What is Perimenopause? When a woman reaches her late 30s to early 40s, she may begin to feel that her body and mind are rebelling against her. Even if she is taking good care of herself, suddenly there are aches and pains that were not there before.
There are times when her body feels like it is going to melt from the heat it is generating. Then, she finds herself forgetting little things here and there, although she's always had an incredible memory. Only when the irregular menstrual cycle starts does the question "Am I going through menopause?" start to pop into the mind. In actuality, "going through menopause" is a term that is misused by many. The symptoms that most women identify as "menopause" is really perimenopause: the process in which a woman's body prepares itself for menopause. Menopause is the end result of this process and is when a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for 12 months. Then end of those 12 months brings to a close what can be a long, tumultuous time for a woman. The length of perimenopause can last anywhere from two to eight years, therefore younger women who have a longer experience with it may mistake its symptoms for other things. Many of the side effects of perimenopause, on their own, are not out of the ordinary for women to dismiss as normal signs of aging or due to the stresses of everyday life. If a woman gets headaches, she thinks "So what? It's stress." High anxiety levels can be attributed to their busy schedules. A bout of insomnia is passed off as lying awake at night and worrying about paying the bills or a meeting at work the next day. Also, a woman who is in her mid 30s and noticing these things may believe she is "too young" to be menopausal. |
A woman's body takes a while to shut down its reproductive system. It can be easy to forget that there is not simply a switch that can be turned off and then the cycle stops. Contrary to the way a young woman can start conceiving immediately after (and sometimes even before) her first period, it can take years for the body to wind itself down. And, in the seemingly cruel way that nature has blessed the woman with enduring the hassles of menstrual cycles and child labor, perimenopause is not a simple process.
This complex process is essentially driven by two things: estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones are the engine behind the reproductive system. As a woman matures, her egg supply decreases in quantity and quality, resulting in less frequent ovulation. When the body does not ovulate regularly, this causes irregular periods and hormone fluctuations--when the ovaries can produce too little or too much estrogen and progesterone. Changes in these hormones affect the body in many ways, including:
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All of these symptoms are the body's attempt to cope with the ups and downs of estrogen and progesterone levels. It is a lot to deal with, but many of the changes are gradual. Symptoms can range from nonexistent to severe. Treatment is available and is important for women who start to experience any of these changes, especially in combination with one another, to consult with her doctor. They are there to help; there is no need for a woman to suffer in silence. Some doctors recommend treating perimenopause as naturally as possible (through diet, exercise and herbal supplements). Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is also an option, although some studies have linked it to high blood pressure and other detrimental side effects. Only a doctor can suggest proper treatment of the symptoms of perimenopause. By the end of the perimenopausal period, estrogen and progesterone levels have reached their lowest points and this is usually when menstruation stops. After no menstruation for a year, a woman is deemed as having reached menopause. Perimenopause is not a condition that should be brushed off as only in a woman’s mind or an overreaction to aging. The symptoms are real and can cause a woman a great deal of discomfort—no matter the severity. When the time comes that symptoms occur, make the call for an appointment. Perimenopause is hard enough to go through and there’s no need to do alone.
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