After talking with several women, young and old, I have discovered that there are many common myths about perimenopause and menopause. Before doing my own research, I believed several of these misconceptions myself. Listed below, are some myths about perimenopause. See if you can identify with any of them.
Myth #1: Perimenopause is not real and is made up in the minds of some women.
Fact: Perimenopause is defined as the natural transition period preceding menopause that is often symptomatic of hormonal imbalance and fluctuations. In many ways it is the flip side of puberty, beginning as early as our mid 30’s or as late as our 50’s for some. Most often, it starts during our mid to late 40’s, leading to menopause at an average age of 51 in the US.
Myth #1: Perimenopause is not real and is made up in the minds of some women.
Fact: Perimenopause is defined as the natural transition period preceding menopause that is often symptomatic of hormonal imbalance and fluctuations. In many ways it is the flip side of puberty, beginning as early as our mid 30’s or as late as our 50’s for some. Most often, it starts during our mid to late 40’s, leading to menopause at an average age of 51 in the US.
Source:
Excerpts from “Perimenopause—A Time of Change” article written by Marcy E.
Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician.
Full article can be found at www.womentowomen.com.
Myth #2: Natural menopause and surgical menopause are basically the same thing.
Fact: Surgical menopause is different from natural menopause for the following reasons:
- Surgical menopause occurs very suddenly; one day a woman is having menstrual cycles, and the next day, after surgery, she is postmenopausal. Women with natural menopause have a gradual transition that can take many years.
- Women with surgical menopause often experience more intensity in their symptoms than women with natural menopause.
- Women with surgical menopause are younger than women with natural menopause.
- Women with surgical menopause are recovering from major surgery when it begins. They have to heal both physically and mentally to adjust to what happened.
Source: Excerpts from “Surgical
Menopause: It is Different from Natural Menopause” article written by Linda H.
Bernard, PhD, RN. Full article can be
read at http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/menopause/faq1.cfm.
Fact: Perimenopause is that time in a woman's life that usually starts around age 35 and menopause which begins between ages 48-52. Between the ages of 18-35 the menstrual cycle is usually very predictable and manageable. This is because a woman is in her peak reproductive years and ovulation usually takes place without interruption.
As a
woman ages the cells that are to mature into eggs have aged also. The body does
not produce new eggs after birth. These aged eggs have more difficulty maturing
to a developmental stage where they can ovulate properly. This causes a wide
range of effects. Pregnancy is more difficult, birth defects are more frequent,
menstrual cycles are irregular, fibroids appear and grow, risk of breast cancer
increases, bone loss begins, weight increases and it becomes increasingly
difficult to cope with the normal demands of life.
Source:
Excerpt from “Perimenopause: A Time of Transition” written by Dr. Eldred
Taylor, Taylor Medical and Aesthesis Group.
To view article, go to
https://www.taylormedicalgroup.net/new_page_23.htm
Fact: The number of women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) rose in the 1960s when it was thought that HRT was a cure-all for menopausal symptoms. By the 1990s the estrogen replacement drug Premarin was the most widely prescribed drug in America. Since then, however, evidence has surfaced that HRT can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and blood clots for some women. Today doctors are very cautious about prescribing hormone replacement therapy for women because of its potential side effects. When it is used, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends taking the smallest dose possible for the shortest amount of time. HRT can increase the risk of certain health conditions. If you already have risk factors for these conditions, talk to your doctor about alternatives to relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Source: Excerpts of article from Myths about Menopause By Chris Iliades, MD Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH. To see full article, go to http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/myths-about-menopause.aspx
Glad that the imformation wad hepful.
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