Symptoms of Perimenopause

Perimenopause, or pre-menopause is a transitional stage of two to ten years before complete cessation of the menstrual period. Its average duration is six years, and can appear in women from 35 to 50 years of age. Perimenopause marks the interval in which your body begins its transition into menopause. Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of perimenopause, this decline in estrogen accelerates. Perimenopause lasts from six to 10 years for most women. This stage begins gradually during regular cycles and ends when a year has passed since the final menstrual period. Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause anywhere from two to eight years plus the first year after your final period. It's a natural part of aging that signals the ending of your reproductive years. Many women experience relief from hot flashes after taking low-dose birth control pills for a short period of time. Approximately 25% will begin to have night sweats. About 20-30% will have abnormally heavy flow for one or more cycles.

Most premenopausal women experience changes in their menstrual cycle. Most women experience some middle of the night sleep disturbances, mood swings and less ability to predict flow. Some women will experience nausea, new or recurrent and severe migraine headaches, weight gain and palpitations. Sleep disturbances may increase and rapid bone loss begins with the onset of irregular cycles. The final year of perimenopause is from the final menstrual period for one year. Additionally, this declining/fluctuating estrogen level can produce a host of disturbing symptoms: hot flashes, increasing vaginal dryness, sleep problems, mood swings, breast tenderness and many other complications. Additional symptoms of perimenopause or menopause may include, breast pain, irregular periods, vaginal and urinary tract changes, sexual problems as well as change in the complexion and hair. Some women find that these hot flashes disrupt their sleep, causing constant tiredness, and others respond with mood changes.

Main Symptoms of Perimenopause

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling.

2. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier.

3. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.

4. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease.

5. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom.

6. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion.

7. Trouble sleeping through the night.

8. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair.

9. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance.

10. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea.

11. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor.

12. Tingling in the extremities.

13. Itchy, crawly skin.

14. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons.

15. Gum problems, increased bleeding

Treatment for Perimenopause Tips

1. Exercise.

2. Stop smoking .

3. Get more sleep and try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day.

4. Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink.

5. Get to a healthy weight and stay there.

6. Take a multivitamin supplement and ingest enough calcium.

7. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day.

Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care.

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