Perimenopause and Hormonal Factors

 

Have you heard of Perimenopause? This is the transition period to menopause and can begin 4 to 7 years before menopause. Some women in their late 30’s and forties may already be experiencing symptoms. During this perimenopause stage, “irregular” is what is considered regular in terms of menstrual periods. Shorter, longer, lighter, heavier, the character of a woman’s period can change so much during perimenopause, and at times this change can be subtle.

 

Why does this matter? It does because cycles when women do not ovulate are characterized by variable amounts of estrogen production without progesterone to balance it. This “imbalance” isn’t dangerous (although it can be in the case of unopposed estrogen for very long periods of time, which is unusual), but it is the basis of a host of symptoms that appear to be totally unrelated to the woman’s menstrual cycle - occasional hot flashes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, free floating anxiety, memory lapses and “foggy memory”, inability to concentrate, feeling depressed at times and so on.

 

To be clear, the above symptoms can be due to many factors, but the fact that it can be due to Perimenopause and hormonal factors is unfortunately not considered as much as it should be.

 

Perimenopause is one of the most misdiagnosed conditions in women. Dr Steven R. Goldstein MD, the best doctor for Perimenopause in NYC, has seen women visit internists, mental health professionals, neurologists, etc. for an answer to their symptoms only to find no answer until they wound up in his office for their exam. One woman experiencing symptoms of Perimenopause was told to have a hysterectomy by her primary care doctor, prior to visiting Dr Goldstein. Another was told by her internist that she needed to be on Prozac. After being examined by Dr Goldstein, no Prozac was needed. No hysterectomy necessary. It was Perimenopause, one of the most misdiagnosed conditions in women who range from the mid 30’s to late 40’s.

 

Dr Goldstein is a premier Gyn in NYC and the author of over 6 books on gynecology. He actively serves on the editorial board of more than 6 scientific journals, is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York University School of Medicine and a much sought after lecturer. He is also a past President of the International Menopause Society and a Certified Menopause Practitioner.

 

If you are a woman with occasional hot flashes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, free floating anxiety, memory lapses and “foggy memory”, inability to concentrate, feeling depressed at times, irregular periods, spotting and so on then a consultation with Dr Goldstein and an examination may be in order to determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are due to hormonal changes surrounding Perimenopause. If so, there are a number of treatment options that can be discussed. As a leading NYC Gyn, Dr Goldstein practices evidence based medicine and offers a high level of individualized patient care to each patient.