by Marcia Mangum Cronin
Most of us know what menopause is, but some women aren’t aware that symptoms related to our changing hormones can start in our mid-30s. This time of life is sometimes referred to as premenopause, and the time closer to the end of our menstrual cycles is referred to as perimenopause.
But more important than what we call it is what we do about it. Dr. Whitney Pollock, an OB/GYN with the Gynecology Center in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, believes we women do not need to suffer silently with symptoms that too often disrupt our lives. In this videotaped interview with Dr. Pollock, she urges women to educate themselves about their symptoms and to talk to their health care providers.
Dr. Pollock says that heavy menstrual bleeding is the No. 1 reason that women visit their gynecologists. Heavy bleeding can cause anemia and affects quality of life, causing women to miss out on activities. This is not necessary or acceptable, she says, because there are many treatment options available. Hysterectomy is not the only (or best) solution for most women. For those of us who are through having children, a new minimally invasive procedure that takes five minutes and has no recovery time may put an end to heavy bleeding.
Click on this video to find out more about heavy menstrual bleeding and other premenopausal symptoms. You’re not alone, and you may not need to suffer with premenopausal symptoms any longer.