Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

The menstrual cycle is always counted from the 1st day of menstruation until the 1st day of the next bleeding period, making it the number of days in between menstrual periods. It lasts in average around 28 days, but only as much as 10 to 15% of women experience this perfect length of menstrual cycle. The length depends on each individual woman and ranges from 25 to 36 days. It can be difficult for many women to calculate their menstrual cycle, but there is a solution to this dilemma.

Most of women can find it hard to keep up with ever changing cycle patterns. However, it may be very useful to keep a calendar, as it may ease concerns of when is your next period is due. Remember that the first day of your menstrual period is the first day you see bleeding. Once it happened, mark that date on your personal calendar and consider it the 1st day of your menstrual cycle. Besides, also mark the last day before the next period starts.

Your menstrual cycle is considered the number of days counted from the 1st day of the menstrual period and the last day before the next one. But while you are calculating those days, don’t forget to include the 1st day of your period and the last day before it arrived again. The received number of days can be expected before your next period.

As it was indicated above, every woman is different, and just as much as 15% of them can boast the normal 28-day length of their menstrual cycle. However, if a woman tracks her menstrual cycle for 3 to 4 consecutive terms, it would undoubtedly help her gain her personal menstrual cycle pattern based on her own body’s rhythm. If a woman achieved consistency in the number of days of her cycle, the period should start when expected.

However, there’re many things able to affect your menstrual cycle. Young women, having their first menstrual period, may experience irregular periods for the first 2 years. This period of time is called “menarche”. Usually women receive their first menstrual period at the age from 9 to 15, and they may face either light or skipped periods during this phase. Besides, for the fist two years the length of their cycle can range from 21 to 45 days.

As for women who face menopause, they can also experience inconsistent patterns within their menstrual cycles. The phase called “menopause” starts later in age, leading to a shift in hormonal balance. Menopause changes the way the woman’s body responds her menstrual cycle, making her suffer from heavy bleeding, mid-cycle spotting, or skipped periods.

If you have personal concerns about your menstrual cycle, it is recommended to schedule an appointment with your personal OB/Gyn.

When a woman is close to 45-46 years old, her life begins to acquire previously unknown nuances. Although menstruation do not give a failure, and doctors even recommend the use of contraceptive drugs for contraception. In the reproductive system of female body gradually develops involution processes, at the result of which reduce the synthesis of sex hormones in the ovaries. Exact at this period a woman enters a time of menopause.

Menopause literally means “the complete cessation of menstruation”, however, gynecologists denote this condition by a fairly long period during which there occur various changes relating to cessation of ovarian function.

Conditionally menopause is divided into three phases:

pre-menopausal – the start time reduction of ovarian function before menopause

perimenopause – extends the period of pre-and postmenopausal, including a year after menopause

postmenopausal – life time after menopause to the old ages.

In other words, while menopause, the woman reproductive period becomes unproductive, i.e., gradually the woman loses ability to conceive and birth a child.

Quite often, with the beginning of premenopausal marked changes in the functional status of many organs and systems. Ovulation occurs less frequently, the development of progesterone slows down, and consequently, the duration of menstrual cycles varies considerably. A similar phenomenon during menopause can last for several months or several years.

In general, the processes occurring in women during menopause, on the one hand, typical, and on the other – are individual in nature. The organism can individually respond to those or other changes in hormonal background – for example, someone will has a tendency to weight gain, and others, however, noticeably lose weight, and such manifestations of menopause set. They deliver a lot of unpleasant moments for women…but, however, we are strong goddesses, and we will be able to live out this moment!

P.s. Here are some early signs of menopause. Have you noticed some of them?

1. Changes in mood
2. Depression
3. Chronic fatigue
4. Headaches
5. Changing the monthly cycle
7. Change the hair on the body
8. Pain, cramping,
9. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels
10. Water retention
11. Night sweats
12. Sleep disorders
13. Increased premenstrual syndrome
14. Loss of interest in sexual activities
15. Reduced vaginal mucosa

If you feel something unusual in your organism, please, consult the gynecologist.

Before, I thought that PMS is rather rare conditions for young woman, but having experienced on my sister, I understand that this is a real problem, painful and unpleasant time. In order to start treatment we have read a lot of information about menstrual cycle, PMS and its symptoms. So, here you are what I’ve find.

Most women experience some discomfort before menstruation. Some of them do not bring these feelings of anxiety, as not pronounced and prolonged. For others – on the contrary, strongly violate the overall health and deliver a lot of trouble. Uncomfortable phenomenon may last from several hours to several days, the nature and manifestations of these discomforts diverse and individualized for each woman.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) – it’s emotional and physical discomfort before menstruation. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) brings suffering to 80% of women of childbearing age (20-40 years). Approximately 30-40% experiencing so much suffering that disrupted their rhythm of life. And if it is left unattended and can not be cured, then over the years before menstruation discomfort will be felt stronger and stronger. And the most dangerous thing is that then premenstrual syndrome may gradually develop into menopause, and monthly pain will become daily.

The main symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (they all don’t occur at once), which usually occur for 7-14 days before menstruation:

- Weakness, fatigue, absent-mindedness.

- Insomnia or drowsiness.

- The heightened perception of noise.

- Headache , dizziness, fainting.

- Retardation, speech difficulty, tingling, numbness or a feeling of “chills” in the hands.

- Painful breast engorgement.

- Irritability, resentment, moodiness, tearfulness, conflicts, sudden outbursts of anger.

- Edema, a small weight gain, oliguria.

