How Will I Know If I Am Starting The Transition To Menopause
Sometimes it can be hard for you and your doctor to tell whether you are in perimenopause, the transition to menopause:
- Symptoms: Tell your doctor or nurse about any menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes or trouble sleeping.
- Irregular periods: Track your periods. Irregular periods may be your first sign of menopause.
- Hormone levels: Your doctor may test the amount of hormones in your blood if your periods stopped at an early age . Doctors dont usually recommend this test unless there is a medical reason to do so. This is because, for most women, hormone levels go up and down in an unpredictable way during the transition to menopause. So it is difficult to tell for sure whether you have gone through menopause or are getting close to it based on this blood test.
Does Your Period Stop In Water
“Your period doesn’t stop in the water but being in the water does reduce the flow of blood out of your body, due to the pressure of the water on your body,” Dr Welsh explains.
“Your period is still happening, but menstrual blood is not flowing out at the same rate it would outside of water. This may give the impression that the water is stopping your period, but this is not the case,” the expert adds, offering that this is the reason why people might think your period stops altogether whilst you’re in water.
How Can Herbal Remedies Help
There are some herbal remedies which can help with symptoms of the menopause and the troublesome periods to go with them.
- Agnus castus Agnus castus is a licensed herbal remedy used to help relieve the symptoms of PMS. In the lead up to the menopause your periods might become heavier and more painful than before due to fluctuations in the hormone oestrogen
- Soy isoflavones Our Menopause Support contains an extract of fermented soya beans, providing phytoestrogenic isoflavones to gently support you through the menopause
- Sage Our Menoforce® Sage tablets is a licensed herbal remedy used to relieve excessive sweating and menopausal hot flushes.
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What Do You Need To Know About The Menopause
The menopause is the natural process women go through as they reach a certain age and signals the point when a womans monthly periods have come to an end.
Although reaching the menopause technically means you have had your last ever period, we often use this phrase to describe the lead up to your periods stopping. Periods rarely just stop suddenly, many women experience irregular periods for some time. This might include heavier, more painful periods or lighter, less frequent ones these patterns can go on for a number of years. Every woman is different but you are generally considered to be fully through the menopause after not having a period for at least two years.
Alongside the often irregular periods, many women often experience a whole number of symptoms in the lead up to the menopause as oestrogen begins to drop, this can be anything from hot flushes to joint pain.
On this page I give a quick overview of what the menopause involves and specifically the effects it can have on the menstrual cycle. Visit A.Vogel Talks Menopause for more in-depth information and video blogs from our menopause expert Eileen.
When Menopause Comes Early
There are risks associated with early menopause:
- Loss of fertility at a younger age.
- An increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture in women who do not take menopausal hormone therapy .
Early menopause is particularly difficult for women who have not yet started or completed their families.
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What Are Periods Like During Perimenopause
Your body is producing less of the hormones that help you ovulate, so your periods can become irregular. Your menstrual cycle could become longer or shorter than usual. Your bleeding could also be heavier or lighter than normal. Some people also notice a change in their premenstrual syndrome symptoms.
When Do Breasts Stop Growing
Unlike height, breasts will continue to change throughout a girls lifetime.
Teenagers often worry about whether their breasts are growing normally. Heres some general guidelines for girls about when breast growth begins, when breasts stop growing after puberty, and how breasts continue to change throughout a womans life.
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How Will Menopause Affect Me
Symptoms of menopause may begin suddenly and be very noticeable, or they may be very mild at first. Symptoms may happen most of the time once they begin, or they may happen only once in a while. Some women notice changes in many areas. Some menopausal symptoms, such as moodiness, are similar to symptoms of premenstrual syndrome . Others may be new to you. For example:
- Your menstrual periods may not come as regularly as before. They also might last longer or be shorter. You might skip some months. Periods might stop for a few months and then start up again.
- Your periods might be heavier or lighter than before.
- You might have hot flashes and problems sleeping.
- You might experience mood swings or be irritable.
- You might experience vaginal dryness. Sex may be uncomfortable or painful.
- You may have less interest in sex. It may take longer for you to get aroused.
Other possible changes are not as noticeable. For example, you might begin to lose bone density because you have less estrogen. This can lead to osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and break easily. Changing estrogen levels can also raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Talk to your doctor about possible treatment for your menopause symptoms if they bother you.
How Long Does The Transition To Menopause Last
Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, can last between two and eight years before your periods stop permanently. For most women, this transition to menopause lasts about four years. You will know you have reached menopause only after it has been a full year since your last period. This means you have not had any bleeding, including spotting, for 12 months in a row.
