Every woman will experience perimenopause at some point. Yet little is known about it. There are a few reasons for this. Perimenopause is relatively a new research topic and until recently was often seen as part of menopause. It is a complex, relatively short period. Despite this, more and more research has been done in recent years and this has provided more insight. Insight into symptoms, consequences and treatment.
During perimenopause, your body prepares for the last menstrual period, your fertility decreases sharply and you produce fewer eggs. Your hormones, estrogen and progesterone, also change in your body, which can cause complaints. We mention a few: irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep problems, night sweats, vaginal dryness and restless or anxious feelings. These are all inconveniences that have a significant impact on the quality of life. Even though there is (as yet) no treatment for perimenopause, you can still reduce complaints relatively easily. For example, by getting enough sleep and eating vegetables every day.
Quitting smoking also makes a big difference. Drink plenty of water, limit caffeine and alcohol and stay active throughout the day. More serious complaints can be alleviated – of course in consultation with your doctor – with antidepressants or hormone treatment. What is perhaps most important during perimenopause is that you are heard. Heard by fellow sufferers, by those around you and by your employer. So talk about it, no matter how uncomfortable. Because only by sharing experiences can we take better care of ourselves and others.
“It was only a hundred to a hundred and fifty years ago that developments started that made women increasingly ‘equal’ to men. Contraception was an enormous achievement and, among other things, it gave women control over their own bodies. Men and women are equal, but not identical. And the realization that we are different has only recently entered science and medical knowledge. In the research world, menopause, and perimenopause, has been ignored for a long time.
Much more research is needed. This will help you better understand the symptoms and develop more effective treatments, as well as make better choices. The better you understand your own biology, the better you make choices that support you and your body. This gives women the opportunity to learn from each other and break all taboos.”
“During perimenopause, anxiety and panic can be very intense. Fortunately, this is less common than fatigue or irregular periods. For example, women no longer dare to drive on the highway, panic in a crowded room or no longer dare to do certain work. This is due to an imbalance in hormones, which in turn affects the brain. Fortunately, you can reverse this with behavioral therapy.
Nowadays we also have a good and safe form of hormone therapy. This will replenish estrogen and progesterone and restore the imbalance, making you stable (again). Furthermore, it is important to realize that not every woman stops menstruating at the age of fifty. For some it stops as early as the age of 45. Realize that in the ten years before your last period, your hormones decrease, reducing the chance of pregnancy.”
“If you are about thirty years old, you are not yet thinking about the menopause. Interest only comes when complaints arise that have a significant impact on your life. What can help is to look at what your mother was like. Research shows that in seventy percent of women with perimenopausal complaints, the mothers also suffered from them around the same age.
So talk to your mother about it, she has already been through it and may also be able to give you tips that worked for her. Also realize that psychological factors can play a role. Think of traumatic experiences, abuse, but also a divorce or difficult births or miscarriages. They can all contribute to perimenopausal complaints.”
This report comes from Flair 3-2024. You can read more stories like this every week in Flair.
Lisette GerbrandsGetty ImagesJanuary 20, 2024, 12:00
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2024-01-20 11:00:00
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