Is it Perimenopause or Menopause?
by DJ Rogers
Life’s good, and then subtle changes start happening. You are cranky, depressed, confused, gaining weight, and you start asking yourself and others around you, the dreaded question: Am I going through perimenopause?
Perimenopause is another lonely road women travel in life, and one that we don’t look forward to making. The trick is getting through it to menopause with our sanity intact.
Perimenopause is another time in life when hormonal changes occur in the body. Just like going through the cycle of puberty, perimenopause can have a gripping affect on some women.
During this time, women’s ovaries are still active; pregnancy is still a possibility; however, ovary function is slowing down and it becomes more difficult to conceive. It's no wonder that during this time women are heard saying that their "clock is ticking away fast”.
It is the hormones that are responsible for many of the perimenopause symptoms. Hot flashes, palpitations, fatigue, mood swings, dry eyes, weight gain and loss, emotional distress, headaches, sleep disruption, hair loss, irregular periods, and even irrational thinking are among the many symptoms accompanying perimenopause.
For some women, most symptoms only last a few months. For others, they are symptom free. However, many women, even if they are symptom free, feel uneasy during this time.
Symptoms can be greatly influenced by lifestyle. A proper diet, regular exercise, stress management, not drinking in excess, getting enough sleep, and not smoking, all play an important part in reducing these troublesome symptoms.
Beginning in the late 30’s, 40’s and early 50’s, a disruption in the menstrual cycle may occur many times before a woman reaches menopause. This transition period from perimenopause to menopause can take many years.
Reaching menopause
Definition of Menopause:
[The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also called the "change of life"] Source: medterms.com
When a woman’s menstrual cycle ceases for twelve months, it is then that a woman is considered to have reached menopause. While the average age of a woman reaching menopause is fifty-two years old, it is not unheard of for a woman to reach menopause in her sixties.
Menopause can be an easy or difficult time in a woman’s life. Unwelcome changes occur to a woman's body due to the loss of its protective estrogen. It is for this reason that it's important to talk to your doctor about having a blood test to determine if you have actually reached menopause.
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Why do women differ in their experience with menopause?
For the most part it's hormonal, but diet, lifestyle, and genetics also play a major role in determining what types of symptoms occur.
While perimenopause and menopause are a natural part of a women’s life cycle, neither have to be looked upon with fear or dread. Instead, view them both as the beginning of a new phase in your life cycle.
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