8 Symptoms Of Perimenopausal

Perimenopause is the transitional period before the onset of menopause. Menopause is when menstruation ceases. This stage of life can last a few months or up to 10 years. The female hormone estrogen rises and falls inconsistently during perimenopause. Estrogen affects almost every part of the female body. The hormone affects your reproductive system, heart, bones, brain and many other parts of the anatomy. Your menstrual cycle can become chaotic and unpredictable. Perimenopause is experienced differently by every woman. The main sign of perimenopause is menstrual irregularity.Symptoms usually start sometime in the 40s but can begin as early as the 30s. Perimenopausal women can experience the bulk of symptoms associated with menopause during perimenopause. The majority of them can occur in the perimenopausal stage instead of the menopausal stage for some women. Many women have mild symptoms during menopause or none at all. Others may have debilitating symptoms throughout perimenopause and menopause, such as very heavy bleeding and severe mood swings. These symptoms can exhibit for a few months or many years. Some common symptoms of perimenopause include hot flashes, mood swings, and irregular periods.Perimenopausal symptoms are primarily caused by lower production of estrogen and progesterone, which are the female sex hormones. These hormones play a major role in many functions of the female body. The perimenopausal period is considered officially over after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. You should see your health care provider if perimenopausal symptoms are affecting your quality of life.

1. Irregular periods

One of the main symptoms of perimenopause is irregular periods. Your period may become longer or shorter some months. You might skip one or more cycles. You may bleed heavily or scantily. You may also experience spotting instead of a normal period. The time between your periods may increase or decrease. You are still fertile during perimenopause and pregnancy should be ruled out if you miss a period. The levels of estrogen and progesterone don't follow the pattern of a normal menstrual cycle during menopause. Hormone levels become erratic and this causes irregular bleeding. Heavy bleeding afflicts some women during this stage of life.It can become very stressful and embarassing. You may bleed through your pad or tampon in a short period of time. There are treatments available for heavy bleeding related to perimenopause. But it can also be a sign of health issues not related to perimenopause. Be sure to advise your doctor of occurrences of heavy bleeding, especially if it lasts longer than your normal cycle. Other indications of a health issue include heavy bleeding occurring more often than every 3 weeks, after sex, or between periods. In addition, bleeding after perimenopause transitions into menopause can be a sign of a serious condition like cancer.Next