Healthplans, Treatment & Therapies
   
Perimenopause: A Time of Transition
Perimenopause is a time in a woman’s life which usually occurs between age 35 and the onset of menopause around 48- 52. Many changes occur in a woman’s body during perimenopause.The menstrual cycle affects all aspects of a woman’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The
perimenopausal period can create instability in a woman’s body and can impact her on a personal and professional basis. During perimenopause, the menstrual cycle is erratic because
  
ovulation, (egg release) is erratic. Ovulation is the timekeeper and helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. Women are more likely to have cycles in which they do not ovulate (anovulation). This disrupts the menstrual cycle and subsequently disrupts women physically and emotionally. The symptoms of abnormal menstrual cycles can be very frustrating. Between the ages of 18- 35 the menstrual cycle is usually very predictable and manageable. A woman in her peak reproductive years ovulates regularly and without interruption.
         As a woman ages, so do her ovaries. The body does not produce new eggs after birth. These aged eggs have more difficulty maturing to a developmental stage in which they can ovulate properly. This causes a wide range of effects. Pregnancy is more difficult; birth defects are more frequent; menstrual cycles are irregular; fibroids appear and grow; risk of breast cancer increases; bone loss begins; weight increases; and it becomes increasingly difficult to cope with the normal demands of life.
This newsletter is devoted to explaining perimenopause, because it is often misdiagnosed and improperly treated, causing women to suffer unnecessarily. Incorrect treatment can actually make the symptoms worse leading to surgery that could have been avoided.
Estrogen & Progesterone: Knowledge is Power
A woman’s life is greatly influenced by the fluctuations of two hormones: estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are in their normal balance, a woman’s life is wonderful. When they are out of balance, problems follow. In order to understand the consequences of estrogen and progesterone imbalance, we must first discuss the normal functions of estrogen and progesterone.Estrogen is a hormone. Hormones carry messages to different organs. These messages are different for each organ. The estrogen message to the uterus is to grow. The uterine lining is instructed to grow and replace the lining that was shed during the previous menses.
        Estrogen’s message to the breast is grow. Breast cells (normal and abnormal) increase in number and multiply under the influence of estrogen.
         Bone resorption is decreased by estrogen. Bone is constantly being broken down and replaced. Estrogen is needed to maintain a proper rate of bone breakdown.
 
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