Stage of Menopause

Stage of Menopause

* It’s common to say you are “in the stage of menopause” when you are experiencing the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, depression, memory loss etc. However, menopause is really only called that after you have stopped having your menstrual period for one full year.

* The average age for menopause is fifty-one. However, it is perfectly natural and normal to experience the change of life between forty and fifty-nine years of age. Typically, you will experience menopause at the same time your mother did.

* Premature menopause occurs before you are forty-years-old. Read about the signs of early menopause.

* Induced Menopause follows either surgical removal of both ovaries with or without hysterectomy, or menopause caused by failure of the ovaries to function due to chemotherapy, drugs or radiation.

* A little concern at this time is that you might think you're in menopause, but you're really pregnant.

* The end of your period and the beginning of menopause usually marks the end of the signs and symptoms of menopause.

PERIMENOPAUSE

During perimenopause the body gradually slows (or swings wildly) the production of estrogen and progesterone (it doesn’t stop completely, even in menopause) and this is what causes the symptoms you experience.

This period can last a few months to several years. (sometimes it can even last a decade or more...sorry to say), and most of you will only experience mild to moderate symptoms during this time.

The good news: You probably don’t need to get tested for early Alzheimer’s, you may not need a psychiatric consultation, and all your husband and kids need is a little reassurance that you’re going to be okay after all.

The better you take care of yourself with fitness and diet, the happier and more relaxed you are, the more you treat yourself to those indulgences (blame me), the fewer and milder your symptoms will be. Now's the time to tap into the wisdom-of-menopause.

There are many hormone replacement therapy alternatives; lifestyle, diet, fitness, relaxation and joy are the most important ones, and they have no negative side effects!

However, having said that, there are still some women whose symptoms will be so severe that they may require hormone replacement therapy or bioidentical hormones. If your symptoms are greatly affecting your quality of life, work and relationships, you will need to talk with your doctor to discuss various options.

Conclusion

There really isn't just one stage of menopause, rather there are four main stages of menopause with two of them divided into early and late transitions:

Stages of Menopause

1) Reproductive
2) Perimenopause-divided into early and late
3) Menopause
4) Post-Menopause-divided into early and late transitions.