Pre menopause is more correctly referred to by the medical term perimenopause, although pre menopause is a completely accurate description. Perimenopause is a transition that eventually all women will go through. Usually the pre menopause phase lasts about 2 – 8 years. There are no exacts when it comes to pre menopause or menopause, because each women is physically and emotionally unique with different life style habits. Typically symptoms will begin to exhibit when women reach their mid 40’s, but a smaller percentage of women may get symptoms as early as their mid 30s.

Pre menopause marks the start of a women’s declining fertility. Once menopause is reached, a woman is completely infertile, but during pre menopause it is still possible to get pregnant. Menopause is the day a woman has her final day of menstrual bleeding, however it takes one full year with absolutely no bleeding to fully confirm menopause. The year it takes to fully confirm menopause is still considered perimenopause so a woman is still considered possibly fertile until the full year has elapsed.

Pre Menopause Symptoms

• Fluctuating hormone levels. During pre menopause hormone production become erratic, estrogen levels may be higher than normal or lower than normal. It’s these fluctuating hormones that are thought to be responsible for most symptoms.
  Irregular periods. During pre menopause, it’s possible to have more or less periods with heavier or lighter flow.
• Ovulation becomes erratic. During some menstruation cycles, a woman will still drop mature eggs to be potentially fertilized, this is called ovulation, and if this occurs it is possible to get pregnant. During cycles where ovulation does not occur, pregnancy is not possible.
• Hot flashes. This is the mostly commonly reported symptom during pre menopause and menopause.
• Night sweats. These are similar to hot flashes but more irritating because they sometimes result in insomnia. A lack of sleep can also increase stress level potentially exacerbating other symptoms such as mood swings and anxiety.
• Mood swings. Just like during PMS, this is also common during pre menopause. It’s not fully known if this is due to hormone fluctuations or other symptoms such as insomnia.
• Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. This is due to a loss of natural lubrication and elasticity in the vaginal tissue.
• Drop in sexual interest. Generally if women had healthy sex lives before pre menopause this will continue past menopause if physical problems like the loss of vaginal dryness are overcome with vaginal lubrication.
• Osteoporosis. This is one of the long term risks associated with menopause, but the loss of bone density can begin to happen during pre menopause.
• Potentially dangerous cholesterol levels. During this phase, bad cholesterol levels (LDL) may rise while good cholesterol levels (HDL) may decrease; this increases the risk of heart disease. 
• Depression and anxiety. A small percentage of women experience clinical depression or anxiety during pre menopause.
• Heart palpitations
• Tinnitus (ear ringing)
• Memory loss
• Formication . This is the sensation that insects are crawling under or on the skin or the sensation of pins and needles.
• Urine leakage. This usually happens during laughing or coughing.
• Bladder infections
• Joint pain

Pre Menopause Treatment

Pre menopause isn’t considered a medical condition needing treatment, however if the symptoms are serious enough, they may require treatment. Symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, depression and anxiety are all symptoms that may require medical treatment.

Up until recently, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was widely used for symptoms associated with pre menopause, but widespread use of this treatment fell off after a study reported that it increased the risks of heart disease, breast cancer and blood clots. Now, the seriousness of the symptoms has to be carefully weighed against the risks of the treatment. In addition, because of the health risks associated with HRT, it is usually only prescribed for short time frames.

There are a few treatments available for hot flashes besides HRT, but these treatments aren’t specifically approved for the treatment of hot flashes, but some women have reported success using them for menopause related symptoms. Low dose antidepressants, Gabapentin (a seizure medication) and Clonidine (a medication used to treat high blood pressure) have all shown results in treating hot flashes, but once again, the risk/reward ratio has to be carefully weighed.

Vaginal dryness can usually be treated quite easily with over the counter vaginal lubricants. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms should all be discussed with a doctor. There are many well know treatments for these symptoms such as anti depressants and sleeping pills.

Diagnosing Pre Menopause

There are a few blood and urine tests that can help your doctor determine if you are entering into pre menopause, these tests include Estradiol, FSH, and LH.

At this time, your doctor may also conduct a bone density test to see if you’re at risk for osteoporosis.

Perimenopause is an inevitable phase in every woman’s life and usually happens after the age of 40 but it can sometimes occur as early as your 30′s. Perimenopause symptoms are generally the same as with menopause but usually less severe and less frequent. The symptoms are caused by the gradual change in hormonal levels and can range from hot flashes to depression. The vast majority of women, almost 95%, will suffer from one or more of these perimenopause symptoms.

The most common and serious perimenopause symptoms are as follows:

Hot Flashes – It’s usually the first and most common symptom. It feels like a sudden sensation of heat spreading over the body. In most cases it creates some kind of redness, mostly noticed on the face. Flashes occur as a reaction to the low levels of estrogen, the hormone of the reproductive system. Not all women will suffer from hot flashes, but it is one of the most common complaints during menopause

Night Sweats – The night version of hot flashes and they are usually much more intense and annoying, as they disrupt sleep and can cause you to wake up several times a night. Some women find it difficult to get a good nights rest which can then exacerbate other symptoms such as moodiness.

Irregularity in Period – Women who are approaching menopause suffer from irregular menstrual cycle; their periods get more or less frequent, they might have heavy bleeding for a few months and then very light for the rest of the time. In many cases, women can skip a month and then get back to normal, then skip again and so on.

Loss of Libido – Low libido is often associated with perimenopause. Women will start having peaks and lows in their sexual drive and function but in some rarer cases though, the exact opposite might occur.

Vaginal Dryness – This is another very common perimenopause symptom caused by the tissues and walls of the vaginal area becoming less elastic and less moist sometimes causing sex to become painful or uncomfortable.

