What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause can cause dramatic negative changes to your quality of life but symptoms can be easily treated!
If you are impatient to discover your options you can go straight to the treatment options page
Perimenopause is your reproductive system winding down over the next 10 to 15 years, in anticipation of menopause, the end of your childbearing years. (‘Peri’ means around and ‘menopause’ means cessation of monthly periods).
Perimenopause signals the beginning of dramatic changes in your body, moods and ability to maintain your existing lifestyle.
However, it is possible to stop these changes and maintain your lifestyle by ensuring that the hormonal changes that cause perimenopause and menopause itself are prevented from occurring by starting a program of bio-identical hormone supplementation.
Perimenopausal ovaries no longer produce a predictable amount of the hormones progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. Perimenopause is an expected, natural part of ageing and not a disease.
Some women have no or very mild symptoms. However, in many women perimenopause leads to:
- insomnia,
- fatigue,
- weight gain,
- forgetfulness,
- mood swings,
- hot flashes,
- menstrual problems and
- loss of sexual desire.
Around age 35, your hormones will alert you that your reproductive capacity is reduced. You will most likely experience perimenopausal symptoms of varying intensity from age 42 until 51. Acute discomfort may last for 3 to 6 years if you do not take steps to control it.
Menopause occurs the day after your final period finishes, so it is diagnosed in hindsight. It is the definitive end of menstruation and fertility, when no menstrual periods have occurred for 12 consecutive months. (‘Mens’ is Greek for month and ‘pausis’ means cease.) Menopause is also called the change of life or climacteric.
"My mood swings had reached such a state that I was worried that I was destroying my marriage. Looking back I now see that I had changed into some sort of monster.
After having treated myself I am back to my old self, much happier and the flashes have disappeared as well."
Claire. B.
Many people use the term ‘menopause’ to also cover perimenopause, when symptoms of the change of life begin, but this is incorrect usage of the term.
Menopause may be a survival adaptation in humans. Perhaps it evolved to provide experienced caregivers who could guard and teach grandchildren, supplement the food supply, and increase their grandchildren’s chances of survival in times of privation.
If you want to discover your options please visit the treatment options page
