Chaotic Periods and Menopause Onset - Discussion and Remedies

Chaotic as well as irregular periods and menopause onset often come hand-in-hand.

Menopause simply means the cessation of the menses. Yet the term remains a loaded and complicated one for most women, and many refer to this period as the “Life Change.” Tina Brown once wrote, “Menopause. In our youth obsessed culture, the very word is a room emptier: the pregnancy club is for women a joyous one - the menopause club is one nobody wants to admit she has joined…”

Yet, the transition from menstrual periods and fertility through peri-menopasue and into menopause can be a meaningful and joyous time if women can embrace a new vision of midlife and its wisdom. Indeed, the cessation of periods and menopause need not spell the end of a healthy, fulfilling, happy and vibrant life.

Symptoms of Last Periods and Menopause Onset

What are some signs and symptoms of a woman's final periods and menopause starting?

The transition into menopause may last several years. During that time, a woman will begin to have menstrual periods that appear more irregular and increasingly infrequent. This tendency may be coupled with feelings of irritability or mood swings.

Many women report that as they progress closer to menopause, they can no longer predict the onset of their periods, and must always be prepared for the menses’ arrival. The hormonal changes of perimenopause cause this disruption, and periods may become quite light or unusually heavy and erratic (with up to three months elapsing between periods).

For some women, their periods become virtually unrecognizable and instead resemble the spotting that sometimes occurs during ovulation. As with many menopausal symptoms, the experience differs for each woman.

Treatment and Remedies for Irregular Periods and Menopause Arrival

If the irregularity of the menses begins to disrupt your life, several treatment options can be implemented to restore at least some regularity to the monthly cycle. Treatments range from birth control pills to effective natural treatments such as progesterone skin cream or chasteberry (Vitex agnus) herb, which regulates the interaction of the ovaries in conjunction with the pituitary glands and the hypothalamus to stimulate the production of progesterone.

Do recognize, however, that the changes that the body experiences, even if seemingly chaotic, do still fall within the natural adjustments which must happen as the body prepares for menopause. Even in the case of an increase in blood loss (heavy periods), few women experience enough of an increase to necessitate concern. Only a very small percentage experience hemorrhaging, which, when it occurs, cannot be mistaken for any other condition but an emergency one.

Generally speaking, heavier than normal periods can be more of a nuisance than a health issue, unless anemia results. Anemia occurs when the red blood cell count falls below a certain normal level. Oddly enough, women who become anemic also tend to increase the heaviness of their periods, which becomes a double edged sword.

In this case, some intervention should be sought to stabilize the menstrual flow. Many herbs, such as the aforementioned chasteberry, as well as black cohosh, dong quai, red clover and raspberry, will be beneficial.

Perimenopausal women can also experience bleeding between periods (often termed spotting), and usually it can again be traced back to the fluctuating hormones of ending periods and menopause onset. However, spotting can occasionally be a sign of uterine or cervical cancer, so other symptoms as well as the frequency of spotting occurrence should be monitored.

One episode raises no red flags; however, if spotting occurs more than once in a given period of time, a woman should see her health practitioner for additional tests. The rate of uterine and cervical cancer does increase in midlife.

Some women also experience clotting during the menstrual periods for the first time while in perimenopause, and though somewhat disturbing, clots generally do not cause medical concern, though painful cramping may be an issue. Herbs that you can take to alleviate menstrual cramps include black cohosh and blue cohosh, cramp bark and ginger, valerian, evening primrose, dong quai, raspberry, and a few of the mild sedative herbs like lavender and chamomile that take the edge off the pain and discomfort.

Having read about periods and menopause, you may wish to explore a little more about the latter by also reading the other related menopause pages.

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