Perimenopause Symptoms, Breast Tenderness and Breast Size Changes

In perimenopause, symptoms such as breast tenderness and breast size changes are regular occurences. If you experience these symptoms, consider making small adjustments to your diet or consulting for natural treatment recommendations. Women have reported the following to help:

Dietary tips

- Cut down on salt and caffeine (this will also reduce hot flashes and night sweats).
- Add flaxseed oil to your diet.

Natural and alternative treatments: Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies depend on your specific symptoms, seek advice. The following are examples of prescriptions that have helped some women. You should not self-diagnose and self-prescribe.
- Lac caninum: suck on 5c tablets three to four times daily
- Folliculinum: 7c tablets, once daily

Herbal therapies:
Still pretty much under scrutiny. Women recommend these but science has not yet established a link between herbs and symptom relief.
- Black cohosh
- Evening primrose
- Sage
- Wild yam

A good starting point with alternative and natural therapies is to get documented so you know what you can expect from them. Natural therapies are good also if you are on 'traditional' medication to balance the toxicity of prescription drugs on your organs.

Perimenopause Symptoms: What You Can Do

If you are affected by perimenopause symptoms, the information in this article will give you an overview of treatment options and relieve any anxiety you may feel about getting diagnosed.

Blood pressure medicines
As the name implies blood pressure medicines help with the treatment of high blood pressure and may also help hot flashes.

Alternative therapies
Acupuncture, among other therapies, has shown promising results in the treatment of many of the symptoms of perimenopause with fewer to no side-effects. Other medical non-hormone therapies provide some relief but may have light to serious side effects. They are usually helpful in the temporary treatment of lighter symptoms.

Anti-depressants
Some classes of anti-depressants have been found to not only improve mood, concentration and memory, they have also proved effective in reducing hot flashes.

Treating Tiredness and Loss of Energy
According to research, 25% of all women suffer form clinically significant daytime sleepiness. In Get Rid Of Tiredness & Sleep Less, Peter Novak explains how to beat that tired feeling without the need for stimulants (coffeine etc. which in perimenopause increase hot flashes.)

Other treatments
Over the counter treatments exist which can work effectively on some perimenopause symptoms. Vaginal dryness for instance can be relieved with vaginal moisturizers or, if dryness is a problem specifically during intercourse, vaginal lubricants.

Finally, the big ones:Hormone treatments. As the medical profession has acquired more experience with these and women have become more wary, it is important to take risks associated with these treatments with caution. See also

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormone therapy aims to compensate the body's insuffiencies in estrogens, progesterone and other hormones and it is successful in the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (e.g. hot flashes) and skeletal symptoms such as osteoporosis, joint pain and muscle pain.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT)
Estrogen-only replacement is preferred in some cases, such has women who have had a hysterectomy.

Risks associated with hormone therapies
All hormone replacement therapies carry some health risks. High blood pressure, blood clots and increased risks of breast and uterine cancers are only some of them. The decision to go on HRT or ERT must be considered carefully.

The treatment of menopause and perimenopause symptoms is a field of research which is evolving constantly. Only by staying informed can you make decisions that suit you and will improve your quality of life.

*Please DO NOT self-diagnose. If you think you are affected, discuss your symptoms with a qualified health professional.*

Perimenopause Symptoms Humor

I got this joke in my e-mail recently from my friend Stephnie, not specifically about perimenopause symptoms but who knows!!! She got that right!

10 Ways to know if you have "estrogen issues"

1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.
3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.
4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5. You're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says "How's my driving-call 1-800-***-."
6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7. You're convinced there's a God and he's male.
8. You can't believe they don't make a tampon bigger than Super Plus.
9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday.

Perimenopause Symptoms Explained

Perimenopause symptoms are caused by pronounced fluctuations in hormonal levels. They can be experienced with varying intensity, sometimes completely undetectable for years or mistaken for PMS and other symptoms. Therefore educating yourself to recognize symptoms can help you find a solution.

Vasomotor symptoms
Hot flashes cause feelings of intense heat and sweating which last between 20 and 30 minutes. Their frequency varies from occasional to as many as twelve episodes a day. When the occur at night (night sweats also called hyperhidrosis), they cause sleep disturbances and in turn affect mood, concentration and energy levels during the day.

Urogenital symptoms
Some watery vaginal discharge is normal but a change in discharge may indicate hormonal imbalance of the perimenopause. Bleeding, itching and dryness should also alert you. You may also feel the need to urinate more frequently, more urgently or suffer incontinence. However itchiness and bad vaginal odors may be nothing more than bacterial vaginosis.

Skeletal symptoms
Hormonal changes in your body may cause gradual osteporosis (a reduction in the bone mineral density leading to increase risks of fracture). Joint pain (arthralgia), muscle pain (myalgia) or back pain can also appear.

Dermatological symptoms
During the perimenopause some women notice changes in their breast size (breast atrophy); their skin may feel thinner or lose elasticity; they may experience sensations of pins and needles (formication).

Psychological symptoms
From occasional to more unsettling, psychological disturbances include irritability, mood changes, fatigue, loss of memory, depression.

Sexual symptoms
Painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) is often cause by the vaginal dryness discussed above. Decreased libido and difficulty in reaching orgasm also indicate possible hormonal changes linked to perimenopause.

The more symptoms you experience, the more likely it is to be perimenopause. It is important to accurately diagnose before attempting to treat the underlying condition. If you treat the wrong illness, then you take the risk of delaying proper treatment and/or cause it become more severe. Make sure to talk to your doctor about any symptoms.