Perimenopause
Perimenopause is another name for the menopause transition. It starts a few years prior to menopause itself, which is when a woman’s menstrual periods stop for good, and no further eggs are released from the ovaries. It may last a few months or continue for years.
Symptoms
During this time, you may experience:
hot flushes
night sweats
irregular and sometimes heavy periods
difficulty sleeping
vaginal dryness
tiredness
lowered libido
mood swings
leakage or urinary urgency
Treatment
Treatment is dependent on what symptoms you are experiencing.
It is important to recognise abnormal bleeding may be caused by other pathologies, such as abnormal cells within the uterus (endometrial hyperplasia), or cancer of the uterus.
Hormone replacement therapy may be an appropriate short to medium-term treatment for those with disabling symptoms such as hot flushes. There are also non-hormonal options.
We can help
If you’d think you may have this condition and would like to talk to us about how we can help, please feel free to contact us. You can also request an appointment online.
Further reading
Related symptoms
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Causes include endometriosis, infection, instability of the lining of the womb, ovarian cysts, perimenopause, PCOS, polyps, and early pregnancy.