Everyone knows about menopause, but how aware are people of the issue of perimenopause? Perimenopause is the transitional period in a woman’s life leading up to menopause, which is when a woman’s menstrual periods permanently stop.
Perimenopause typically begins in a woman’s 40s, although it can start earlier or later, and lasts anywhere from a few years to up to a decade. During perimenopause, the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen, a key female sex hormone. This decline in estrogen can cause a variety of physical and emotional symptoms.
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And actress Alyssa Milano produced a docuseries about it called “Balance: A Perimenopause Journey.” The four-part series is currently under production.
Milano told Variety that in the series they shed “light on the relentless stigma and dismissal many perimenopausal women face when it comes to their hormonal experiences, and we advocate for increased research and support, which should include the input of women in the medical field. Under the umbrella term ‘healthcare,’ women’s health is not sufficiently prioritized here in the U.S., or in most countries around the world.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, Women start perimenopause at different ages. You may notice signs of progression toward menopause, such as menstrual irregularity, sometime in your 40s. But some women notice changes as early as their mid-30s.
The level of estrogen — the main female hormone — in your body rises and falls unevenly during perimenopause. Your menstrual cycles may lengthen or shorten, and you may begin having menstrual cycles in which your ovaries don’t release an egg (ovulate). You may also experience menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep problems and vaginal dryness. Treatments are available to help ease these symptoms.
And Harvard Medical School explains that most women don’t expect to have hot flashes until menopause, so it can be a big surprise when they show up earlier, during perimenopause. Hot flashes — sometimes called hot flashes and given the scientific name of vasomotor symptoms — are the most commonly reported symptom of perimenopause. They’re also a regular feature of sudden menopause due to surgery or treatment with certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs.
“Hot flashes tend to come on rapidly and can last from one to five minutes,” it says”. “They range in severity from a fleeting sense of warmth to a feeling of being consumed by fire from the inside out.”
A major hot flash can induce facial and upper-body flushing, sweating, chills, and sometimes confusion. Having one of these at an inconvenient time (such as during a speech, job interview, or romantic interlude) can be quite disconcerting. Hot flash frequency varies widely. Some women have a few over the course of a week; others may experience 10 or more in the daytime, plus some at night.
