Perimenopause is a transition period experienced by women when they are about to enter the end of menstruation (menopause). During the perimenopause period, women may experience several symptoms, such as irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes.
Perimenopause can last for 4-10 years before menopause occurs. This condition generally begins at the age of 30-40 years, but can also appear earlier, for example due to certain diseases or there is a history of early menopause in the family.
Perimenopause Symptoms
When going through the perimenopause phase, women will experience several symptoms due to changes in hormone levels in the body. This condition is often mistaken for second puberty. The main symptom of perimenopause is irregular menstrual cycles. This cyclical irregularity can be:
- Menstruation arrives sooner or later
- Menstruation lasts shorter or longer
As you approach menopause, your periods will become less frequent, up to once every few months.
In addition to menstrual disorders, other symptoms that can occur during perimenopause or be a sign that menopause is near are:
- Hotflashes or a sudden hot or hot sensation.
- Sleep disturbances, which may be accompanied by or without night sweats.
- Mood changes, for example irritability. This condition is often associated with second puberty, and can even lead to an increased risk of depression.
- Cognitive disorders, such as difficulty concentrating and forgetting.
- Headaches in early perimenopause.
- Pain during sexual intercourse, due to reduced vaginal lubricating fluid.
- Decreased sexual desire and fertility.
- Bone loss can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Changes in cholesterol levels, namely increasing levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreasing levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
When to go to the doctor
Some women cannot tolerate the above symptoms, so they experience problems in carrying out daily activities. If you find the symptoms of perimenopause bothersome, consult a gynecologist.
In addition, you also need to immediately consult a doctor if you experience the following symptoms of menstrual disorders:
- Vaginal bleeding occurs after sexual intercourse.
- Heavy bleeding during menstruation, for example, to the point of having to change sanitary napkins every hour.
- Blood clots appear during menstruation.
- Out of blood spots outside the time of menstruation.
Perimenopause Causes and Risk Factors
Perimenopause occurs because the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in a woman's body decrease with age. This condition can occur in women entering the age of 30-40 years.
Perimenopause is a normal condition experienced by every woman. However, there are several factors that can cause women to enter the perimenopause phase more quickly, namely:
- Hysterectomy
Removal of the uterus or hysterectomy will increase a person's risk of experiencing menopause sooner, especially if both ovaries (ovaries) are also removed.
- heredity
Women who have family members with a history of early menopause are more at risk for experiencing a similar condition.
- Smoke
Women who smoke can experience menopause 1-2 years earlier than women who don't smoke.
- Cancer treatment
Chemotherapy or radiotherapy to the pelvic area can cause premature menopause.
Perimenopause Diagnosis
To diagnose whether a woman is in perimenopause, the doctor will ask about her age, symptoms or changes felt, and menstrual history.
In addition, the doctor will perform a blood test to determine the hormone levels in the patient's body. This test must be done several times to see any changes in hormone levels during perimenopause.
Perimenopause Treatment
Perimenopause is a natural condition that cannot be avoided. Therefore, there is no need for drugs to treat it. However, to relieve perimenopause symptoms, obstetricians can prescribe the following medications:
Hormone replacement drugs
The hormone estrogen remains the most effective treatment to relieve perimenopause symptoms, especially hot flashes and sweating at night. Estrogen hormones can be given in a variety of preparations, ranging from pills, skin patches, to gels or creams.
To reduce the risk of cancer due to the use of the hormone estrogen, estrogen hormone replacement therapy can be combined with the hormone progesterone.
Vaginal estrogen medication
To treat vaginal dryness, the hormone estrogen can be directly inserted into the vagina using a tablet, ring, or vaginal cream. Vaginal estrogen can also reduce pain during sexual intercourse and disturbances during urination during perimenopause.
Gabapentin
In addition to treating seizures, gabapentin has been shown to reduce hot flashes. Doctors will give gabapentin to women who cannot be given the hormone estrogen.
Antidepressants
Some antidepressants can reduce hot flashes due to perimenopause. This drug is often prescribed to women who cannot receive estrogen therapy for health reasons.
In addition to using medications prescribed by a doctor, women experiencing perimenopause symptoms can do the following things to relieve their symptoms:
- Quit smoking and don't drink alcohol.
- Reduce caffeine consumption.
- Exercise regularly, but avoid exercising at night.
- Avoid napping if you experience symptoms of sleep disturbances.
- Avoid eating large portions.
- Do activities that make you calm or relaxing, such as yoga or taking a warm bath, especially before bedtime.
Perimenopause Complications
Menopause is a natural process that will be experienced by every woman. Some women feel the symptoms since perimenopause, but do not feel bothered. While others can feel very disturbing symptoms and even experience complications.
There are several diseases whose risk of occurrence can increase after a woman goes through menopause, including:
- Depression
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease
- Alzheimer's disease
Consult a doctor if you have experienced perimenopause. Discuss the risks of diseases that can occur after menopause and how to prevent them.
In addition, you also need to be careful when using estrogen hormone replacement therapy to treat perimenopause symptoms, because this drug has a risk of causing breast cancer.