Can we have nothing for ourselves? Male fucking menopause

[GNR2022]

Don’t think I can bring myself to watch this segment on Packed Lunch. Debilitating for them apparently…

No, menopause isn't a gradual reduction in hormones over many years. It's a much shorter period of rapid change, resulting in a permanent loss of progesterone and very low levels of estrogen. This causes permanent loss of reproductive capability.

A lowering of testosterone by 1% a year is nothing like the menopause.

Who takes it seriously? Most women still have to argue their case for HRT. Men are treated much better by our health systems. Look at how women post C Section are treated, levels of pain killers given etc compared to men having abdominal surgery. All of the hospital scandals have been Mothers and babies. Every report shows how women symptoms are ignored re heart conditions etc. We survive better when we have female doctors. Men don't survive less when they have female doctors. Mens suicide success rate is higher because of the means chosen, but the attempts are equal.

As above, I'd assume they are being ironic and start laughing tbh

But if they then said they are feeling depressed as a result of what they think is low T etc I'd say go to the doc ffs there's probably something going on elsewhere. Where they will no doubt be taken seriously. Whereas women (who actually have been proven to suffer as a direct result of rapidly dropping/fluctuating hormones) have to jump through hoops to get treatment.

Go figure eh?

Ponoka7

Where is your source for these figures?

Attempted suicides are not recorded anywhere for a start

The hormone reductions may be less drastic, but the impact doesn’t seem much different.

From centre for men’s health
www.centreformenshealth.co.uk/mens-health-services/male-menopause
“Male menopause symptoms include:
Loss of energy;
Low libido (sex drive);
Erection problems, especially a loss of morning erections;
Depression;
Anxiety;
Irritability and anger;
Night sweating;
Hot flushes;
Joint pains;
Weight gain;
Memory loss;
Reduced beard growth;
Lowered self-confidence;
Poor concentration/’brain fog’;
Gynaecomastia (‘man boobs’)”

The Mayo clinic lists these symptoms for Menopause
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397
”In the months or years leading up to menopause (perimenopause), you might experience these signs and symptoms:
Irregular periods
Vaginal dryness
Hot flashes
Chills
Night sweats
Sleep problems
Mood changes
Weight gain and slowed metabolism
Thinning hair and dry skin
Loss of breast fullness”

@Felix125 ofc people care about men and their issues. If at any stage in their lives they experience any of the symptoms you describe they should go to their doctor or other HCP and seek help. What those symptoms are not, are any kind of menopause or andropause. None of them are likely to be caused by a 1% lowering in testosterone. To try to label all these varied issues with their varied causes as a "male menopause" is medically invalid, and utterly unhelpful in terms of actually addressing the underlying issues and causes!

or that we must apparently always, always to center men even when it comes to gynecology...

Some things (like menopause, pregnancy and menstruation) only happen to women because of female biology - there is no need to broaden the scope of the names of these things to include men.

Some serious things (like prostate and testicular cancer, undescended testicles in boys, erectile disfunction) only happen to men because of male biology - there is no need to broaden the scope of the names of these things to include women.

Some things (like depression, anxiety and most mental health issues, most cancers etc) can happen to anyone - this is the area in which language needs to be inclusive.

Megifer

The only treatment is Testosterone replacement, but its not always used as it leads to cardiac problems. So the 'hoops' will be similar

Where did I say gradual? Oh yes, that’s right I didn’t!

And does it matter whether the reduction on hormones is gradual or not, if the breaking point and symptoms are roughly similar?

BTW, mens loss of testosterone by 1%/yr begins in their early twenties, so by the time they get to late forties, they are down by over 25% of testosterone. Plus another hormone in men called SHBG, begins to increase which binds to testosterone making the amount of testosterone bioavailable in the body reduce even further.

I think it’s silly to dismiss andropause just because it’s different and age related and normal. Could say the exact same things about menopause.

@Onnabugeisha the symptoms you list are for abnormally low testosterone, which can be caused by the normal age related reduction in testosterone. It affects a small minority of men, it is not a universal experience nor is it inevitable for the vast majority of men. It is unhelpful to suggest that a depressed man in his early 40s might be likely to be experiencing age related hypogonadism. Only around 2% of men over 65 have this kind of age related low testosterone.

RoseslnTheHospital

Those symptoms are what testosterone decline will likely display.
This happens to some men as they age.

Call it what you like - but its a thing that happens to some men due to the change in the hormone levels. And the end result can dramatic for them.

But some people on here would laugh at them - nice that i thought

Yes yes, of course, silly me. If you want anyone to take menopause seriously, first you must address the issue of age related hypogonadism in men. Otherwise it just isn't fair or equal, you see.

Menopause symptoms are also not a universal experience or inevitable for women as well. Loads of my friends have sailed through it (good for them!).

Hypogonadism is a separate issue really.

No - this subject is about 'male menopause' as it was on the TV today.
That's why we are discussing it.

Oh no they get reduced beard growth? How awful.

The list for women is missing about 10 other symptoms.

although, I wish any man going through those symptoms well and strongly recommend they see a doctor as there could be all sorts going on.

Not the menopause or anything like it tho.

Megifer ·
Oh no they get reduced beard growth? How awful.

Yes - but also depression

How awful for them when it can drive them to suicde.

I know! Imagine being dismissed as having the menopause when it might be a pituitary gland cancer or kidney problems (which also explains many of those symptoms).

Awful ☹

Nope, this discussion is about the menopause, and it being misappropriated to try to describe unrelated (obvs, because duh, men) issues that men encounter that have nothing to do with menopause-like hormonal changes.

Megifer

You could argue that for both men & women though

@Onnabugeisha as I said before, every woman will experience menopause, unless they have some other very serious health issue that has already affected their reproductive system. These issues around testosterone levels for men are not inevitable nor even typical, or even a significant minority of men. And certainly not for men in their 30s and 40s.

Being post menopausal has risks for women's health that apply across the board, regardless of whether one individual woman (or even all your menopausal friends) has personally experienced any side effects of being peri-menopausal or menopausal.

Why are posters saying that men don’t get andropause when it literally says about it on the NHS website as well as other well legitimate sites?

It doesn’t take anything away from women recognising that it is true, so why are some posters so dismissive?

No this is a thread about male “menopause”, covering the fact it’s not really one, but about men’s symptoms and health.

noones stealing a menopause thread to talk about men.

RoseslnTheHospital

The menopause is hormonal changes in your body

Because some women want to be marters and forget that others suffer and minimise that of others issues.

This site is an echo chamber of toxicity .

It’s literally a thread about male menopause! Why are you determined to make out it’s a menopause thread being hijabked?