Medical Appointments

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I am off to my yearly mammogram and gyn appointments. I am even having my hormone levels checked - for the first time. I don't have any signs of perimenopause yet, but I know it's right around the corner. I've decided to move myself up higher on my list of priorities this year. Why is this so difficult to do? Such is the life of all women.

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Some information all women (my age especially) should know.

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Typical Perimenopausal Symptoms:

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Around age 40, women’s bodies begin perimenopause, the transition leading to menopause. Many women sail through “the change” without any symptoms at all. Others experience a wide range of symptoms, all of which have physical, emotional, and psychological aspects. During the years before menopause levels of progesterone typically decline, while estrogen levels remain stable or even increase. This is the most significant issue for the majority of women; many of the early symptoms that women feel are due to progesterone levels that are too low, in relation to their levels of estrogen. This state of a low progesterone-to-estrogen ratio is also referred to as “estrogen dominance.” Some of the symptoms that women suffer when progesterone declines include:

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Breast swelling and tenderness

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Mood swings

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“Fuzzy thinking”

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Irritability

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Trouble sleeping

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Water retention

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PMS

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Weight gain

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(Information Courtesy of The Christiane Northrup, M.D. Website)