Get it right, I'm actually premenopausal thank you

Periods changing, hot flushes, bladder anxiousness, poor moods and sleep patterns and the lack of a sexual drive are all symptoms of menopause, however, until you actually have this diagnosed by a GP you can consider yourself perimenopause; also known as premenopausal. Something believed to be the worst stage for

Other symptoms may include: (NIH)

Symptoms of Perimenopause (NIH)

Periods are normally one of the first signs of menopause. Regularity, flow, spotting, cramps and the cessation periods can occur during this time and continue until the onset of menopause and it’s at this time that women may find relief from such symptoms.

Hot flushes or the sudden feeling of heat sweeping throughout your body or in localised areas can be overwhelming. The face and neck can become red (flushed) and red blotches may appear on the chest, back and/or arms as well as severe sweating and cold shivers. These may appear as mild cases or can be that server where it will wake someone from a deep sleep. These are called night sweats. Hot flushes generally last between 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

Vaginal and bladder problems may also be experienced. Genital areas can become dry making sexual intercourse painful. Urinary tract and other infections may occur more frequent as well as issues with retaining urine during exercise, coughing, laughing or sneezing. While such problems may deter women from sex, others feel a that it brings with it a sense of freedom as pregnancy is no longer a worry.

Sleep problems can also become an issue. Women may experience difficulty in having a good night’s sleep, some may find it hard to fall asleep, others may wake up too early and some too late. Toilet calls and hot flushes tend to be the largest contributor and exaggerate the problem.

Mood changes are the most complained about symptom besides the hot flushes. This has been related to changes in estrogens levels, stress and even family changes, such as children leaving home. Depression, contrary to the belief of many, is not a symptom of menopause (NIH).

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s fertility and production of estrogen and progesterone. It can take approximately 3 to 5 years to completely go through the cycle (NIH) and on an average will begin at the age of 50; however it can begin earlier and varies among women. The menopausal experience is a personal one and not all women go through the same thing. Some women may experience every symptom there is and others only a few (NIH).

The first thing you should do is go and talk to your doctor about this and he can run different tests to eliminate other possible problems as well as confirm menopause. He will also be able to explain the best possible course for action. Websites such as the National Institutes of health and Women’s Health Care are also valuable sources for information and can suggests ways in which you can help the menopausal cycle.

Don’t fall into the trap of self diagnosis though as there are other reasons as to why you may be experiencing these symptoms and these need to be tested for. Talk to your GP and let him be the one to confirm.

Good Luck and Take Care OB