Do I Have Menopause?

Menopause

If you have noticed changes in your mood, skin, period cycle, or sleep pattern you may have asked yourself the question “do I have menopause?”

Today we go through the menopause journey to help you better understand where you are in your menopause timeline.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause can begin years before your periods stop.

Common symptoms of perimenopause include the following:

Irregular periods
Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
Sleep issues
Mood swings

These side effects are due to the changing estrogen levels in your body.

Perimenopause and Birth Control

Many women are surprised to realize that you can still get pregnant during perimenopause.

The five most effective contraception options during this time include the following:

Birth control pills, patches or rings
Progestin-alone pills, implants or injections
Condoms, diaphragm, spermicide
Intrauterine devices
Sterilization

Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)

If you are under the age of 40 and have noticed irregular or a stop of your periods, you may have a condition call POI which prompts the early arrival of menopause.

If you believe you may have POI, contact your doctor today.

Natural Menopause

Menopause generally arrives for women between the ages of 40 and 58 and is a naturally occurring phenomenon.

This diagnosis is marked by a 12-month consecutive period without menstruation.

Postmenopause

Postmenopause refers to everything that happens after menopause.

As your estrogen levels continue to drop, you may experience new symptoms such as dryness of the vagina and even a return of hot flashes.