Perimenopause seems to be a name that we all are unfamiliar with. But all women have to go through the symptoms and discomfort of perimenopause at some point in their life. This makes it important for us to know what it means and what to expect. What is perimenopause? Perimenopause is nothing but the transition phase when you are on the road to menopause. A medley of uncomfortable symptoms like night sweats, sleeplessness, forgetfulness, anger etc. surface during this stage, driving you crazy. Your menstrual cycles become irregular as a result of estrogen fluctuation in the body and there would also be a hoard of symptoms that could catch you off guard. Here are 11 symptoms associated with perimenopause.
1. Unpredictability
Once you enter the phase of premenstrual cycle, everything becomes unpredictable. Most women enter this stage between the age of 45-55. The symptoms can go on for 2-10 years depending on your genetics. The symptoms normally start when you have missed your periods for several months altogether which can be anywhere from 3 to 12 months. There will be associated discomforts like hot flashes and insomnia which will get worse as the oestrogen levels plummet. Though there is no such cure for this condition, quitting habits like smoking might help.
2. Mood swings
Perimenopause will be a season of extreme mood swings that you have never felt before. You might get irritated even with simple things and can react violently to small disturbances. Research suggests that half of the women who are in perimenopause stage have intense mood swings that can fluctuate between anger, despair, anxiety or moodiness. Mood swings can be controlled with meditation and yoga and also by taking Vitamin B rich food and supplements. Hormone therapy too can be tried for severe mood disorders.
3. Hot flashes
Hot flashes are experienced by almost 80% of the women who are in perimenopause. There would be a sudden rise in temperature that can last for a few minutes which will leave you drenched in sweat and flushed in the face. Though no cause is attributed to this condition, it could be because of the mixed signal transmission to the brain. You must identify the triggers and stay away from it as much as possible. Wear loose clothing and try herbal remedies like black cohosh in such cases. Soy products with isoflavones too are known to reduce hot flashes.
4. Irregular menstruation
This is the time for you to stock up on tampons as your periods become unpredictable. It can be light, heavy or clumpy and can surface any time along with severe cramps. At times you would not get your periods at all for months and then resume a normal cycle later on. Birth control pills can help in regulating the cycle in such cases. Talk to your gynaecologist about possible measures you can take.
5. Surprise pregnancy
Many women believe that pregnancy is impossible when they are in the perimenopause stage and throw caution in the air. Don’t expose yourself to a late pregnancy by being careless. Though your fertility definitely reduces, as long as you get your periods, you can still get pregnant. Therefore, ensure that you use protection at all times.
6. Weight gain
At the time of perimenopause, the body starts preparing for the changes. The body will start storing more fat around the hip and thighs. As the estrogen levels dip, the testosterone levels increase, causing weight to be accumulated in the waist. The fluctuations in the hormone will lead to the release of stress hormones as well which will lead to fat in the body. Exercise will help in combating the muscle loss and in burning the extra fat.
7. Low sex drive
Due to the hormone fluctuations, your sex drive too will be hit considerably. But this is a temporary phase and after menopause the sex drive mostly returns. But there would be other worries to take care of like vaginal dryness which can be a great put off due to the pain and hurt. You can use lubricants and topical estrogen in such cases to combat the low sex drive and increase your pleasure.
8. Forgetfulness
A permanent fixture as you age, during the perimenopausal days, you could feel the effects on a larger scale. More than 60% of the women have reported short term memory loss when they cannot remember the names of common place things and cannot concentrate. This too is temporary and will be set right once you reach menopause. Make a constant effort to train your mind to concentrate.
9. Insomnia
All women who are in perimenopause stage will have some form of insomnia setting in. This will be aggravated with hot flashes, night sweats and stress caused due to the entire episode. Herbal remedies like chamomile tea can be taken 2-3 times a day to calm your spirits. It is also important to keep your room cool and prevent any disturbances during the sleep. Meditation and relaxation techniques will help a lot when you have insomnia.
10. Hormone therapy
Birth control pills can be used for regulating the hormone fluctuations in the body. Hormone therapy too can be safely tried for a short period of time to ease the symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. However, make sure that you do not go through HRT if you are in the high risk category for breast and ovarian cancer.
There are also natural hormones that can be used in the place of artificial ones. These are progesterone creams made from yams, flax seed oil, soy products etc.
11. Excessive hair growth
Many women deal with excessive hair growth on their face and other areas which could be annoying. When estrogen levels decline, the male androgens become dominant and cause hair growth, especially in areas like the upper lip and chin. The shift in the hormone will also cause excessive hair loss on your head which is very disturbing. Birth control pills and anti androgen drugs can be used for excessive hair growth.