Dealing With Perimenopause

Menopause is that period in a woman's life when she stops menstruating. It occurs when the ovaries don't produce as much progesterone and estrogen as they once did. Eventually, the ovaries stop releasing eggs, a sign that menstruation is about to cease. The average age for attaining menopause is 51 years, but it can also occur prematurely in some women.

A woman can be said to have reached menopause if she has not had a menstrual cycle in the last 12 months. There are certain symptoms that a woman will reach menopause soon. For example, her fertility will go down, her periods will change duration, their frequency will begin varying and blood flow will reduce. This phase is called the perimenopause.

Perimenopause can be very discomforting for a women because these changes occur over a period of 10 years or so. Thankfully, there are several ways to cope with it.

Tips For Coping With Perimenopause

• Hormone replacement therapy: Your doctor may prescribe estrogen replacement therapy to be applied topically or taken orally. In most cases, these will alleviate the symptoms of perimenopause.
• Lifestyle changes: You may also have to bring major changes into your lifestyle like reducing your alcohol intake, quitting cigarettes, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet, containing adequate amounts of Vitamin D and Calcium. These interventions will not only increase your physical wellness but also prevent complications like heart disease and osteoporosis.
• Mental and emotional balance: Hormonal changes can make your more emotionally fragile and reduce your confidence. Combine it with a lack of sleep and it can lead to confusion, irritability, sadness, anger and even disrupted relationships.

If you are facing these symptoms, you can benefit from natural ways of elevating your mood such as meditation, prayer and other recreational activities. Consider engaging in a new ventures like further education or career goals. You can also pursue a new hobby like painting, hiking, reading, photography or bird watching. The objective is to be busy so that you don't get time to ponder over the symptoms.

Want To Learn More About Perimenopause? Contact Women's Health Medical Group, P.A.

To learn more, contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our offices are located in Fort Worth, Burleson, Granbury and Lake Worth, and we can be reached at 817-346-5336. We hope to hear from you soon.