Perimenopause – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Perimenopause - Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

As the woman grows older gradually the ovaries start producing lesser estrogen which causes a new stage in a woman's health history, the menopause. Now the stage starting few years earlier than menopause is called perimenopause, usually stating when woman is at her 40s.
 
Perimenopause Symptoms

Few signs of depression appear in PMS and also perimenopause. Menopause does not cause depression, but the depression may happen in families. If you see that loss of appetite, insomnia, depression and generally loss of pleasure or interest in life are on the list, you are likely to suffer clinical depression. Feelings as above should be shared with a health care practitioner.

Many perimenopausal women experience mood changes such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and irritability. Almost 75 to 85 percentages of women have hot flashes and sleep problems during perimenopause. The frequency, intensity and duration vary. Its hot flashes and night sweats that causes sleep problems although sleep may become erratic yet without either of the two mentioned.
 
Causes of Perimenopause

While a woman approaches menopause or enters perimenopause, she finds unexplained weight increase especially around her hips and waists no matter how hard she tries in losing excess weight. Actually, weight gain around abdomen is a very common complaint.

Menopause happens when a woman stops seeing menstrual periods permanently. The transitional phase before menstruation is completely stopped it is known as perimenopause. It is during this phase of time that huge rise and fall in hormones occur, which can create several of the signs.

Treatments for childhood cancer by "pelvic radiation therapy" or chemotherapy are referred to as a cause of early menopause.

Usually hysterectomy meaning removing the uterus only not the ovaries is not a cause for menopause. Although a woman has no longer periods but her ovaries still produce egg. Such a procedure can make menopause to take place earlier than the average.

The diagnosis of perimenopause

Most of the times the doctor makes the diagnosis according to the symptoms. Few Blood tests are prescribed for checking hormone levels but due to irregular fluctuations of the hormones it can be difficult to evaluate. Several blood tests in different occasions may help the evaluation.

What are the Perimenopause treatments?
 
Phytestrogen Plants produce many chemical compounds that are vital to the function and health of plant. Whenever the humans eat the plants, they consume the chemical compounds. One group of these chemical compounds that the plant produces is called phytestrogens. More than 300 plants have phytestrogen compounds.

Before beginning any kind of cure for the perimenopause symptoms, a woman should have a physical exam which includes full discussion about her medical history. It is suggested to have a mammogram during the last one year prior to beginning the medical therapy. If the physical examination and medical history suggest, the doctor may prescribe a "bone densitometry". The "bone density" testing is a very good idea. The doctor may order to carry out any additional tests, if required.

To Your Health!

Question by Night Wind: What are you perimenopause symptoms and treatments?
I'm 43 years old and seem to be starting into perimenopause. Tonight I have tingling in my cheeks and a hot feeling, although I'm not hot to touch. I don't know if it's symptoms of perimenopause or to do with my thyroid. The thyroid is gone and today they said my thyroid is low so they are increasing the dose. I hope that helps. Has anyone else experienced that with perimenopause? The hot flushing has gone on all evening. I'm tremendously tired lately during the daytime. I don't have health insurance so my doctor is treating me conservativly.

Best answer:

Answer by finaldx
You periods will change, heavier or lighter or longer or more irregular. Every person's hot flashes may be different. Insomnia is a big part of menopause, even above and not associated with the hot flashes. It seems that I don't need as much sleep as I used to.

I was always against taking exogenous estrogen, until the hot flashes hit with a vengence. First I tried all the over the counter stuff, which, by the way, does not work in the least. Now that is what I get a "jones" for-my estrogen patches. I always keep an extra estrogen patch in my purse, just in case I need extra.

I understand that the estrogen pills are not very expensive, as they are not under patent, and they can prescribe the generic ones for you. WalMart sells all generic drugs for four dollars a prescription.

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Tagged with: Causes • Menopause Treatment • Perimenopause • perimenopause symptoms • Symptoms • Treatments

Filed under: Perimenopause