Need to talk about the perimenopausal period

Menopause: Hot flashes, night sweats, irregular menstruation. Not pretty, yes, but also not the whole story. These well-known symptoms of menopause are actually the end of the story, usually approaching the end of the menopausal transition when a woman is approaching the end of menstruation.

What is not much discussed is the beginning of the menopause. This is a period of about 4-5 years when the body transitions to menopause, usually in the mid-40s.

Did you start forgetting everyday words and people’s names? Are you experiencing extreme fatigue or anxiety? Are you frustrated or are you feeling “fog” mentally? Do you have joint pain? You may be in the perimenopausal period. or not.

“The difficulty is that there are no tests,” says Christchurch-based gynecologist Olivia Smart. Your GP can order a blood test, but one test cannot track changes in the levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, which indicate the perimenopausal period.

The best diagnosis is based on the age of the woman. Usually, the transition to menopause begins at about the same age as when the mother started. Symptoms of previous hysterectomy, contraception, or hormonal fluctuations may or may not include changes in menstrual patterns.

“Women in their 40s now often have teenage children. They are refraining from work. They may have old parents, a family to run. It tires you and makes you tired. It will be frustrating and forgetful, “explains Smart.

“Change [around perimenopause] It’s so subtle that you may not realize that they happened. Or it may simply be due to your busy schedule. “

Part of the reason why the peri-menopausal period is not so much discussed is the wide range of symptoms that can be easily eliminated. Smart thinks it needs to change.

“We prepare really young women for the beginning of their period,” she pointed out. “But I don’t know that women in their 40s and 50s feel very comfortable growing up with their friends if everyone else seems to be dealing with them.

She sees “a barrier to becoming someone who raises your hand and says,’I don’t know if I’m okay, is this normal?'” Perfectionism influences this, and women don’t want to admit their weaknesses. There is also the risk of stigma at work and at home. Women, especially middle-aged women, may be wary of being written if they admit that they are experiencing symptoms of mental weakness.

However, the perimenopausal period can cause real distress. Sharp recently treated an anxious woman who hadn’t driven a car for three years.

“It’s really hard to put your finger on, that sensation of illness, worrying,” says Sharp.

“”[Women think] It’s absurd and you probably don’t want to go out and talk about it. They may even be afraid to have conditions such as adult ADHD and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Visits to medical professionals can be ruled out and treatment of perimenopausal symptoms is available.

Smart despises the idea that menopause is a natural lifecycle event that should not be medicalized.

“I hate it,” she says. “A heart attack can be said to be natural, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. We need to promote health, and menopause is a major cause of health problems.”

Treatment can include hormone therapy, but it is not necessary. Oxford Women’s Health Smart and her colleagues have adopted a “multimodal approach” that includes lifestyle changes and complementary therapies.

“If you have other health problems, your diet is inadequate, or you aren’t working well, those problems are just as important as hormone therapy,” she explains. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and yoga have all been shown to be therapeutic in perimenopausal women.

Oxford Women’s Health regularly sees women who have lived for years with symptoms of menopause without seeking treatment or advice. Recently, we held an event, “Let’s talk about menopause,” aimed at educating women on this topic and encouraging them to move forward. With their own lesser-known early effects of menopause.

“Currently, the national and international epidemic atmosphere requires discussion of symptoms that may not normally be associated with menopause,” says Smart.

After all, symptom recognition is the first step in seeking treatment, which can “change the life of a struggling woman.”