It’s menopause awareness month so we’re getting back to basics
So let’s start with what is menopause?
Menopause is actually just one day
For most females, this is the day that you reach 12 months without having a period
After that, you are post-menopausal
Most females will experience menopause between the ages of 45-55, however, it could be earlier or later
The average age of menopause in the UK is 51
However, a small number of people may experience premature menopause under the age of 40
Some types of medications and surgery can also trigger menopause. In these cases, symptoms can happen very abruptly and be more severe
The years before menopause, when most symptoms are experienced, is called perimenopause
On average perimenopause lasts 4-6 years but it can last for some it can last more than 10…
The final 1-3 years of perimenopause are often when symptoms increase
This all happens as the hormones oestrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate and eventually decline
Some of the first symptoms you may notice are your periods being more irregular. They may also be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier
Perimenopause can be diagnosed over the age of 45 without testing when irregular periods and at least one other symptom are experienced
At what age did you start noticing symptoms?
In my next post, I will start to talk about some of the most common symptoms
