By Mache Seibel, MD
About 6000 women enter menopause every day and millions more are in the ten-year window around menopause called perimenopause. During my nearly 20 years at Harvard where I ran the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Harvard’s Beth Israel Hospital, and more recently as Director of the Complicated Menopause Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, I've had the opportunity to talk with and treat thousands of women for their menopause issues. Many of my patients came in feeling frustrated and confused.
But I found that when I helped women understand the issues they were facing, it helped them gain clarity over the contradictions, misunderstandings and negative press out there about menopause. I want to help you become more confident about where you are in this transition, more aware of what is possible to achieve, and more certain about how to achieve it.
1. Menopause is defined as one year after your last period. The average age in the United States is 51 years, and about 5 to 10 percent of women enter menopause before age 46. Menopause before age 45 is called early menopause and before age 40 is called premature menopause. I have some patients who go into menopause in their early 20s. If both your ovaries are removed by surgery, that is called surgical menopause, no matter what age you are.
2. Perimenopause is the window leading up to menopause. Hormones begin to go out of balance and some symptoms may start. Perimenopause begins up to 10 years before menopause. That means that if you enter menopause at age 51, you may begin experiencing symptoms as early as age 41; if you go into menopause at age 46, your symptoms may begin as early as age 36. So those occasional feelings of warmth, those suddenly whacky periods, those nights of poor sleep, those pangs of anxiety and that crazy brain fog may all be due to perimenopausal symptoms.
3. Timing matters. If you go through menopause before age 48 and do not go on estrogen, your risk of Alzheimer's disease increases by up to 70%.
4. Whether or not you've had your uterus removed (hysterectomy) changes treatment. If you have had a hysterectomy you go on estrogen only without progesterone. If you have not had a hysterectomy, you need both. With estrogen only, your risk of breast cancer goes down by 23%.
5. Women over 50 are at greater risk for diabetes. But women who take hormone therapy (HT) lower their risk of developing diabetes.
If you would like to gain more information on menopause and discover ways to make your life healthier and more vibrant, visit HotYearsMag.com and get a free subscription to the award-winning The Hot Years Magazine. Choose which digital platform works best for you.
Learn more about menopause, diabetes and how hormones like estrogen and progesterone may affect blood sugar on the upcoming DiabetesSisters' Life Class Webinar: 5 Things Women with Diabetes Should Know About Menopause on Wednesday, March 22nd at 4pm EST. Register today for this free webinar!
Mache Seibel, MD's mission is to help women become the conductor of their family's health and harmony to create a healthier world. Dr. Seibel is currently a member of the Harvard Medical faculty working at Beth Israel Hospital. He has served as a professor and the Director of the Menopause and Mental Health Program at University of Massachusetts Medical School. Prior to this, Dr. Seibel was a member of the Harvard Medical school faculty for 19 years where he served as Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and fertility. He is the Founder of The Hot Years magazine and hosts a monthly call in show at AskDrMache.com. He also writes for Bottom Line and Huffington Post on women's health and wellness. His specialties are menopause symptoms, stress, weight control, sleep and diabetes. Find out more at Dr.Mache.com.