is it the start of menopause?

Question

I am a female, 38 and in good health. But, I went through some anxiety over the Summer and and feel better now, but while my periods are the same, I do feel a bit moody and I still worry and feel less confident than before. I also find myself more content doing the same old thing versus trying anything new. So, can this shift in attiutude, energy and mood mean anything hormonal and can perimenopause start at my age?

Answer 1

Having been through this, it sounds to me like you are experiencing perimenopause, the time before menopause. It is a natural process and nothing to be afraid of. I find menopause quite freeing, no more periods. Best wishes.

Answer 2

It could be many things, but it is also possible that you're experiencing pre-menopausal symptoms. Don't panic tho, this can come and go for years before you truly experience the actual menopause, and even if you do, its a natural process and its ok if its happening. If you are worried, talk to your doctor, he/she may be able to put your mind at ease. It may just be your body reacting to the stress from the summer..sometimes the body is more affected by anxiety and psychological events than we realise, and it needs time to heal and readjust to being back to "normal"

Answer 3

You can call and talk with your doctor and also do searches to find out some information. I know that my doctor has told me that allot of women can be perimenopausal beginning at the age of 35 yrs.

Answer 4

Go to www.knowmenopause.com and they will provide you with all you could ever want to know about menopause.

Answer 5

35 Possible Symptoms Of Premenopause

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
2. Bouts of rapid heart beat
3. Irritability
4. Mood swings, sudden tears
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
7. Loss of libido (see note)
8. Dry vagina, a general drying out that can include eyes, mouth, joints and skin. (see note)
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom (see note)
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence (see note)
15. Itchy, crawly skin (see note)
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons (see note)
17. Increased tension in muscles
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression (see note)
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain (see note)
26. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head (see note)
30. Tingling in the extremities, (see note)
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, dry mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing' buzzing etc.

NOTES:
Symptom 1 (hot flashes)
Hot flashes are due to the hypothalamic response to declining ovarian estrogen production. The declining estrogen state induces hypophysiotropic neurons in the arcuate nucleas of the hypothalamus to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a pulsatile fashion, which in turn stimulates release of luteinizing hormone (LH). Extremely high pulses of LH occur during the period of declining estrogen production. The LH has vasodilatory effects, which leads to flushing.

Symptom 7 (loss of libido)
For some women the loss is so great that they actually find sex repulsive, in much the same way as they felt before puberty. What hormones give, loss of hormones can take away.

Symptom 8 (dry vagina)
results in painful intercourse

Symptom 11 (doom thoughts)
includes thoughts of death, picturing one's own death

Symptom 14 (incontinence)
reflects a general loss of smooth muscle tone

Symptom 15 (itchy, crawly skin)
feeling of ants crawling under the skin, not just dry itchy skin

Symptom 16 (aching sore joints)
may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome

Symptom 22 (depression)
different from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming. There is a feeling of loss of self. Hormone therapy ameliorates the depression dramatically.

Symptom 25 (weight gain)
often around the waist and thighs, resulting in the disappearing waistline

Symptom 29 (shock sensation)
"the feeling of a rubber band snapping in the layer of tissue between skin and muscle. It is a precursor to a hot flash"

Symptom 30 (tingling in extremities)
can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, alterations in the flexibility of blood vessels, or a depletion of potassium or calcium

Some of the 34 signs may also be symptoms of one of the following:
* hypothyroidism
* diabetes
* depression with another etiology
* Multiple Sclerosis
* other medical conditions
If you have reason to believe you may have one of these conditions, please see your doctor for treatment.
Coping With Premenopause




Today's Woman with Dr. Judith Reichman:

As a woman grows older, her body changes. A woman in her forties may
experience hot flashes, mood swings and irregular menstrual periods as she
enters into "perimenopause," a time of fluctuating hormones and physiological
changes before the onset of menopause. 'Today' contributor Dr. Judith
Reichman encourages women to celebrate the natural progression of their
bodies and learn as much about the process as possible.

WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?
In her book, "I'm Too Young to Grow Old," Dr. Reichman reports that the
average age of perimenopause is 47.5 years old and the average age of natural
menopause (the complete cessation of a woman's menstrual cycle) is 51.3 years
old. For the interim 3.8 years before, a woman will experience decreases in
her estrogen and progesterone levels that can trigger perimenopausal symptoms.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PERIMENOPAUSE?
Perimenopausal symptoms can occur gradually over time. Women do not need to
have ALL of the symptoms to be perimenopausal. As a woman's hormone levels
fluctuate, it is also possible to feel several symptoms before you are at
your perimenopausal 'peak', which is usually defined by irregular cycles. The
following are the main symptoms of perimenopause:

MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITY: Shortened cycles: shortened length of time between
cycles (due to lower production of estrogen); Longer cycles: longer length of
time between cycles (due to decreases in progesterone); Heavy bleeding:
caused by the absence of ovulation, which results in low progesterone levels;
Light bleeding: low levels of progesterone and estrogen; No bleeding: no
progesterone or estrogen

HOT FLASHES: Over 50% of women experience hot flashes during perimenopause.
Falling estrogen levels affect the production of hormones or proteins, which
in turn influence the brain's temperature-regulating center. Hot flashes
normally last 3 to 5 minutes and are characterized by feelings of anxiety,
increased heart rate, reddening of the skin and perspiration. Hot flashes can
also be caused by alcohol or panic attacks.

MOOD SWINGS: Because fluctuations in hormones are so erratic, many women
experience extreme PMS symptoms such as irritability, tearfulness, excessive
worry, mood instability, food cravings and increased appetite, decreased
energy, decreased libido, poor motivation, early morning wakening,
interrupted sleep and emotional detachment.
Other symptoms of lowering estrogen levels that come with perimenopause
include sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness and increased appetite.


Need more info?.... e-mail me....
Blessings~
Michelle Jones
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/LiveAgain