This is usually used to refer to the time when your hormone levels haven’t started to change and your periods are normal.
What is the Menopause
What is the Perimenopause?
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008This is the time during when it all begins to change..
Technically it’s from when hormone levels start to change and periods become more irregular, through to your last ever period and perhaps a little longer, until your hormones have settled into their new pattern.
It can last anything from 2 years to 6 years, although in the early years the signs may be relatively minor, and the duration varies.
It ends 12 months after your last period – it is usual to wait for 12 months without a period before you can be sure it is really the last one.
This is what is more usually described as “going through the menopause”.
Menopause
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008“Menopause” is really a point in time – the last menstrual period – though the term gets used to describe the whole process.
Typically, in Britain, the average age for the last period is 50 years old, but this can vary quite a lot from individual to individual.
It is generally stated that a normal range of ages would be between 45 and 55 years.
Earlier than 45 is considered a “Premature Menopause”. This can come about naturally, or can be precipitated by medical treatment such as surgery in or around the ovaries, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Post Menopause
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008For most of us this is the time to say “Welcome to the rest of my life”! Our periods have stopped, we don’t have to worry about getting pregnant any more and hopefully, we can now concentrate on enjoying the rest of our lives.
However, there’s obviously a bit of a cross over between the perimenopause and the post menopause because of confirming that your last period really was THE last one and letting those last few hormones settle down.