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At Women’s Health Network, we believe every woman deserves straight answers to her questions and concerns about health related issues. We’ve already answered thousands of such questions from topics on menopause to thyroid health and a variety of women’s health topics. You may search all the questions and answers
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If you can wait for an individual answer (please allow up to two weeks), we want you to know that we respond to every woman individually. Ask a Question is the safe place to ask women’s health questions. Of course, this service is no substitute for in-person medical care. You need and deserve to regularly see a qualified, caring health practitioner.
Top Q&A
Menopause
I still get my period, but I’m starting to have hot flashes. Am I in perimenopause?
Probably. And you’re not alone. Many women experience a host of health symptoms including: hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, irritability or mood swings, unusual weight gain, irregular periods, anxiety, feelings of depression, fuzzy thinking, bloating or gas, headaches, joint pain or stiffness, vaginal dryness, diminished sexual desire, and leaking of urine. If you have any of these along with irregular periods, it’s a good sign that you’re starting menopause. Perimenopause may actually start many years before you reach menopause.
How do I know when I’m in menopause?
Menopause is the stopping of your periods. You are officially in menopause one year after your last period, so the time leading up to this point (if you are having symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, unusual weight gain, irregular periods, anxiety or feelings of depression) is called perimenopause. Though each woman is different, the average age women in America go through menopause is 52.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause in which you are experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance (hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, irregular periods, fatigue, weight gain, and so on.). Levels and ratios of a woman’s sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, LH and FSH, fluctuate during this time, resulting in symptoms. This transition into menopause generally lasts between two to five years, but some women can experience symptoms for 10–15 years before their periods stop.
