Podcasts Culture Childless not by Choice Episode 138--Pre and Peri Menopause, Signs we may have missed!

Episode 138--Pre and Peri Menopause, Signs we may have missed!

Published: March 31, 2022, 4 a.m.

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Intro:

Hello, and welcome to episode 138 of the Childless not by Choice Podcast. My name is Civilla Morgan. My mission is to recognize and speak to childless not by choice women and men around the world, reminding you that you can live a joyful, relevant, fulfilled, childless not by choice, life.\\xa0\\xa0

Whether you have children or not, thank you for tuning in!\\xa0\\xa0

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What is today\\u2019s show about?

Pre- and peri-menopause\\xa0

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I would like to take a moment to thank the people who make a financial contribution to the platform on a monthly basis, my Patreon Contributors.\\xa0

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Body of episode:

So, pre-and peri-menopause. I\\u2019ve been wanting to talk about this for quite some time. I hope this content helps you recognize signs you may have ignored or missed.\\xa0 And how to deal.

As I did the research for this episode, I realized this content might be quite triggering, so please know that upfront, and maybe wait to listen until you are in a good place. Maybe tomorrow you will feel better than today, for instance. Just FYI.\\xa0

Remember to check the show notes for all of the links I used in the research for this episode.

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Let\\u2019s get started:\\xa0

According to Let\\u2019s Get Checked:

\\u2018Hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and difficulty having a good night\'s sleep; the signs and symptoms of menopause in women are all too well known by most but aren\\u2019t believed to be experienced by many until they hit their 50s; with 51 being the average age in the United States, according to Mayo Clinic [1].

To set the record straight, menopause doesn\\u2019t happen overnight. In fact, your body can take a significant period of time before menopause to transition, this is known by experts as perimenopause or premature menopause by some. So if you\\u2019re experiencing menopause symptoms at a \\u2018not so\\u2019 menopausal age, this might be why; some women will notice certain shifts in their 40s and some might notice perimenopausal symptoms as early as their 30s.\\u2019

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Perimenopause, which translates to \\u2018around menopause, includes symptoms such as:\\xa0

  • Vaginal dryness
  • Irregular menstrual cycles or heavy periods
  • Hot flashes
  • A shift in cholesterol levels
  • Sleep problems

Other emotional symptoms can include:

  • Irritability
  • Lack of motivation
  • Fatigue
  • Mood swings or changes

I don\\u2019t know about you but I never attributed fatigue to the possibility of peri-menopause. Probably because like many of you, my daily to-do list is as long as the day. We all have so much to do every day right?\\xa0

Now the hot flashes, I can write a book! I take a supplement that seems to help. Because I am not a clinician, I will not mention any names. I will say that it is something I get from my local health food store.\\xa0

I did a lot of research, taking many different types until I found one that actually worked. I went the natural way because I really did not want another prescription drug in my system.\\xa0

Of course, if a prescription works best for you, do what is best for you. And definitely have a conversation with your ob-gyn or general practitioner.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0

Now I\\u2019m going to be honest with you: I really thought that pre-menopause and peri-menopause were on opposite ends of the spectrum. I can\\u2019t even explain why I thought that, but here we are.\\xa0

Anyway, according to Healthline:\\xa0

\\u2018Premenopause and perimenopause are sometimes used interchangeably, but technically they have different meanings\\u2026\\u2019 they go on to say that \\u2018premenopause is when you have no symptoms of perimenopause or menopause.\\u2019 OK. Well, kinda makes sense since pre- means before right? But honestly, peri- means about the same thing, before, near, etc.

Once again, that\\u2019s why it\\u2019s always a great idea to do research.

Healthline also says \\u2018You still have periods \\u2014 whether they\\u2019re regular or irregular \\u2014 and are considered to be in your reproductive years. Some hormonal changes may be occurring, but there are no noticeable changes in your body. On the other hand, during perimenopause, you\\u2019ll start to experience symptoms of menopause.\\u2019

Now, I don\\u2019t know about that. I believe that if \\u2018some hormonal changes may be occurring\\u2019, then symptoms must be evident. You may realize some time down the line in your pre-/peri-menopause journey, that you will look back and say \\u2018wait, I do recall that feeling or that episode. That\\u2019s my humble opinion, for whatever it\\u2019s worth.

Well, as I continued my research, I came upon Web.MD\\u2019s take on pre-and perimenopause. Always gotta see what is going on at WebMD. They say that:\\xa0

\\u2018Perimenopause, or menopause transition, begins several years before menopause. It\'s the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. It usually starts in women\'s 40s but can start in their 30s or even earlier.

Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last 1 to 2 years of perimenopause, this drop in estrogen speeds up. At this stage, many women have menopause symptoms.

