Top Menopause Products

Recommended Product

Menopause Topics

What’s The Difference Between Early Menopause And Perimenopause?

Perimenopause and Early Menopause often get confused, but they are two separate things. The confusion is within Perimenopause also meaning Pre-Menopause. People tend to hear “pre” and think early.

Perimenopause and early menopause may sound similar, but they are not to be confused with each. Early menopause refers to a woman going through menopause earlier than the average women should be for reasons like disease, illness or surgery. It is possible for a woman to go through early menopause naturally, but not as common as the other reasons.

Perimenopause refers to the time before menopause in which pre-menopausal symptoms are experienced as the body prepares for menopause (as long as 10 to 15 years before menopause begins).

Symptoms of Early Menopause

Early menopause symptoms are much like normal or regular menopausal symptoms. Symptoms vary from woman to woman, but they tend to be more intensified for a woman who is experiencing early menopause. This usually occurs because something unnatural has happened to us, like having our ovaries surgically removed or a medical problem with may cause us to go into menopause early. Women who experience early menopause tend to experience almost unbearable symptoms, making it very difficult to get their daily activities accomplished.

Some of the most common early menopausal complaints are hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and body odor change, depression, anxiety, thinning hair, increased facial hair, extreme chronic fatigue, and sleep disruption, loss of interest in sex or love life and weight gain. Women who start menopause early tend to have more of a weight gain issue than women start menopause between the ages of 45 and 55.

Symptoms of Perimenopause

Perimenopause refers a 10 to 15 year period of time before regular menopause begins. Our body begins to prepare for menopause and we may notice some changes while this happens. Our periods become less frequent and vary in heaviness during perimenopause. Menopause means that we have not had a monthly cycle for 12 or more months.

The main cause of perimenopause is because of a hormonal imbalance. These imbalances can start for women in their mid to late 30’s, but most women do not experience hormonal imbalance until their 40’s.

Hot flashes, night sweats, lack or loss of sexual desire, vaginal dryness, vaginal itching, sleep disturbances, eating and weight issues, mood swings, anxiety and changes in our skin can all be signs of perimenopausal symptoms.

Some women experience so few symptoms, it’s not even noticeable to them, where as others notice a change immediately and can be somewhat confused and frustrated about what’s going on.

Your family physician can help you diagnose your condition as well as understand what’s going on with you. He or she may also be able to prescribe a medication that will help or make suggestions for other activities or stress relievers that can make a difference.

Tags: Early Menopause, Perimenopause, pre-menopausal, Symptoms of Early Menopause, Symptoms of perimenopause

Click here for Top Menopause Products Reviewed by Our Staff