Many women have never even heard of perimenopause. However, perimenopause is the phase your body is in before you come into menopause. For some it can start some time during their mid-thirties, but usually it begins in their forties. Your body is beginning the process of shutting down the ovaries for good, which causes many menopausal type symptoms.
Perimenopause symptoms can be frightening and frustrating if you do not know what is happening within your body. Some women think it is just related to PMS and that their body is reacting differently for some reason. Following are the most common symptoms of perimenopause.
Common Perimenopause Symptoms
You will find that many of these symptoms are the same as menopause. However, since your ovaries are still producing estrogen, they may not last quite as long. One of the first noticeable physical symptoms many seem to have is hot flashes. They can come on out of the blue and create havoc on your day. No one wants to be at work and have a sudden hot flash where your face, neck and chest become red and blotchy. This can be very embarrassing.
There are some other common physical perimenopause symptoms that are equally uncomfortable. Bladder leakage or urinary incontinence can be humiliating as well as inconvenient. Also, vaginal dryness and the lack of sexual intimacy can begin to happen as well. You may further notice you are retaining water and carrying a few extra pounds even though nothing has changed in our diet. These are just all symptoms of perimenopause.
In addition to the physical symptoms, there are emotional and physiological symptoms as well. You can become over emotional for what seems like little things under normal circumstances, such as dropping your car keys may infuriate you. Mood swings are one of the more noticeable physiological symptoms and can range from depression to anxiety to anger. Another very common symptom is the loss of mental focus. You may notice it hard to concentrate on work, projects and/or even your daily life.
Some other perimenopause symptoms that have been reported are the lack of energy and drive. This can make it hard to even get out of bed sometimes and can lead to other symptoms like depression. You may also experience bouts with vertigo. If you ever feel dizzy be sure to stand and walk slowly, but only after you have your focus again. This way you can avoid a nasty tumble.
In order to not fear the road ahead of you from perimenopause and into menopause, one of the best things you can do is become educated on this phase in your life. The more you know the less of a frightening mystery it will be. You should also become more familiar with your own body and how it functions from day to day. This can be helped along by making sure you see your doctors for regular checkups.
Furthermore, it is best to begin a healthy lifestyle change if you are not living one already. Include plenty of nutrient rich foods and supplements, such as dark green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, whole grains and an array of superfoods. You should cut out processed and fast foods as much as possible. This can make a huge difference on the severity and amount of menopause and perimenopause symptoms you may experience.
