What’s the difference between perimenopause and menopause?

People usually refer to the years prior to and after menopause simply as menopause, but there is a difference between perimenopause and menopause. Perimenopause occurs during the years before menopause, when women transition into life without periods. When women don’t menstruate for 12 months in a row, menopause begins. One year after menopause is complete, there is a final phase known as postmenopause. During all these years of a woman’s life, the experienced physicians at Athens OBGYN provide patients with menopause management and help improve their quality of life as their bodies change.

During perimenopause, hormonal shifts cause many changes

Some women enter perimenopause 10 years before menopause; others may only be in the transitional years for a shorter time. The average amount of time is four years. Most of the time, the transition starts when women are in their 40s. During this time, estrogen levels begin to decrease, and progesterone levels fluctuate. Estrogen continues to decrease during the perimenopause years, until menopause starts and menstruation ends.

One difference between perimenopause and menopause is that the majority of the symptoms that women associate with menopause actually happen during perimenopause. While some women continue to have hot flashes and other symptoms after menopause, most of the irritating issues happen as the perimenopausal and menopausal hormones begin to change.

Menopause management helps patients cope with hot flashes and other issues

Get women of a certain age together, and they talk about hot flashes and other frustrations that occur during perimenopause. Here’s where there’s often a big difference between perimenopause and menopause. These symptoms are usually perimenopause problems, and for some women, they seem to last forever.

Patients’ experiences vary widely. Some women feel almost disabled by problems, while others don’t notice many changes.

Our OBGYNs can help patients deal with the following perimenopausal issues.

• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness that can lead to painful sex or urinary tract infections
• Frequent urination
• Skipped periods
• Irregular periods
• Lighter or heavier bleeding during menstruation
• Insomnia or other sleep issues
• Depression, anxiety, irritability or other mood changes

Our physicians also help women navigate the postmenopausal years

Another difference between perimenopause and menopause can involve long-lasting issues associated with hormone levels. During the years after menopause, the lack of estrogen production can lead to a variety of health issues.

• Higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• Risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis, due to fewer hormones that help with bone development and maintaining bone density
• Continued mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety
• Genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM, a condition in which the lack of estrogen hormone contributes to a thinner vaginal lining, causing problems like pain during intercourse or frequent UTIs

Our team keeps an eye out for these problems and does preventive testing and intervention as needed.

It’s helpful to understand the difference between perimenopause and menopause

When women know more about their bodies, the changes to expect, and the stages of menopause, they can ask for the help they need. The compassionate physicians at Athens OBGYN are experts in menopause management. Contact us for an appointment.