@
sarahsweets - thank you!
In the
article you shared, I found the following quite helpful in delineating what perimenopause is:
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Early Stage. Perimenopause can begin in some women in their 30s, but most often it starts in women ages 40 to 44. It is marked by changes in menstrual flow and in the length of the cycle. There may be sudden surges in estrogen.
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Quote:
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Late Stage. The late stages of perimenopause usually occur when a woman is in her late 40s or early 50s. In the late stages of the menopausal transition, women begin missing periods until they finally stop. About 6 months before menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly. The fall in estrogen triggers the typical symptoms of vaginal dryness and hot flashes (which can last from half a year to more than 5 years after onset of menopause).
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And here's what the definition of menopause is:
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Menopause is considered to have occurred after a woman has gone a full 12 months without a period. Menopause marks the end of menstruation and a women's fertility. American women reach menopause at an average age of 51 years, although it can occur as early as age 40 to as late as the early 60s. Women now have a life expectancy of more than 80 years. Currently, women can expect to live some 30 or 40 years of their lives in the postmenopausal state.
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And here are the effects of menopause on an aging woman's body:
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Menopause is not a disease. However, many conditions are associated with estrogen depletion, including heart disease, osteoporosis, and other complications.
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I realize that I might be in the early stages of perimenopause. I probably began around my mid-40s, when I started getting intermittent hot flashes during the daytime (usually when stressed) and also when I slept. I didn't get them that much though, and my periods remained regular. But now, during my late-40s, I notice my moods are changing, my weight is being gained too swiftly, my periods are becoming slightly irregular and thinner, and the ovulation discharge no longer happens (which indicates some vaginal dryness). Because I am celibate, I don't know about the rest of the stuff. I do notice that a lot of things about my body is changing as I age, and I suspect that hormonal changes are at the cause of all these changes.