Fatigue – Although this can be a symptom of general aging, it’s also a perimenopause symptom. Tiredness and lethargy can disrupt the general quality of a woman’s life because it affects productivity, energy levels, and leaves a general feeling of exhaustion.

Weight Gain – Many women experience weight gain due to hormonal changes as the metabolism slows down progressively during this transitional phase of life.

Emotional Swings – Just like during menstruation, some women have mood swings which can range from general moodiness to angry outbursts.

Although these perimenopause symptoms can be disruptive to your life, most can be controlled with some simple life changes. Eat a good diet, exercise, try to get a good night’s sleep, make time for romance and you’ll be well on your way to conquering your perimenopause symptoms

Medical Treatment for Perimenopause Symptoms:

Low Dose Contraceptives – These help control irregular bleeding, vaginal dryness and help reduce hot flashes.
Progestin Treatment – For women who can’t take oral contraceptives, this can help with bleeding problems.

Endometrial Ablation – This is when the uterus lining is broken down with a laser to help control heavy bleeding. Generally this is only used in the most severe cases.

Natural Treatment

Exercise – This helps preserve bone density, reduce stress, and helps you sleep better

Sleep – Without proper sleep, you will suffer more irritability and fatigue.

Reduce Stress – Stress is a killer, both literally and figuratively. Continued stress can cause additional health problems such heart attacks and high blood pressure but for women with perimenopause symptoms, stress will just make all your symptoms worse.

Eat a Balanced Diet – Since this is the age when the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease increases, it is important to get enough calcium and fiber in your diet.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine – These can cause hot flashes.

As with most medical conditions, everyone will have varying degrees of severity in their perimenopause symptoms. After consulting with a doctor, you will be able to determine what is the best course of action to take, but if you are willing to make some small changes in your lifestyle, such as eating better, doing yoga, exercising and getting a full 8 hours of sleep you can reduce the possibility of having very severe symptoms.

The medical term for pre menopause is perimenopause; this is the years leading up to menopause. This phase lasts on average of 4 years but it varies widely, for some women it may pass quickly in a few months while for others it may last as long as 10 years. Most women begin to experience pre menopause symptoms in their mid to late 40s but it can happen as early as the 30s. This phase is marked by a decline in fertility and ends when menopause is reached. Once menopause is reached, a woman is no longer fertile, but during the perimenopause phase, a woman is still fertile and capable of getting pregnant. In the US, the average age of menopause is 52, but it can happen at any time between the ages of 40 and 60. Menopause is said to start the day a woman has her last and final day of menstrual bleeding, but until a woman has gone a full year with no bleeding she is still considered potentially fertile. After this year has passed, menopause is fully confirmed.

Pre Menopause Symptoms

• Hot flashes
  
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Memory loss
• Vaginal dryness
• Loss of sex drive
• Unwanted facial hair
• Breast tenderness
• Irregular periods
• Exhaustion
• Tinnitus (ear ringing)
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Muscle soreness
• Brittle, dry fingernails
• Memory loss
• Weight loss
• Hair thinning or loss
• Dizzy spells or problems with balance
• More or less blood flow during menstruation
• Accidental urine leakage while coughing or laughing
• The need to urinate more often
• Heart palpations or irregular heart beat
• Stomach problems such as gas, nausea, constipation or bloating
• Formication (this is the sensation of things crawling under or on your skin or a sensation of pins and needles)
• Osteoporosis (this is the slow loss of bone density that occurs over a long time frame)
• Tingling in arms and legs
• A possible increase in urinary tract infections

Summary

Some of these symptoms may be the result of other medical conditions such as thyroid conditions, diabetes, or high blood pressure, so getting a doctor’s exam is always a good idea. While this is a list of possible pre menopause symptoms, most women will only experience a few of these and some women sail through pre menopause and menopause with absolutely no symptoms at all.

What age does premenopause start?

The premenopause phase, also know by the medical term perimenopause, can start as early as when a woman reaches her 30s, but usually happens in the mid to late 40s for women undergoing “normal” menopause. Natural menopause occurs between 40 and 65 years old, but it can happen even earlier. If a woman experiences menopause earlier than the age of 40, this is outside medical norms and considered an early menopause.

For a woman undergoing natural menopause, premenopause symptoms would start sometime during their 30s.
For women undergoing early menopause, pre menopause symptoms could potentially start as early as their 20s.

How long does premenopause last?

Premenopause typically lasts anywhere from 3-10 years, ending when menopause is reached. The average age of menopause is 52, but any menopause that occurs between the ages of 40-65 is considered normal.

When do premenopause symptoms go away?  

Premenopause symptoms don’t stop immediately at the onset of menopause, but once menopause is reached, they will slowly begin to diminish and eventually disappear. This may take only a few months or a few years, it varies widely.

Premenopause Symptoms

• Hot flashes – this is the most common symptom
• Night sweats – this can lead to insomnia which can exacerbate other symptoms
• Irregular bleeding – blood flow maybe heavier or lighter, with periods being skipped
• Vaginal dryness – this may make intercourse painful
• Loss of sex drive
• Mood swings
• Exhaustion
• Hair thinning
• Unwanted facial hair
• Memory loss
• Insomnia – this can be related to night sweats
• Difficulty concentrating
• Weight gain – especially around the midsection
• Dizziness
• Incontinence – some women experience slight urine leakage when laughing or sneezing
• Stomach problems – may include constipation, gas, or nausea
• Water retention
• Heart palpitations
• Dry brittle nails
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Dry skin
• Breast tenderness
• Formication – this is the sensation of things crawling on or under the skin or tingling similar to when a limb falls asleep
• Tinnitus – this is ear ringing
• Headaches
• Muscle soreness
• Osteoporosis – this is a slow loss of bone density that occurs over years