpleasant than the last stages of menopause, as reproductive hormones diminish. 

The menopausal transition can begin as early as thirty five and continue over an average of ten to fifteen years.  Individual experiences vary considerably but many women suffer with hot flushes; moodiness; extreme tiredness; absent mindedness and either a excessive interest in sex or a complete loss of sexual appetite, depending on the individual and also on her relationship with her partner: a lady baby boomer with a partner who is completely disinterested in sex might experience extreme sexual frustration during the menopause. 

Menopause is conventionally treated through HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), although some women prefer to try herbal or homeopathic remedies.

For couples who are separated in age by only five years, it is entirely possible that both might experience the effects of mid life changes at the same time and this can cause emotional difficulties as both partners seek extra attention and understanding to help them through this difficult period.  Psychological articles acknowledge that the effects of menopause and andropause are minimal for some baby boomers, who sail through the mid life change without significant problems.  For others, the transition is a nightmare where one of the partnership exhibits extraordinary behavior that the other finds hard to understand and deal with.