wingsofanangel
08-24-2008, 04:18 PM
The term "perimenopause" is a relatively new one, which has only been in common usage since 1995. Perimenopause is a time of transition when the ovaries decrease the amount of hormones they produce, and as a result, a woman’s periods become less regular. Despite the beginning of perimenopausal symptoms, actual menopause may still be five, eight or even 10 years away.
Age of Onset
Perimenopause usually begins in the early to mid-40s; however, it is possible for it to begin as early as the 30s, or as late as the mid-50s.
Perimenopausal Symptoms
You may have none of the following symptoms, some of them, or all of them:
Fatigue
Emotional turmoil
Memory problems
Weight gain
Fluid retention
Sore breasts
Painful intercourse
Migraine headaches
Irritable bowel-like symptoms or food intolerance
Sleep disruptions
More In-depth Discussion of Perimenopausal Symptoms
Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom of perimenopause. Many women are already working so hard at careers and running households that when the fatigue of perimenopause hits, they don’t recognize it as a symptom of anything. Usually, this additional fatigue is due to insomnia, which is caused by the decrease in estrogen in the woman’s system; however, some of this fatigue can also be caused by the decrease in testosterone in a woman’s system that is occurring at the same time. It is the hormone testosterone that keeps women feeling energized. Once menstruation ceases completely, women often begin to regain their energy and feelings of aliveness.
Emotional Turmoil
Many women experience mood swings during perimenopause. These could be caused by the decreased amount of estrogen in the woman’s system. Research in Australia indicates that depression is at its worst two years after the last menstruation, but starts to lift after that. On the other hand, studies indicate that women are more likely to be depressed in their 20s and 30s than they are during menopause.
Weight Gain
Physical changes in the body include fat shifting from the lower to the central body without increasing the actual amount of overall body fat. During this time, it is harder to lose weight, but easier to put it on. This is true for both men and women as they age, because of a decrease in the rate of metabolism. Still, women between the ages of 45 and 50 put on significantly more weight than men, leading researchers to believe that perimenopausal weight gain can be separated from weight gain that is due to aging. The extra weight actually has an adaptive purpose. The extra fat cells convert androgen into estrogen. They also produce DHEA, an anti-aging hormone. Women with a few extra pounds generally feel better than very thin women.
Painful Intercourse
Forty to 60 percent of menopausal women find that the amount of time and sexual stimulation needed to become lubricated is greater than it was previously. When they do become lubricated, the amount produced is far less than when they were younger. Decreasing levels of estrogen cause less blood to flow to the vagina, which causes decreased lubrication during stimulation. This decrease in lubrication is what makes intercourse painful.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches have an unusual relationship to the menopausal transition. Some women who have suffered with migraines their whole life find they no longer have them when they reach this phase, while other women who have never had migraines begin to have them during perimenopause.
-Source Discoveryhealth.com
Age of Onset
Perimenopause usually begins in the early to mid-40s; however, it is possible for it to begin as early as the 30s, or as late as the mid-50s.
Perimenopausal Symptoms
You may have none of the following symptoms, some of them, or all of them:
Fatigue
Emotional turmoil
Memory problems
Weight gain
Fluid retention
Sore breasts
Painful intercourse
Migraine headaches
Irritable bowel-like symptoms or food intolerance
Sleep disruptions
More In-depth Discussion of Perimenopausal Symptoms
Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom of perimenopause. Many women are already working so hard at careers and running households that when the fatigue of perimenopause hits, they don’t recognize it as a symptom of anything. Usually, this additional fatigue is due to insomnia, which is caused by the decrease in estrogen in the woman’s system; however, some of this fatigue can also be caused by the decrease in testosterone in a woman’s system that is occurring at the same time. It is the hormone testosterone that keeps women feeling energized. Once menstruation ceases completely, women often begin to regain their energy and feelings of aliveness.
Emotional Turmoil
Many women experience mood swings during perimenopause. These could be caused by the decreased amount of estrogen in the woman’s system. Research in Australia indicates that depression is at its worst two years after the last menstruation, but starts to lift after that. On the other hand, studies indicate that women are more likely to be depressed in their 20s and 30s than they are during menopause.
Weight Gain
Physical changes in the body include fat shifting from the lower to the central body without increasing the actual amount of overall body fat. During this time, it is harder to lose weight, but easier to put it on. This is true for both men and women as they age, because of a decrease in the rate of metabolism. Still, women between the ages of 45 and 50 put on significantly more weight than men, leading researchers to believe that perimenopausal weight gain can be separated from weight gain that is due to aging. The extra weight actually has an adaptive purpose. The extra fat cells convert androgen into estrogen. They also produce DHEA, an anti-aging hormone. Women with a few extra pounds generally feel better than very thin women.
Painful Intercourse
Forty to 60 percent of menopausal women find that the amount of time and sexual stimulation needed to become lubricated is greater than it was previously. When they do become lubricated, the amount produced is far less than when they were younger. Decreasing levels of estrogen cause less blood to flow to the vagina, which causes decreased lubrication during stimulation. This decrease in lubrication is what makes intercourse painful.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches have an unusual relationship to the menopausal transition. Some women who have suffered with migraines their whole life find they no longer have them when they reach this phase, while other women who have never had migraines begin to have them during perimenopause.
-Source Discoveryhealth.com