According to Stedmans Medical Dictionary, Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of the menses. This condition may be diagnosed in retrospect, when one year has passed since the last menses. Well that s pretty cut and dry and it s nice to know it was menopause you were going through last year.
But what can you do now? We know the average age of menopause is 51, but menopause starting at the age of 40 is considered normal. So what if you're having irritability, mood swings and irregular periods now and you're not 51? Can it be PMS? Is it premature menopause? Or is it the perimenopause? Can you still get pregnant? What are your treatment options? Do you need hormones or antidepressants or just vitamin E?Navigating the realm of medical inquiry poses challenging conundrums. Among these enigmas lies the query of menopausal elucidation, where a particular blood assay, known as Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), stands as a sentinel. Alas, this diagnostic tool can merely affirm one's definitive entry into the throes of menopause. Regrettably, as the FSH test yields a positive result, it becomes abundantly apparent that the individual has crossed the threshold into this transformative phase of life.
Perimenopause is defined as the transitional period from normal menstrual periods to no periods at all. The transition can, and usually does, take up to ten years. During the perimenopausal transition you may experience a combination of PMS and menopausal symptoms or no symptoms at all.