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What Is Perimenopause Or The Transition To Menopause
Perimenopause , or the menopausal transition, is the time leading up to your last period. Perimenopause means around menopause.
Perimenopause is a long transition to menopause, or the time when your periods stop permanently and you can no longer get pregnant. As your body transitions to menopause, your hormone levels may change randomly, causing menopause symptoms unexpectedly. During this transition, your ovaries make different amounts of the hormones estrogen and progesterone than usual.
Irregular periods happen during this time because you may not ovulate every month. Your periods may be longer or shorter than usual. You might skip a few months or have unusually long or short menstrual cycles. Your period may be heavier or lighter than before. Many women also have hot flashes and other menopause symptoms during this transition.
I Got My First Period Early Does That Mean Ill Go Through Menopause Early
I have many patients tell me, I know Im going to go through menopause earlier because I started my period really early, says Streicher. The reason women think that is because they think menopause occurs when you run out of eggs. This isnt going to happen were born with millions of eggs and many of those are never used. When you go through menopause is really about the aging of eggs and what causes them to age more quickly, she says.
The average age of menarche in the United States has gotten younger for a variety of reasons, but that hasnt made women go through menopause earlier, she points out.
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What Happens At Menopause
Women are born with about a million eggs in each ovary. By puberty about 300,000 eggs remain, and by menopause there are no active eggs left.
On average, a woman in Australia will have 400-500 periods in her lifetime. From about 35-40 years of age, the number of eggs left in your ovaries decreases more quickly and you ovulate less regularly until your periods stop. Menopause means the end of ovulation.
At What Age Do Breasts Stop Growing
Primary breast growth occurs during puberty, and breasts stop growing typically about 1-2 years after a girls first period. This is usually around age 13-14. After this primary growth stops, though breast changes will continue throughout a girls life.
Since breasts are made primary made of fat tissue and mammary glands, breasts will continue to grow and change shape , particularly during motherhood. There really is no age when breasts stop changing.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Perimenopause
Your body has been producing estrogen since puberty. Once your estrogen levels begin to decline, your body has to adjust to the changes in hormones.
The symptoms vary, but most people experience at least one of the following:
- Sleep problems .
- Changes in mood like irritability, depression or mood swings.
The length of time you have symptoms of perimenopause can vary between a few months to many years. The decrease in estrogen also can lead to bone thinning or changing cholesterol levels. Continue to have regular checkups with your healthcare provider to keep an eye on your health.
Doing Too Much Exercise
The stress that intense physical activity places on your body can affect the hormones responsible for your periods. Losing too much body fat through intense exercise can also stop you ovulating.
You’ll be advised to reduce your level of activity if excessive exercise has caused your periods to stop.
If you’re a professional athlete, you may benefit from seeing a doctor who specialises in sports medicine. They’ll be able to give you advice about how to maintain your performance without disrupting your periods.
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What Are The Stages
The process happens slowly over three stages:
Perimenopause. Your cycles will become irregular, but they havenât stopped. Most women hit this stage around age 47. Even though you might notice symptoms like hot flashes, you can still get pregnant.
Menopause. This is when youâll have your final menstrual period. You wonât know for sure itâs happened until youâve gone a year without one. Hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, and other vasomotor symptoms are common in this stage.
Postmenopause. This begins when you hit the year mark from your final period. Once that happens, youâll be referred to as postmenopausal for the rest of your life. Keep in mind that after more than 1 year of no menstrual periods due to menopause, vaginal bleeding isn’t normal, so tell your doctor if you have any ASAP.
Menopause Symptoms At Age 55 And Above
Around age 55, most women have entered their post-menopausal years. After menopause, your body adjusts to the lower amount of estrogen and progesterone, and many women feel more productive, alert and free now that they dont have to worry about birth control or managing a period.
Post-menopausal years do bring some new symptoms with them, however. Some things to expect include:
Dryer or thinner skin and hair
Estrogen plays a role in collagen production. Collagen makes up your skin, hair, bones and many other tissues around your body. Because your estrogen levels are lower after menopause, your skin or hair may become dryer or thinner.
Vaginal dryness or sensitivity
Lower estrogen levels can also cause vaginal tissue to become dryer and thinner. This may result in discomfort or pain during sex.
Vaginal dryness or sensitivity usually happens after menopause, but it isnt unusual to notice it earlier. A moisturizer or lubricant can often relieve these symptoms and help you feel more comfortable.
