Perimenopause is a period that comes before menopause when estrogen levels in women start dropping. It’s still possible to experience menopausal symptoms during perimenopause, such as hot flashes. The chances are that the periods will get irregular as well. Perimenopause can last for months and even years before you finally reach official menopause, i.e., skip your periods for 12 consecutive months. That said, we’ll further discuss signs of perimenopause, perimenopause bleeding, the difference between perimenopause and menopause, and more.
What’s the Difference Between Perimenopause and Menopause?
The main difference between perimenopause and menopause is that the first acts as a transitional time before menopause. Once a woman hits menopause, it means that her periods have stopped completely. On the other hand, perimenopause implies that the periods will simply be irregular and unpredictable. Obviously, with no periods in menopause, women are no longer fertile. However, during perimenopause, when women still get their periods from time to time, it’s still possible to get pregnant.
Every woman is different, which means that for some, the first signs of perimenopause may show up in their mid-30s, while for others, they may start in their mid-50s.
Basically, as women age, their ovaries start producing less estrogen. This is a completely natural process that prepares a woman’s body for the time when her ovaries will completely stop releasing eggs.
On average, women will experience perimenopause anywhere between eight to ten years before they reach full menopause. For the majority of women, this transitional period starts in their mid-40s, but premature menopause is also possible when women completely lose their periods before the age of 40. This can be caused by certain medical procedures or conditions, but in the case when there’s no obvious reason for premature menopause, women are usually diagnosed with the so-called primary ovarian insufficiency.
The Hormonal Changes During Perimenopause
The majority of hormonal changes that women experience during perimenopause are associated with the lowering of estrogen levels. With decreasing estrogen, the balance of other hormones such as progesterone gets thrown off. Since these two hormones are most important in terms of regulating menstruation and ovulation, their fluctuation can trigger hormonal ups and downs. This is precisely why some women receive hormone therapy during perimenopause.
Finally, when your ovaries produce so little estrogen that the eggs no longer get released, and you no longer get your periods, you reach menopause.
The First Signs of Perimenopause
The first sign of this transition has everything to do with the irregularity of perimenopause bleeding. Namely, the periods will start getting irregular, even if before that, a woman may have had regular periods like clockwork. Vaginal dryness and hot flashes are also some of the first signs of perimenopause.
Common Perimenopause Symptoms
Considering that you have been used to a rather consistent production of estrogen since puberty, the declining estrogen levels in perimenopause will require your body to adjust. This can bring about several symptoms, such as:
- Irregular or missing periods altogether
- Perimenopause bleeding can suddenly become lighter or heavier
- Mood swings and hot flashes
- Discomfort during intercourse and vaginal dryness
- More frequent need to urinate
- Issues with sleep such as insomnia
There’s no rule in terms of how long these symptoms will last. In that respect, they can linger for a couple of months up to a few years. Some of the symptoms can be regulated with hormone therapy if the doctor finds this particular treatment useful for your case. However, it’s crucial to make your regular visits to the doctor more frequent since declining levels of estrogen can affect cholesterol and make bones thinner.
Issues such as vaginal dryness and loss of flexibility can be effectively resolved with modern treatments. That said, vaginal rejuvenation in Sarasota provides The MonaLisa Touch procedure, which is perfect for all women who want to manage vulvar and vaginal issues brought by perimenopause and menopause.
Perimenopause Treatment Options
There’s no actual cure for perimenopause since this is a natural part of a woman’s reproductive cycle. However, there are some treatment options that could ease the effects and symptoms of perimenopause. That said, your doctor might suggest the following:
- Antidepressants that could help you manage your mood swings and potential depressive behavior better
- Hormone therapy such as birth control or estrogen that are meant to stabilize your hormonal levels; aside from taking the pill orally, estrogen can also be applied as a gel, cream, or a patch
- Gabapentin medicine which is used to manage strong hot flashes during perimenopause
- Vaginal creams that could minimize issues related to vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse
Of course, before they recommend any treatment, your doctor will first examine you thoroughly as well as discuss both the benefits and risks of each treatment option with you. Certain lifestyle changes can also provide relief from perimenopause symptoms, such as following a healthy diet, quitting smoking, and engaging in light exercise regularly.
The Signs Perimenopause Is Ending
In general, there are no set signs perimenopause is ending. Symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, disturbed sleep patterns, and similar can continue well into menopause for some women, while others may only experience them for a couple of months.
Again, one of the biggest telltale signs of perimenopause is ending, and you’re reaching menopause is the gap between the two periods. As mentioned, you’re officially in menopause when you haven’t had your period for 12 consecutive months. That said, women can more or less tell when they’re about to enter menopause based on their own menstrual patterns.
Is It Possible to Reduce the Risk of Perimenopause Complications?
Keep in mind that most of the symptoms of perimenopause are not actual health complications per se. Even though they’re manageable, a lot of these symptoms won’t be truly dangerous for your health. However, as stated before, declining estrogen levels can lead to certain health issues, which is precisely why all women are recommended to visit their doctor on a regular basis for health and wellness checkups.
Furthermore, considering that irregular periods are the biggest and most obvious symptoms of perimenopause, it’s important to pay attention to them. Sometimes, another underlying problem could be triggering irregular bleeding as well. Therefore, make sure to contact your doctor if you:
- Experience bleeding that lasts for more than seven days
- Have heavy flows that require you to change your tampons/pads every hour or so
- Get your periods more often than 21 days
- Notice spotting or bleeding between your periods
Perimenopause and menopause are nothing scary as they are a completely normal part of a woman’s life. While some symptoms may be uncomfortable, and you’d have to take even better care of yourself, there’s no need to worry as this is not an illness. Of course, there’s absolutely no reason to suffer through your symptoms on your own. You can always count on our team of experts at University Park OBGYN for all your gynecological needs and concerns. We’re here for you in every stage of your life, from puberty to menopause.
