Category: Menopause

All women experience menopause, which refers to the time in a woman’s life, typically in middle age, when her ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone and her period stops. Menopause is a process, and it doesn’t begin suddenly. The body transitions to menopause over the course of months or even years. This transitional time is what’s known as perimenopause. 

As women approach middle age, it’s important to understand perimenopause and what you can expect during the transition to menopause. 

What Is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause literally translates to around or near (peri) menopause. Perimenopause refers to the time when the ovaries gradually stop working, ultimately leading to menopause. With the ovaries producing less estrogen and progesterone, the changes in hormone levels lead to menopausal symptoms. 

Perimenopause does not affect every woman the same way, with onset most common sometime in your 40s. The average duration of perimenopause is 4 years. However, this transitional time could last only a matter of months for some and as long as ten years for others.

What Are Its Symptoms?

Perimenopause symptoms affect women differently and on a large spectrum. Some experience symptoms with little notice or discomfort, while others have symptoms so acute that it impacts their day to day lives. The following are signs that you may be perimenopausal.

Irregular periods

Hormone levels are in flux from month to month during perimenopause, affecting ovulation. These unpredictable changes can lead to irregular or missed periods. The irregularities can manifest in a variety of ways, from the length of your cycle to different bleeding patterns.

Changes to your period during perimenopause may include:

• Shorter or longer cycles
• Heavy bleeding
• Spotting between periods
• Missed periods

Due to the unpredictable nature of changing hormone levels, you may experience different effects on your period from one cycle to the next.

Hot flashes

The most commonly reported symptom of perimenopause is hot flashes. Hot flashes vary in length, frequency, and severity, and may occur as often as several times a day. They can also happen at night, causing night sweats. Hot flashes tend to come on rapidly and can last from one to five minutes or even five to ten minutes. These feelings of intense warmth can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, but there are steps you can take to help manage hot flashes. 

Vaginal and bladder problems

Falling estrogen levels can cause a number of vaginal and bladder problems. Vaginal tissue may become thinner and looser, which can lead to vaginal dryness that can be irritating, itchy, and make intercourse painful. Low estrogen levels can also make you more susceptible to vaginal and urinary infections, with loss of tissue sometimes causing urinary incontinence and increased urination. 

Mood changes

Some women experience mood swings and irritability during perimenopause and may have an increased risk of depression. Mood changes may result from oscillating hormone levels, but there are likely more contributing factors. Disrupted sleep may also play a role in the irritability and mood changes found in some perimenopausal women. 

Sleep problems

Sleep problems can also occur during perimenopause. Studies have found correlations between hot flashes and disrupted sleep, but sleep patterns can be unpredictable even for women who don’t have hot flashes. Hormone changes may also affect sleep during perimenopause. 

In addition to the above, perimenopausal women may have other symptoms such as joint and muscle aches, decreased fertility, changes in sexual desire, and trouble concentrating. While these symptoms can be frustrating, there are steps you can take to help manage them. 

How Is Perimenopause Treated?

The transition to menopause is a natural process that all women go through, but women can seek treatment to manage perimenopause symptoms. If your symptoms are causing discomfort or distress, talk to your doctor about treatment options. Their treatment suggestions may include hormone therapy, vaginal estrogen, and even antidepressants or Gabapentin, a drug used to treat seizures, as both have been found to manage or reduce hot flashes. Antidepressants can also be used to stabilize moods.

Contact Green Valley OB/GYN

If you have questions about perimenopause or managing its symptoms, contact your gynecologist. Green Valley OB/GYN has been providing the highest quality of obstetric and gynecological care for over 70 years, offering a comprehensive list of services. To set up an appointment or talk about your health, call us at (336) 378-1110 to schedule an appointment.

Menopause is the natural decline of female hormones in the body. Menopausal women stop having periods because they’re no longer ovulating. Menopause happens at different ages for different women, but the average American woman goes through menopause between 45 and 55. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, the average age for menopause in the United States is 52. Symptoms of menopause may begin in the years before you stop getting a menstrual period, referred to as perimenopause. If you have any of the following signs of menopause, it may be time to talk to your OB/GYN about how to treat your symptoms and protect your health.

You No Longer Get a Period

Menopause does not actually start until you have not had a menstrual period for at least 12 consecutive months. However, many of the signs and symptoms associated with menopause begin in the years leading up to menopause. This time period is called perimenopause. 

During perimenopause, menstrual periods often become irregular. Sometimes the menstrual cycle becomes shorter, meaning periods will be closer together. Some months you may not have a period and then it will return and become a bit more regular again. During this time, pregnancy is unlikely but it is still possible. Therefore, you should not discontinue birth control during perimenopause.

You Have Difficulty Sleeping

One of the signs of menopause you may experience is trouble sleeping. During menopause, levels of progesterone decrease, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Frequent urination is another common symptom of perimenopause and can keep you up at night as well. Hot flashes and night sweats might also disrupt sleep.

You Get Hot Flashes or Night Sweats

Low estrogen levels cause hot flashes or hot flushes. This is the most common symptom of menopause. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, as many as three out of four women have hot flashes. Hot flashes may happen at night and disrupt sleep. Due to the heavy sweating associated with hot flashes, these episodes are known as night sweats.

These symptoms can start during perimenopause when you still have your period. Hot flashes often stick around for around a year after your period stops but it varies from woman to woman.

You Have Mood Changes

Because your hormone levels are changing, you may experience mood swings or emotional changes. You may become irritable or anxious more easily than before. Depression is not an uncommon side effect of menopause and perimenopause. 

Some women also find that their sex drives decrease during perimenopause and menopause. This can be due to both hormonal fluctuations and the strain of coping with other symptoms. Interest in sex can bounce back after symptoms have stopped. 

You’re Gaining Weight

As women age, they may start putting on weight more easily. This can be part of the natural aging process and may be tied to the hormonal changes of menopause. Some women may also gain weight because they are less active or have lost mobility. However, during menopause, it is common for weight to shift even if the number on the scale does not change. Your waistline may get wider and fat may redistribute in the body.

You Have Bone Loss

Bone loss is another one of the most common signs of menopause. Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become brittle and weak. This increases the risk of fractures. Bone density may decrease rapidly during the first years of menopause. You should talk to your doctor about what you can do to protect your bone health during menopause to lower your risk of potentially serious fractures.

You Notice Other Changes in Your Body

Along with the above signs and symptoms, women in perimenopause and menopause may notice other changes in their bodies. This is because the hormonal shift that happens during menopause can affect multiple parts of the body. Some women may experience:

• Loss of fullness in breasts
• Vaginal dryness or itching
• Hair loss (on the head)
• Hair growth on body and face
• Skin that feels or looks dry and wrinkled
• Thinning skin

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While it seems like a lot will change during menopause, try not to be too anxious about it. Your OB/GYN can tell you about treatments that can help you manage symptoms so you can get through it as easily as possible. At Green Valley OB/GYN, we are committed to providing comprehensive care to women in all stages of life. From the first gynecological exam through menopause management, our team will be with you every step of the way. If you are having signs of menopause, call our Greensboro office at (336) 378-1110 to make an appointment.