- Swelling or soreness of the joints, cramps in the calf muscles, aching muscle pain, limitation of movement and discomfort in your neck.

-Skin rash accompanied by itching, acne.

- Seizures heart palpitations.

- Nausea, vomiting, flatulence (gas formation increased in intestines), and constipation.

- Fever, nasal bleeding.

- Increase in appetite, change in taste (taste for salty, sweet), poor tolerance of alcohol.

- Increased susceptibility to infections and disorders of the urinary tract, aggravation of hemorrhoids, the appearance of asthma attacks, allergies.

When you come to the gynecologist, he always asks you what your menstrual cycle is. Many patients believe that the menstrual cycle – these are the days when you have a bloody discharge from the genital tract. In fact it’s just a menses. A menstrual cycle – is a time period from one menstrual period to another and it is from the first day of the last menstrual period before the first day of the next (represents normal 23-35 days)

In addition to the cycle duration is very important it’s regularity. Ideally, from month to month duration of your individual cycle does not change. Fluctuations are allowed within 3 days. If more – this is pathological. There are also important blood amount and your subjective feelings in this period.
If you paid attention to the changing nature of menstruation, there is reason to see a doctor because this may be the first sign of some disease.

First menstruation (menses) is the most striking evidence of the ensuing sexual maturity. Most of the first menstruation (menses) begins at the age of 14-15 years. However, the full development of the girl’s body reaches an average of 18 years.

So, what is it menstrual cycle and how does it work? Consider the standard 28-day cycle, a healthy woman’s menstrual cycle has 2 phases: with 28-days cycle on the first phase 14 days on the second phase.

In the first 14 days, the women are preparing for a possible pregnancy. One part of the brain called the pituitary produces two main hormones that affect the menstrual cycle – follicle-stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing (LH).

Under the influence of FSH in a mature egg from the ovaries, the uterus is thickening of the inner shell in order to accept a fertilized egg. The main hormone secreted in the blood – estrogen. It contributes to the fact that a woman looks good, active, and cheerful. Body temperature – is normal.

Two weeks later there occurs ovulation – exit of mature egg from the ovary. This process occurs due to sharp increases in blood levels of luteinizing hormone, which reaches its peak. If the egg becomes fertilized by a sperm cell, it attaches to the uterine wall and a fetus will begin to develop. The ovulation phase typically occurs in 14 days before the start of the next period.

At this moment, some women experience slight pulling sensation in the abdomen. Very seldom, they may notice bloody discharge from the genital tract.

The fourth and final phase is the premenstrual phase. If the egg is not fertilized, the thickened lining of the uterus is shed and a new menstrual cycle starts all over again.

The body temperature may be somewhat higher (up to 37.0). At this time, on-site release eggs in the ovary under the influence of LH matures corpus luteum, which, in the case of pregnancy, will ensure its preservation.

As a rule, women stop having menses at 50, when they reached menopause (stage when a woman is no able to ovulate or produce eggs, due to this she can no longer become pregnant). Like any other health processes, menopause occurs differently in different woman, this all is rather individual, so, noticing any changes, please turn to doctor!

Read more about menstrual cycles – Menstrual cramps

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a period of women life cycle when her childbearing abilities decay and the organism is getting ready for menopause. Usually perimenopause starts within several years before menopause and the core process of this period is the decrease of estrogen production by the ovaries. The usual age for perimenopause is 40’s, but it can start earlier.

The menopause period is characterized by the stop of producing eggs and more rapid decrease of estrogen. During this period lots of women experience various menopausal symptoms

What Is the Time Period of Perimenopause Last?

As a rule, perimenopause lasts about 4 – 5 years, but it is not a standard value. Some women experience it only a few month, and some for 10 years. Perimenopause ends after a 12 month period without menstruation.

What Symptoms of Perimenopause Can Be?

The most widespread signs of perimenopause are:

· PMS worsening

· Decreased sexual desire

· Night Fever and Sweating

· Breast sensitivity

· Tiredness

· Slumber problems

· Constant mood changes

· Sex without satisfaction

· Irregular menstruations

· Vaginal and urinary tracts dryness

· Frequent urination

How Do Define whether Periods Changes Are the Normal Perimenopausal Side Effects or the Symptoms of Other Disorder?

Indeed irregular periods can be the signs of various diseases of woman’s organism. Here is the list of situations that require medical consultation:

· You experience rapidly increased bleeding during the periods.

· Your menstruation takes a few days more than usual.

· There are blood spots between periods.

· You experience insignificant bleeding during or after sex.

· Your periods became more frequent.

The most common reasons of the aforementioned changes are hormonal disbalance, tumors, hormonal pills, pregnancy or cancer disease. Also there can be problems with blood coagulation.

How Can Perimenopause Be Diagnosed?

The qualified doctor will analyze the existing symptoms, make some blood tests to define the hormones levels, as well as any other medical tests required due to the concrete situation. The correct diagnosis is possible only with qualified medical assistance.

Is It Possible to Get Pregnant During the Perimenopause?

Yes, it is fully possible if you feel necessity in having a child. While your natural childbearing functions are going to decline, there is a chance to become pregnant thanks to various medical methods. If you do not want to get pregnant during the perimenopause, you should take birth control medications during the first year of menopause (12 month without menstruation). During this period there is still a possibility to conceive a child.

Many women experience difficulties with getting pregnant at the age of late 30’s – 40’s due to the hormonal changes in the organism. Nevertheless if you are aimed at successful results, you may use fertility-enhancing therapies that will increase the chances of successful pregnancy.