{"id":43049,"date":"2025-02-03T12:00:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T11:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amazingy.com\/magazine\/?p=43049"},"modified":"2025-03-21T15:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:28:10","slug":"menopause-101-lets-get-down-to-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amazingy.com\/magazine\/menopause-101-lets-get-down-to-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Menopause 101 \u2014 Let\u2019s Get Down to Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your menopause doula, reporting for service! After sharing much of my menopause journey in the last article, it\u2019s time to turn the spotlight to YOU. This article is all about getting the basics straight. Together, we\u2019ll get on the same page about what menopause really means, the unique experiences that come with it, and why tracking your periods should be at the top of your to-do list\u2026starting now.<\/strong><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong>What is menopause?<\/b><\/em><\/h2>\n

Surprisingly, menopause itself is just one day in a person\u2019s life. It\u2019s the day when someone has gone a full year without having a period. Think of it as an anniversary! Everything before that day is called premenopause, and everything after it is postmenopause.<\/span><\/p>\n

The years leading up to menopause\u2014when periods stop and fertility ends\u2014are marked by big hormonal shifts, especially in estrogen and progesterone. This phase, known as perimenopause, usually starts about 4\u20136 years before your final period. On average, most European women hit menopause (again, that one-year mark after the last period) around age 51. This means perimenopause often starts around 44\u201345. Of course, these are just averages. Some people start perimenopause 10 years earlier, and for others, it\u2019s only 2 years before menopause.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone keep a relatively steady balance. But during this transition, they start to spike and dip wildly. If this all sounds familiar, it should! The hormonal rollercoaster of perimenopause is actually pretty similar to what happens in our teenage years\u2014that is why some people call it a \u201csecond adolescence.\u201d This is what causes those well-known signs like hot flushes, mood swings, trouble sleeping, and irregular bleeding. And no, this doesn\u2019t stop the day you hit menopause. Hormones take time to stabilize, usually 1\u20132 years afterward, as your body adjusts to a new, lower level. While the ovaries stop producing large amounts of hormones, other glands (like your adrenal glands) pick up the slack and produce just enough for what your body needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Vagina<\/p>\n

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Natural vs. Non-Natural Menopause<\/b><\/em><\/h2>\n

In all of this, I\u2019m referring to what\u2019s called \u201cnatural menopause.\u201d However, there are also \u201cnon-natural\u201d menopauses. These include premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) (like yours truly), medically induced menopause, and surgical menopause, which happens when the ovaries are removed. Menopause can also result from treatments for certain diseases, such as cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s estimated that 1 in 100 women (though recent studies suggest it might be closer to 4 in 100) will experience POI. Sadly, we have very little data about the other types of non-natural menopause, even though we know the numbers are on the rise. Women experiencing non-natural menopause may face stronger and more debilitating symptoms, compounded by the mental and emotional load of navigating menopause outside the \u201ctypical\u201d age range and dealing with the sudden loss of fertility. This adds an extra layer of complexity to their journey, requiring even greater awareness, empathy, and tailored support.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s clear something up…<\/b><\/em><\/h2>\n

People often refer to this whole process as \u201cmenopause,\u201d but that\u2019s not technically correct. It\u2019s better to call it the menopause transition, which includes perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. And let\u2019s be clear: this transition is normal\u2014it\u2019s not a disease. That\u2019s why I prefer to talk about \u201csigns\u201d or \u201cexperiences\u201d rather than \u201csymptoms,\u201d which makes it sound like something\u2019s wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of us know about the \u201cbig\u201d signs like hot flushes, but there are actually over 35 possible experiences during this time. Some of them are pretty unexpected, like dry eyes or dental issues. Please google \u201cmenopause symptom tracker\u201d, download one that you like and get familiar with it! My goal isn\u2019t to scare anyone or make menopause sound awful. Not all these things happen to everyone, and certainly not all at once. Every menopause journey is completely unique.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s how it breaks down:<\/strong><\/p>\n