They also say that:\\xa0\\xa0

How Long Does Perimenopause Last?

The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women, this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years.\\u2019 Key: Perimenopause ends when women have gone 12 months without having their period.\\xa0

\\xa0\\xa0Also in my research, I came across a site called ASRM\\u2013American Society for Reproductive Medicine. They have pretty similar information. One thing that stood out, and this may be a trigger for some of you: \\u2018 Pregnancy is rare but not impossible, so contraception is still needed to avoid pregnancy.\\u2019 \\xa0Hmph. So there\\u2019s that.

\\xa0Finally, Franciscan Health. They really get straight to the point, I mean \\u201cYour ovaries are shutting down, but the process takes some time. That process is called perimenopause." Whew!\\xa0

They do also say that \\u2018The first perimenopause sign is typically a disruption of your menstrual cycle. For many women, your period starts earlier or later than normal. For example, if your menstrual cycle has always been 28 days, during perimenopause, your period could come as early as 21 or as late as 35 days. Some women start skipping months entirely and then experience heavier-than-normal periods when they do have them.\\u2019

So although many women have experienced this, if you have not yet, here\\u2019s your FYI. If your period arrival times start to go awry this may be why. Mine showed up like clockwork (thanks mom for showing me how to count the days). Because I had fibroid issues, my experience with pre-peri-menopause was not long-lived.\\xa0

I will tell you that my experience included what I call man-made menopause and natural menopause. When I was trying to buy time hoping to meet Mr. Right, I agreed to an intramuscular injection that was used to reduce the size of fibroids. The medication came in a monthly form and a quarterly form. I tried both. This medication had to be injected by the doctor, um, in the buttocks. Yeah. So actually I went through menopause twice.\\xa0\\xa0

But the side effects were horrendous! I was so upset, moody, short-tempered. Just terrible. I eventually advised my ob-gyn that I just couldn\\u2019t do it anymore. I felt like if I had continued on the medication I would have to be committed. Yes, it was that bad.\\xa0 In fact, the hot flashes from this man-made menopause were in my opinion much worse than natural menopause.\\xa0\\xa0

Every time I stopped any type of treatment during that 10 year period, I felt so down and dejected. I just wanted to know what it was that I did wrong to be in this situation.\\xa0

If you are asking the same questions just know that you did nothing wrong. Life is indiscriminate. That\\u2019s it. Indiscriminate.\\xa0 Don\\u2019t beat yourself up. Do the best you can physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally; to care for yourself.\\xa0

\\xa0As I always say, find a doctor, an ob-gyn who is committed to your care. My Ob-gyn committed to going on my journey with me. He did not push me toward the hysterectomy, but when I was ready he was very positive and encouraging, advising me that he knew it was a difficult decision but that I was going to have an exponentially better quality of life. In the end, he was right. But it was definitely not what I wanted to hear at the time. It was a difficult time. But I made it! And so can you.\\xa0

If you are or think you are dealing with pre-or perimenopause, please talk to your healthcare provider. And be sure to do your own research so that you can have an engaged and fruitful conversation with your doctor.\\xa0

Notice I always say to get a second opinion and even change doctors if you feel your doctor is not listening? Well, pre-, peri-, and menopause, are the areas where they are not known for listening very much. I hate to brush with a broad stroke, but I have heard so many women say, myself included; that they were prescribed ahem, a medication to calm their nerves when complaining about sleeplessness, hot flashes, etc. Don\\u2019t just accept that a \\u2018calming prescription\\u2019 is the only way to fix these issues. So, yeah, do your homework, do your homework, do your homework.

Get a second opinion, see what your hormone and estrogen levels are, see what your doctor suggests, see what is available OTC\\u2013over the counter. Know your body.

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Research links:

https://www.letsgetchecked.com/articles/what-is-perimenopause-signs-symptoms-and-causes/?imp=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6lxO1QBaioj4C5CTXG9WeSZUyl_TxDSS9Pf4qOwPFhsH_WaPBgjPZgaAoYNEALw_wcB

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https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/difference-perimenopause

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https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/guide-perimenopause

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https://www.asrm.org/isitmenopause/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6nWedffRwB4EEjK3UfxkPrbXeRmMNYqI8KQytewQeR3RQenoc1M07EaAvKeEALw_wcB

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https://www.franciscanhealth.org/community/blog/first-signs-of-perimenopause



Articles/links of interest:

https://childlessnotbychoice.net/episode-115-facing-childlessness-with-art-my-interview-with-dr-krista-cooper-2/




My contact information:

Website: www.childlessnotbychoice.net and www.civillamorgan.com
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