Pelvic floor muscle problems
Did you know that estrogen also helps support the sides of your bladder? Less estrogen can lead to weaker pelvic floor muscles. Thats why urinary incontinence and frequent urination can be common after menopause. Your doctor can help you identify the best treatment options to improve your symptoms, including lifestyle changes, pelvic floor therapy or medication.
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Of The Reproductive Journey
We usually diagnose menopause in hindsight, after that full year of absent periods. Ive found that most women know theyve reached menopause when they get there.
Even if your irregular periods turn out to be something else, youll face menopause eventually. Talk with your ob-gyn about what youre experiencing. Together we can work through this part of your health journey.
The views expressed in this article are those of Dr. Eisenberg and do not reflect the views of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.
Copyright 2022 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information.This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read ACOGs complete disclaimer.
Dr. Esther Eisenberg
Gelatin To Stop Periods
The other way you can stop your period is by drinking gelatin. Gelatin is a natural food ingredient. It comes from animal proteins and can be derived from mammals, especially pigs and some fish. It is made from the collagen found in the skin, fatty tissue, ligaments, and joints of animals.
Gelatin can be used for weight loss, treating osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and brittle bones. It can also be used to improve the quality of hair and to shorten recovery after strenuous exercise.
To stop your period once it starts, you will need to drink a cup or two of gelatin mixed with water. Drinking it before your period can help delay your menstrual flow for some time.
Those opposed to using animal products in their lifestyle or diet should avoid gelatin.
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What Age Will I Be When I Go Through Menopause
The average age for onset of menopause is 51. The majority of women stop having periods somewhere between ages 45 to 55. The beginning stages of declining ovary function can start years before that in some women. Others will continue to have menstrual periods into their late 50s.
The age of menopause is
General Recommendations For Ht
Current guidelines support the use of HT for the treatment of severe hot flashes that do not respond to non-hormonal therapies. General recommendations include:
- HT may be started in women who have recently entered menopause.
- HT should not be used in women who have started menopause many years ago.
- Women should not take HT if they have risks for stroke, heart disease, blood clots, and breast cancer.
- Currently, there is no consensus on how long HT should be used or at what age it should be discontinued. Treatment should be individualized for a woman’s specific health profile.
- HT should be used only for menopause symptom management, not for chronic disease prevention.
Initiating Therapy
Before starting HT, your doctor should give you a comprehensive physical exam and take your medical history to evaluate your risks for:
- Heart disease
- Osteoporosis
- Breast cancer
While taking HT, you should have regular mammograms and pelvic exams and Pap smears. Current guidelines recommend that if HT is needed, it should be initiated around the time of menopause. Studies indicate that the risk of serious side effects is lower for women who use HT while in their 50s. Women who start HT past the age of 60 appear to have a higher risk for side effects such as heart attack, stroke, blood clots, or breast cancer. HT should be used with care in this age group.
Discontinuing Therapy
Safety Concerns
Women who should not take hormone therapy include those with the following conditions:
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Cause Of The Menopause
A number of hormones are responsible for initiating your menstrual cycle each month. These are controlled by other hormones which are released from the pituitary gland in the brain. When a woman reaches a certain age, your pituitary hormones begin to decline, which in turn means that the ovaries stop producing their sex hormones as efficiently this means ovulation will stop. As ovulation stops, so do your periods.
However, this process often happens very gradually and hormone fluctuations along the way are common this means the irregular periods and other symptoms as described below are often a part of the experience.
What Are The Signs Of Menopause Ending
In the lead up to the menopause, a womans periods may become less regular. She may also notice changes in their heaviness or duration of bleeding.
Once a woman has not had a period for 12 months or more she has officially gone through the menopause. After this, any symptoms she has been experiencing should gradually begin to reduce. However, in many cases, they can still persist for several years.
Women who are suffering from severe menopausal symptoms should arrange a consultation with their physician. They will be able to discuss the various treatment options available and how they might offer some relief.
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What Are The Hormonal Changes During Perimenopause
The hormonal changes you experience during perimenopause are mostly caused by declining estrogen levels. Your ovaries make estrogen, which plays a vital role in maintaining the reproductive system. Once you enter perimenopause, your estrogen levels start to decrease. As estrogen decreases, it throws off the balance with progesterone, another hormone produces by the ovaries. These two hormones together are responsible for ovulation and menstruation. Its common for hormone levels to fluctuate during perimenopause to go up and down like a rollercoaster.
When you reach menopause, your body makes so little estrogen that your ovaries no longer release eggs. At this point, you stop having your period.