Perimenopause happens 12 months before the actual menopausal cycle. Females will experience a gradual cessation of their menstrual cycle until it permanently stops that marks the start of the menopausal stage. In most cases, this condition happens at the age of 35 in average, but can be seen late in some women.

Female may discover hormonal imbalance even earlier than the actual menopause cycle. Estrogen levels will start to drop when women reach the age of 35 or may even start late around 40′s. This continuous decline happens 12 months before menopause so it might be best to prepare yourself with information beforehand to avoid or take steps to counter the signs and symptoms that come with it get rid or eliminate any discomforts afterwards.

Facts

This condition is often attributed to the gradual decrease of a woman’s menstruation, which is attributed to the decrease of their reproductive function that is common sign of old age. Women under this stage of their life might experience hormonal imbalance as their estrogen levels decrease over time. In most cases, this occurs when there is less or no progesterone is produced.

Symptoms

It was observed that the menstrual cycle of the female species will eventually stop when perimenopause symptoms appear. Emotional and behavioral changes are the most evident among the other signs of this condition, which is often seen as mood swings, depression, anxiety, and irritability without any triggers at all. Women are mostly confused when they are under a sudden bout of sadness under a very normal day — which eventually leads to depression and its risks when left unchecked.

Women under this condition may also experience hot flashes and night sweats. Sexual behavior is affected as well, such as taking longer time in reaching an orgasm or painful intercourse attributed to dryness around the vagina. Men have also seen less sexual drive from their partners when they undergo perimenopausal stage.

There are other symptoms attributed to this condition but may vary from one woman to another. Some experience tender breasts while others do not. Other signs and symptoms include muscle and joint pains, back pains, dryness to the skin, weakness or fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, sleeping problems, water retention, and so on.

Countering The Signs

It’s true that the signs and symptoms of perimenopause might be very uncomfortable to some, but there are certain ways to fight the condition to make it more bearable.

For example, women suffering from sleeping problems due to this condition might want to take herbal supplements to help correct the problem. Same can also be said for headaches, body aches and pains, and so on.

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Perimenopause Signs and Symptoms

Weight gain is a problem that is engulfing a magnitude of people these days. In this context it is usually a result of unhealthy diet or lack of physical activity. However, women in the age bracket of forty to fifty or even those in their thirties should verify their weight gain reason because it may be result of menopause, in which case weight gain is a normal occurrence and not a fault of woman herself.

CAUSES OF WEIGHT GAIN IN MENOPAUSE:

Menopausal weight gain happens because of fluctuation in hormone levels in the body and hormones directly impact appetite, metabolism, libido and fat storage. Hormones involved in weight maintenance are estrogen, androgen, progesterone and testosterone and they affect as described below:

· Estrogen: This hormone plays a major in weight gain. During menopause estrogen levels fall and body looks at the fat cells to produce more estrogens. The body converts calories to fat cells and thus arise the weight gain.

· Androgen: This hormone is responsible for sending new weight to the body’s middle section. During menopause this hormone is in abundance and hence it leads to build up weight and fat around abdominal area.

· Progesterone: Progesterone levels also fall during menopause. This hormone is believed to be responsible for appropriate water retention. With fall in progesterone levels more water is retained in the body leading to bloating and probably weight gain too.

· Testosterone: This hormone helps the body in creating lean muscle mass out of calories taken. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells and increase metabolism. With menopause this hormone also declines and hence leads to lower metabolism and lower burning rate of calories.

· Other factors leading to weight gain can be stress or insulin resistance. Gain in stress hormones during menopause makes the body to store more calories in the form of fat, because stress hormones take the body in a storage mode. Insulin resistance is a situation where the body mistakenly turns every calorie into fat. This happens due to a consistent consumption of processed and refined foods over the years.

TREATMENTS OF MENOPAUSAL WEIGHT GAIN:

Treatments that may be followed are:

· Remaining active to increase metabolism and fat burning.

· Reduce in take of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol to exacerbate water retention.

· Do not adopt crash diets. It will slow metabolism and increases risk of osteoporosis.

· Eat balanced diet with more in take of fruits and vegetables. Avoid refine sugar.

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There are a few anti-depressants which appear to be effective. Effexor (a serotonin/norepinehrone reuptake inhibitor) is known to assist in the reduction of hot flashes and the severity of depression.

Hot flashes are experienced by more than 60% of women going through menopause. Prozac is commonly prescribed and seems to be quite useful for women who are experiencing mild to severe mood swings. In addition Prozac has been shown to assist women who are having anxiety discomforts or a general uneasiness about themselves.

For some hot flashes may be a simple warming of the body while others have a sense of great heat as if a wave for overcoming them. Hot flashes generally do not travel to the lower extremities but are rather focused on the face and chest area. Women may appear to have a flushed face.

A rapid heartbeat accompanied by perspiration and a chilly sensation. It is important for woman who are certain they are going through this change to not overlook symptoms which may be similar to stroke or heart attack as these are not related and can be very serious if gone untreated. Hot flashes may last anywhere in increments of up to 30 minutes throughout the day and women may perspire throughout the night. There are no drugs to correct this naturally occurring event.

Just take the medicine to ease the symptoms. Women with a higher coping ability seem to sort through this rather well. It is also advisable for women to be a part of some sort of support group, whether it is their family unit or something outside the home.

Many women have a very difficult time accepting this and are often susceptible to long bouts of depression which could lead to very serious forms of apathy and even agoraphobia. Speaking with others who are experiencing the same thing will greatly increase a woman’s ability to fly right through it.

Women who are experiencing high blood pressure due to menopause (hypertension) are often times prescribed Clonidine which has also been reported to relieve a great deal of hot flashes experienced. Side effects of Clonindine are insomnia, constipation, dry mouth, drowsiness which of course can make this drug a not so ideal candidate for treatment.

Other medicines commonly prescribed are but not limited to Zoloft, Anafranil, Norpramin, Adapin, Tofranil, and Aventyl. While these primarily focus on the depression aspect of menopause it is believed that these medicines also assist women in coping with other symptoms such as confusion and hot flashes. The drug of choice is specific for the woman going through this change of life and is advisable to speak directly with her primary care provider to determine which medicine works best for her.

However in this case it is best to take up natural remedies then consume medicines.

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Medications To Relieve Menopause.

The signs of perimenopause are but not limited to, fuzzy thinking, hot flashes that may be very short in duration but quite extreme. Sudden disruption in sleep, headaches, vaginal irritation, irregular periods, heavy bleeding, emotional distress and a feeling of disorientation or vertigo. There are more apparent symptoms of perimenopause such as anxiety, fatigue, extreme mood swings and the inability to stay or get focused.

The cognitive effects of perimenopause cause some women a great deal of concern and are frequently overlooked by the medical community as unrelated. Short term memory loss has been reported as well as the inability to do multiple things at once. The time in which a woman goes into perimenopause has the ratio of estrogen to proestrogen in flux which can manifest itself along with other signs as extreme bleeding. Diets high in simple carbs and low in protein contribute to perimenopaise which actually is a great indicator that a woman has some control over this event. Increasing the amount of naturally found hormones can greatly relieve many of the symptoms of perimenopause.

Essential nutrients should become a way of life for any woman concerned about these symptoms. Herbs containing phytoestrogens are recommended as well as, Soy. Dong Quai is a popular herb in chinese tradition and is used around the world to treat menopause symptoms and irregularities and more. And is said to be effective in the treatment of perimenopause.

People believe Black Cohosh contain phytoestrogens but hasen’t been proved yet. This is a north American plant. It has a long standing relationship with the native’s of North America. Only recently used by western medicine in the treatment of gynecological ailments that’s linked to menopause symptoms, infertility, bringing of menstruation and more common women problems. It has also been used to treat fevers, the everyday common cold, and more. Side effects of Black Cohosh have been headaches, gastric and stomach discomfort as well as weight gain.

Chaste tree berry or Chasteberry also known as Vitex Agnus Castus is another known herb to be used for a wide range of symptoms linked to permenopause Every woman experiences these symptoms differently while many similarities remain. It is important to find which treatment is best for the individual.

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There are many hormone therapy treatments available. There are both natural hormone replacements and pharmaceutical replacements which usually come in pill form. The most common hormone therapy treatment is Premarin. Estrogen hormone therapy has been shown to prevent bone loss, and prevent bone density. It also as well reduces the risk for postmenopausal women. Like all medications, Premarin has side effects and you need to consider these as well as the benefits when choosing this treatment. Using estrogens, may increase your chance of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots & dementia based on a study of women age 65 years or older. You and your health care provider should talk regularly about estrogen hormone treatments.

Estrogen therapies run the risk of causing cancer of the uterus when not coupled with a progesterone. If a woman experiences heavy bleeding or clotting this could be a sign of cancer of the Uterus. Though Estrogen therapy remains, the most effective treatment option for relieving symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. Progestins are commonly used in addition to Estrogen therapies. Progestin is a synthetic progestagen that has progestinic effects similar to progesterone. Estrogen comes in many forms. Some examples would be pills, patches, and creams these are just a few to mention.

The choice of type of estrogen the doctor will prescribe depends on what the women is experiencing. Vaginal creams, vaginal tablets, and vaginal rings are used for vaginal dryness, patches are used for hot flashes. It is dependent upon your family medical history as to weather or not Estrogen and or Progesterone is an effective choice for you. Folliculinum is a homeopathic treatment in LM potency and is fantastic for general usage for any woman while she is going through menopause.

This treatment will stimulate the body’s natural way of producing estrogen. Your body produces estrogen with the ovaries and a few other organs. Some of the other’s are your liver and kidney’s. These pills are generally passed over, however they are considered to be on off the gentlest products available today.

It is apparent that many options are available to women going through this change, yet it is difficult to determine an overall treatment. This should be an on-going dialogue between your doctor and you.

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Menopause is the naturally occurring end of the reproductive system and may begin to manifest itself quite gradually and often times the symptoms overlooked. A medical professional may not always be able to determine if a woman is actually going into menopause as there are only symptoms which can be treated. The best advice a woman can have is to be sensitive to her body and to listen for subtle changes as they happen. This will enable her to be prepared as the changes begin to occur.

Women may begin to experience their environment as too hot and can find themselves asking if the heat is on when it is just 60 degrees in the room. The severity of hot flashes varies from woman to woman and can be experience as mild to severe. A woman may find herself completely unable to locate things she may have just had. Her feelings of hope and ambition may be replaced with a sense of dread and overwhelming uncertainty. An unclear focus and the inability to juggle multiple things at once may present itself. The feeling of impending doom or anxiety can also be moderate to severe.

Most women who experience this on the moderate scale are often able to forego treatment for anxiety and depression while others experiencing the severe end more likely than not will absolutely need to seek treatment. there are both natural and pharmaceutical treatments available to women. many of the pharmaceutical treatments offer unsightly side effects that for some women are worse than the original symptoms.

Women are advised to stay away from heat producing foods. Foods that are spicy will trigger heat production the body. Coffee may also contribute to this and it is recommended for a woman to have just small amounts, if any. Symptoms that indicate you may very well be on your way to menopause are, but not limited to: heart palpitations, memory loss, a change in your sex drive, weight gain, incontinence, vaginal dryness, mood swings and, of course the most known symptom of menopause, hot flashes. Heart disease and osteoporosis are two major health concerns that menopausal women are more at risk of developing.

While many women great this change of life with open arms and look forward to the end of their reproductive cycle, many others are not. For those who do not welcome this change and may even dread it, the event can be very unsettling and very well may disrupt her entire life.

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Late Menopause.

Just one among other symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, dryness, mood swings, sleep disruption, irritability and general discomfort. The onset of acne during menopause and experienced by some in perimenopause can be quite alarming. Often thought of as simply female adult acne but his is not the case. The fluctuation of hormones is unsettling at best.

Women produce both male and female hormones. Male hormones called Androgens, are responsible for the development of muscles, as well as stimulating hair follicles and for producing skin oil called sebum. The Sebum is the culprit at large here. The production of sin oils is part of the equation as the hormone testosterone effects the way in which the body disposes of dead cells. It is believed that dead cells get stuck in the hair follicles and pores, with excessive dirt triggers the immune system to send large amounts of white blood cells to try and stop the flare up. The white cells get trapped as well. Since all this is trapped in the pores, the cells along with the oil and dirt, is exactly what causes the inflamed bumps or acne.

Cleansing the skin with soap-free products is a great way to keep your skin healthy. Soap’s with large moisturizer counts can and in most cases will aggravate the skin. Astringent must also be minimized. The benefits of applying astringents to the skin daily are that they remove excess oils however; this is only a temporary fix and does not address the underlying cause of the acne. Astringents and harsh cleansing may cause blackheads and can and most likely increase the development of acne. In a time when beauty seems to be of utmost importance in our culture this cosmetic phenomena can be quite alarming for a woman.

As women age they naturally lose the elasticity important in maintaining a youthful and healthy appearance. Non-comedogenic cosmetics, sunscreens and moisturizers are highly recommend as the smallest irritation will cause a break out. Benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient found in Proactive has shown to be highly effective in the treatment of women suffering from menopausal acne. It is advised for women to avoid direct sunlight as this will also be an irritation. A woman should also consider a Vitamin D supplement if she is avoiding extended exposure to the sun as it is the bodies only means of producing this hormone.

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Menopausal symptoms are being treated in various ways, these symptoms are hot flashes, urinary tract infections, sleep disorders, vaginal dryness etc. There are herbal treatments, over-the counter medicines, hormone replacement therapies, alternative therapies, prescription agents, diet controls and exercises. These treatments are described below:

· Herbal Treatments: Many women these days are approaching herbal agents to treat menopausal symptoms. Some may have proven effects; however, these agents can have adverse effects too. Black Cohosh is an agent most extensively used for menopausal symptoms; it can increase ovarian cancer risk. Flexseed, Duang Quai, Ginseng, Kava and DHEA (Dehydroepiandostrone) are other agents for treating menopausal symptoms.

· Over-the-counter Medicines: These drugs are usually called NSAID (Nonsteroidal anit-inflammatory drugs) which include common painkillers aspirins. They are used for short term relief of menopausal symptoms. Long term use can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. They also include lubricants for vaginal dryness such as KY Jelly.

· Hormone Replacement Therapies: HRT has been a standard treatment for preventing many of the health problems associated with menopause. Studies have shown an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer. This outweighs HRT’s protection against osteoporosis and colon cancer. HRT agents include oral estrogens, oral progestins, oral combination of estrogens and progestins, skin patch administration, vaginal creams and other forms of vaginal administrations. HRT helps protect bone density, urinary tract infections, wrinkles and skin aging, beneficial against mental disorders etc.

· Alternative therapies: These include acupuncture, meditation and relaxation techniques which have been proven good for symptoms such as mood swings, stress, sleep disorders and heart effects.

· Prescription Drugs: These include oral contraceptives which can alleviate menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. Anti-depressants may be used for mood management. Testosterone can be used to increase bone mass and improve sex drive. Bellergal is non-hormonal drug which is specifically used for alleviating hot flashes. Gabapentin is another drug used to alleviate hot flashes.

· Diet Controls: Healthy diet is also a way to treat the symptoms of menopause. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that are important for heart and overall heath. Soy and animal meat have proteins that protect women from cancers and Alzheimer. Slight excess of fat help protects bone. Green tea, black tea and coffee also have positive effects on heart related problems.

Exercises: For protection against major age related health problems, weight gains and bone problems women should adopt such exercise programs as suited to their age and health conditions. Hiking, dancing and brisk walking are some beneficial exercises.

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Hormone therapies come in many forms as well as dosages depending on the woman. Some will be prescribed a pill form of estrogen which is combined with a synthetic form of progesterone known as Progestin. Estrogen can come in many forms and may be prescribed as a patch, a cream, a topical ointment as well as gels. There are also time released tablets which administer estrogen in controlled amounts to the woman as the day progresses.

In 2002 a clinical trial study known as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) reported that hormone therapy actually poses more health risks than the before though of benefits of this treatment. Hormone therapy is not the magical cure for aging as was once believed, however it’s still the most effective treatment for uncomfortable menopausal symptoms for the majority of women.

Despite risks such as more likelihood of heart disease, breast cancer, & stroke Hormone Replacement therapy still seems to be the marketed treatment of choice for many women. Some reports indicate that women taking a Hormone Replacement Therapy can actual protect the heart. Information concerning Hormone Replacement therapy can be disconcerting and may cause alarm for many women.

There are more natural treatments available with nominal side effects. Some alternative therapies are: food/diet, acupressure and acupuncture, exercise, ayurveda, herbal medicine to name a few. A cup of soy milk daily can help in common menopause symptoms such as mood swings,, hot flashes, insomnia, decreased sexual interest and bone loss. Eating tofu or a soybean curd can also be essential in helping the body to restore natural hormone levels. Other foods to consider are: whole grains, seaweed, beans, fresh vegetables and miso soup. Daily exercise will greatly assist in the regulation of hormones. Dryness caused from menopause can also be relieved by consuming your fair share of water daily.

Chinese medicine once again makes it’s way to western culture by offering some really great alternatives as well. The chinese have used black sesame seeds, String beans, Barley, Mung beans and sprouts, Wheat germ and wheat germ oil. A daily does of 100-400 milligrams of Royal jelly help to tone the female hormonal system. Since menopause is a naturally occurring event for women, it is best to understand that the symptoms at some point will diminish, so a woman should seriously consider what all of her options are before deciding on a treatment.

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There is no set age menopause can start at, just like puberty they can start at any time. It normally occurs in women over the age of 50; however it can occur as early as 35 years old. Below you will find some interesting facts on menopause and the age in which this starts.

1. When menopause in women occurs earlier than the average age than it is known as premature menopause. Premature menopause occurs in women before the age of 40 years.

2. Premature menopause is higher and identical and fraternal twins and research indicates that approximately 5% of both twins experience menopause before they reached the age of 40.

3. The average age menopause begins is at 51. However some might not see their first symptoms until there in their 60′s.

4. There are many factors when trying to determine at what age you should be starting menopause. For instance a woman’s average age when menopause will occur is largely related to when menopause happened for her mother and any older sisters. Genetics may be a big factor.

5. Most women however will begin to experience indications of hormone during their early 30s and 40s. This depends on various factors such as how early your period started or the environment you live in and also the heredity.

6. Most women will spend a third of their life in this phase.

7. Very few doctors can give their patients and complete list of menopause symptoms. Not only are fair menopause symptoms, here are pre-menopause symptoms and per menopause symptoms. People get frustrated with the doctors and ask them why not? First off, it’s a very long list. A woman’s time in the doctor’s office could be very long indeed if she was to ask just for a few of these.

8. If this trend continues, women might start getting their menopause at a really early age. Recent research indicates that girls have been developing much earlier; however a new study indicates that women get their menopause when they are quite old, what this study states is that every year when a woman will be born, their age of menopause will be a month a later. Just imagine, if you compare a woman who is born in 1930 with the one who is born in 1954, the age of the menopause of the latter will be after 2 years!

9. Menopause simply means for stopping up your menstrual cycle. When you reach menopause you stop ovulating and therefore your periods stop.

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