What is perimenopause? Here are signs that you are approaching it

Menopause symptoms are well known however most women are unaware of a stage prior to menopause known as perimenopause The condition and related symptoms are not common knowledgePerimenopause The term means around menopause when a womans body prepares for menopause There is a depletion of estrogen or female hormone levels and women may not have monthly menstruation and thus cannot ovulateDr Kavya Krishnakumar Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Motherhood Hospital Chennai says that perimenopausal symptoms typically appear in women in their midforties It is also possible that a woman would skip this stage entirely and go straight to menopauseHeavy BleedingIts likely that your cycles are heavier because the lining of your uterus is thicker before being shed says the expert A reduction in the hormone progesterone triggers this It can also worsen other problems such as fibroids uterine wall growths If oestrogen production is abnormal small quantities of the uterine lining or endometrium can be shed resulting in irregular vaginal bleeding The time between ovulatory events can grow longer The endometrium begins to grow throughout this period and can become very denseChanges in your cycleThe first symptoms of menopause are typically shifts in ones period Your time for example may begin to occur every six to eight weeks You may have to wait a few months before it reappears From time to time you can experience a heavier or lighter flow Its important to note however that you can still become pregnant during perimenopause the doctor points outAs a result continue to use birth control as normal in the months leading up to menopause Also if you havent had your period in a while and arent sure if perimenopause has begun a pregnancy test is a good place to startHot FlashesYou become flushed and begin to sweat for 5 to 10 minutes Some women become slightly wet while others become absolutely saturated in sweat When you are awakened in the early hours of the morning you can experience night sweats she saysDr Krishnakumar suggests Deep breathing exercises can be helpful Its also a good idea to stay away from things like hot weather hot drinks and spicy foods As a natural source of oestrogen try black cohosh or add soy to your diet For moderatetosevere symptoms consult your doctor about drugsVaginal DrynessThe vaginal canal is an estrogenresponsive organ The vaginal lining is usually made up of cells that contain water allowing it to expand properly Therefore it leads to the vaginal walls becoming flexible and expandable thus facilitating intercourseHowever with estrogen levels falling the condition is reversed where the tissues become thinner thus causing dryness This can result in itchiness soreness and discomfort during sex all of which can make you feel less ecstatic Standard sex can help preserve the tone and health of the tissue Other drug choices should be explored with your doctorSleep Problems and decreased fertilityPerimenopause is known to disrupt natural sleeping patterns depriving women of the deep restorative sleep they require to face the day It can make you feel exhausted and exacerbate the other perimenopause symptoms Hormonal shifts and night sweats will wreak havoc on your sleep Good habits like maintaining a daily schedule and having enough time to fall asleep will help Consult your doctor about medical options if your symptoms are serious Since the ovulation is not regular conception can be nearly impossibleLoss of bone densityEstrogen plays an important role in bone metabolism Calcium in the bones is normally in a state of equilibrium with calcium leaving the bone being replaced by calcium entering the bone at any given time This equilibrium is disrupted as oestrogen production declines and becomes more erratic resulting in a net calcium outflow from bone Osteoporosis or reduced bone density is a common disorder caused by a significant loss of bone calcium over timeThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeverAlso Read Are you experiencing intense loneliness during the pandemic Experts tell you how to deal with it