Premenopause, Perimenopause, and Menopause - Healthline

Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeNutritionHealthyEatingMealPrepVitamins&SupplementsLifestyleDietsWeightManagementConditionsProductsPremenopause,Perimenopause,andMenopauseMedicallyreviewedbyKevinMartinez,M.D.—WrittenbyKristeenCherney—UpdatedonAugust28,2020Premenopausevs.perimenopausePerimenopausetimelineSymptomsofperimenopauseandmenopauseWhentocalladoctorTreatmentsHomeremediesOutlookShareonPinterestIvanGener/StocksyUnitedWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.OverviewMenopauseofficiallymarkstheendoffemalereproduction.Althoughthislifestageiswellknown,thereareactuallydifferentstageswithinmenopausethatareimportanttorecognizeandunderstand.Menopauseitselfofficiallyoccurswhenyoustopmenstruating.Perimenopause,ontheotherhand,means“aroundmenopause.”It’salsoknownasthemenopausetransitionalphaseandiscalledsuchbecauseithappensbeforemenopause.Althoughthey’rebothpartofthesameoveralllifetransition,menopauseandperimenopausehavedifferentsymptomsandtreatmentoptions.Anyquestions,concerns,orabnormalsymptomsshouldbediscussedwithyourOB-GYN.Premenopausevs.perimenopausePremenopauseandperimenopausearesometimesusedinterchangeably,buttechnicallytheyhavedifferentmeanings.Premenopauseiswhenyouhavenosymptomsofperimenopauseormenopause.Youstillhaveperiods—whetherthey’reregularorirregular—andareconsideredtobeinyourreproductiveyears.Somehormonalchangesmaybeoccurring,buttherearenonoticeablechangesinyourbody.Ontheotherhand,duringperimenopause,you’llstarttoexperiencesymptomsofmenopause.Theymayinclude:changesinyourperiodcyclehotflashessleepdisturbancesmoodswingsWhenperimenopauseoccursPerimenopauseoccurswellbeforeyouofficiallyhitmenopause.Infact,accordingtotheClevelandClinic,hormonalchangesareseen8to10yearsaheadofmenopause.Thishappensduringyour30sor40sevenbeforetheonsetofperimenopause.Perimenopauseismarkedbyadropinestrogen,themainfemalehormoneproducedbytheovaries.Theestrogenlevelscanalsogoupanddownmoresporadicallythantheydoinatypical28-daycycle.Thiscancauseirregularperiodsandothersymptoms.Duringthefinalstagesofperimenopause,yourbodywillproducelessandlessestrogen.Despitethesharpdropinestrogen,it’sstillpossibletogetpregnant.Perimenopausecanlastforaslittleasafewmonthsandaslongas4years.Menopauseofficiallykicksinwhentheovariesproducesolittleestrogenthateggsarenolongerreleased.Thisalsocausesyourperiodtostop.Yourdoctorwilldiagnosemenopauseonceyouhaven’thadaperiodforafullyear.Youmayentermenopauseearlierthannormalifyou:haveafamilyhistoryofearlymenopauseareasmokerhavehadahysterectomyoroophorectomyhaveundergonecancertreatmentsSymptomsofperimenopauseandmenopauseWhenitcomestomenopause,mostpeoplethinkaboutthesymptomsmorethananythingelse.Thesecanincludethoseinfamoushotflashes,buttherearemanyotherchangesyoumightexperienceduringthistransition.PerimenopausesymptomsSymptomsofperimenopausemayinclude:irregularperiodsperiodsthatareheavierorlighterthannormalworsepremenstrualsyndrome(PMS)beforeperiodsbreasttendernessweightgainhairchangesheartpalpitationsheadacheslossofsexdriveconcentrationdifficultiesforgetfulnessmuscleachesurinarytractinfections(UTIs)fertilityissuesinwomenwhoaretryingtoconceiveMenopausesymptomsAsestrogenlevelsdrop,youmightstartexperiencingsymptomsofmenopause.Someofthesecanoccurwhileyou’restillattheperimenopausestage.nightsweatshotflashesdepressionanxietyorirritabilitymoodswingsinsomniafatiguedryskinvaginaldrynessfrequenturinationCholesterolPerimenopauseandmenopausecanalsoincreasecholesterollevels.Thisisonereasonwhywomeninpostmenopauseareatanevenhigherriskforheartdisease.Continuetohaveyourcholesterollevelsmeasuredatleastonceayear.WhentocalladoctorYoudon’tnecessarilyhavetocallyourdoctortoobtainaperimenopauseormenopausediagnosis,butthereareinstanceswhenyoushoulddefinitelyseeyourOB-GYN.Callrightawayifyouexperience:spottingafteryourperiodbloodclotsduringyourperiodbleedingaftersexperiodsthataremuchlongerormuchshorterthannormalSomepossibleexplanationsarehormonalimbalancesorfibroids,bothofwhicharetreatable.However,youalsowanttoruleoutthepossibilityofcancer.Youshouldalsocallyourdoctorifthesymptomsofeitherperimenopauseormenopausebecomesevereenoughtointerferewithyourdailylife.TreatmentsforperimenopauseandmenopauseTherearebothprescriptionandover-the-counter(OTC)treatmentsavailableforperimenopauseandmenopause.EstrogenEstrogen(hormone)therapyworksbynormalizingestrogenlevelssosuddenhormonalspikesanddropsdon’tcauseuncomfortablesymptoms.Someformsofestrogenmayevenhelpreducetheriskofosteoporosis.Estrogenisavailableoverthecounterorbyprescription.Ofnote,theFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)maynotregulatesomeoftheOTCoptions.Estrogenisusuallycombinedwithprogestinandcomesinmanyforms,including:oralpillscreamsgelsskinpatchesShopforover-the-counterestrogentherapy.OthermedicationsOthermenopausemedicationsaremoretargeted.Forexample:Prescriptionvaginalcreamscanalleviatedrynessaswellaspainfromintercourse.Antidepressantscanhelpwithmoodswings.Theseizuremedicationgabapentin(Neurontin)canbeanoptionforhotflashes.HomeremediesforperimenopauseandmenopauseTherearealsomethodsyoucanusetoalleviateyoursymptomsathome.Regularexercisecanhelpimproveyourmood,weightgainissues,andeven(ironically)yourhotflashes.Plantoincludesomeformofphysicalactivityinyourdailyroutine.Justdon’tworkoutbeforebedtime,asthiscanincreaseinsomnia.Gettingenoughrestcanseemimpossibleifyou’redealingwithinsomnia.Trydoingarelaxingactivityrightbeforebed,suchasgentleyogaorawarmbath.Avoiddaytimenaps,asthiscaninterferewithyourabilitytosleepatnight.Hereareafewothermethodsyoucantrytorelievesymptoms:Payattentiontoyourdietandavoidlargemeals.Quitsmoking,ifyousmoke.Onlydrinkalcoholinmoderation.Limitcaffeinetosmallquantitiesandonlyhaveitinthemorning.OutlookPerimenopauseandmenopausearebothtransitionalphasesthatindicateanendtoyourreproductiveyears.Therearecertainlyadjustmentstobemade,butrememberthatnotallaspectsarenegative.Withalloftheavailabletreatments,youcangetthroughthesestagesmorecomfortablywithabitmorefreedom,too.LastmedicallyreviewedonAugust28,2020MedicallyreviewedbyKevinMartinez,M.D.—WrittenbyKristeenCherney—UpdatedonAugust28,2020ReadthisnextMenopause:11ThingsEveryWomanShouldKnowMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTTohelpyougetahandleonmenopause,hereare11thingsyoushouldknowaboutthistransitionalstageoflife.READMORECanPerimenopauseCauseYourPeriodstoBeCloserTogether?MedicallyreviewedbyCynthiaCobb,DNP,APRN,WHNP-BC,FAANPPerimenopausecancausealotofmenstrualchangesbeforeyourperiodultimatelystops.Butcanitcauseyourperiodstobeclosertogether?READMOREHowLongDoSymptomsofMenopauseLast?MedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTManypeopleconfusemenopausewithperimenopause.Perimenopauseisthestagewhenawomanbeginstotransitionintomenopause.Whenmenstruationends…READMORENaturalRemediesforPerimenopauseMedicallyreviewedbySuzanneFalck,MDDiscovervitamins,supplements,andothernaturalremediesforperimenopause.READMOREMenopauseDiet:HowWhatYouEatAffectsYourSymptomsWrittenbyMelissaGrovesMenopauseisanaturaltransitioninawoman’slifeoftenassociatedwithunpleasantsymptomslikehotflashesanddisruptedsleep.Thisarticle…READMOREWhatCausesExtremeHungerDuringMenopause?Hormonelevelsfluctuateduringmenopause.Learnhowthiscanstimulateyourappetite,increasecravings,andleaveyouhuntingthroughyourfridge.READMORECanADHDGetWorseDuringMenopause?MedicallyreviewedbyNicoleWashington,DO,MPHADHDsymptomscangetworsewhenestrogenlevelsdrop.LearnmoreabouthowandwhymenopauseaffectsADHDandwhatyoucandotofindrelief.READMOREHowDoesMenopauseAffectCholesterolLevels?Aftermenopause,somepeopleexperienceanincreasedriskofheartdisease,dueinparttomenopause'seffectsoncholesterollevels.Thisarticle…READMOREOur2022KindraReview:DoesItWorkandIsItWorthIt?MedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,MSNKindraisabrandthatspecializesinproductsthatmayhelpmanagemenopausalsymptoms—butdotheyactuallywork?READMORETheBest5VaginalMoisturizerstoTreatVaginalDrynessof2022Therearequiteafewnon-hormonaltreatmentsforvaginaldryness,suchasvaginalmoisturizersandvaginallubricants.Thesearethebestoptions.READMORE