PERIMENOPAUSE

HAVE I REACHED PERI-MENOPAUSE?

Peri-menopause (or Perimenopause) is the first stage of your menopause journey. Some call it Menopausal Transition and can be used interchangeably.

Whatever you want to call it, it is the time leading up to menopause. It is the time when your ovaries start to run out of eggs, the stage right before menopause.

Hot flashes did you say I'm most happy around the whole family and good friends.

How can I forget..... We we're in a friends place for dinner. The children were playing while waiting for other guests to arrive. I was helping set the table ready when suddenly... this intense feeling of heat engulfed my face, neck and chest. It felt so hot I needed to go outside to breath... for cooler air to take away the heat.

As I sat on the bench at the front verandah, I found myself fanning my face with my hands as if it can blow the heat away. It came in a flash and it's gone in few minutes! I did wonder what' was happening with me. Normally, I'm the first one to feel the cold and will not dare to venture out on a cold evening like that..... It's the middle of winter for goodness sake!

Hot flashes is one of the many first signs of peri-menopause.

I was just 41...

Peri-menopause is a Period of Uncertainty

The age you reach peri-menopause and the time it ends will be different for each woman. It can start when you're on your 40s, others may start as early as on their 30s.

Having said that, we really can't tell when but your body will start giving you clues with one or few symptoms of peri-menopause. It may start with irregular periods, it can be shorter or longer than your normal 28-day menstrual cycle and lighter or heavier than your normal flow. "These changes maybe caused by fluctuations in the production of hormones from the ovary. Some women can experience menopausal symptoms for 5 to10 years before their final menstrual period.

There is no way to predict the age at which a woman's menopausal symptoms will start or how long it will last." For more information, you can read HERE

Symptoms of Peri-menopause

Irregular period (too close or too far apart)
Changes in flow (heavier or lighter than usual)
Sore and tender breasts
PMS worse than usual
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Aches and pains
Trouble sleeping
Fatigue
Irritability
Mood swings

How To Manage Your Peri-menopause Symptoms

Women go through a lot of physical and psychological changes, and are encouraged to see your doctor. Having the right information firsthand about the things that will happen during this stage in your life is certainly a good start.

For diagnosis, your doctor may order tests done depending on your symptoms and your doctor's concern if there are changes that can be a sign of an illness. With this in mind, treatment and management is unique for each woman.

There are plenty of options, including herbal remedies available to manage the different menopausal symptoms. Ways to manage your peri-menopause symptoms can be just a simple lifestyle change; exercising, healthy eating and quitting bad habits like smoking and heavy drinking, are great ways to manage your symptoms and beneficial to your total wellbeing.

Usually, there's nothing to be concerned about. If you think you are going through the peri-menopause and having difficulty with the symptoms, there could be a different reason or factors. It's best to seek professional medical help, if you experience any of the following: