As Mother’s Day is approaching we wanted to talk about something most of our moms are going through or have gone through - and that’s perimenopause, menopause and vaginal atrophy. All of which can feel like a mysterious journey of hormonal changes and health hurdles. As women, we undergo significant shifts during these stages of change. And face symptoms that disrupt our daily comfort and well-being. From menopausal hot flashes and perimenopausal mood swings to dryness and discomfort that comes with vaginal atrophy, the journey through menopause and its side effects is as diverse as each of us. And we want to support you in being a great resource for your mom, the women in your life, and/or yourself if you’re going through this.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause which means “around menopause” signifies the time your body makes the natural transition into menopause. Perimenopause kicks in differently for each of us and some women start noticing signs like irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, and mood swings around their 40s, while other women sense these changes in their mid-30s. During perimenopause, estrogen levels in your body fluctuate unpredictably and your menstrual cycle may become irregular, and sometimes you may not ovulate. Once you've gone through 12 consecutive months without a period, you've officially ended perimenopause marking the beginning of your menopause journey.
What Are The Symptoms of Menopause?
Although menopause can happen to you in your 40s some women begin to experience menopause in their 50s. Menopause comes with symptoms like hot flashes, chills, night sweats, vaginal dryness, slow metabolism, loss of breast fullness, thinning hair, and drying skin amongst a host of others. When my mom was going through menopause she would have menopausal hot flashes and chills this was truly an eye-opener to the difficult changes our bodies go through as we get older.
Signs Of Vaginal Atrophy
The most notable change in menopause is how dry it starts to get down there. This is called vaginal atrophy and it occurs due to the natural decline in estrogen levels. Less estrogen means less vaginal moisture. This decrease disrupts the delicate balance of vaginal secretions, responsible for lubricating your vagina and ensuring its moisture. Vaginal atrophy comes with changes in your vaginal tissue resulting in dryness, thinning, and inflammation. I met a beautiful woman in her 60s, who had been battling with vaginal atrophy. She explained how minor things like sitting down or major things like intimacy with her partner were difficult due to dryness. The biological changes our bodies have to experience as we grow older are not talked about or taught enough. These are struggles our moms, aunts, friends and family might be dealing with, but not sharing with anyone.
At V Vitamins, we’re creating a safe and supportive space for women to discuss the issues we deal with. So we don't have to bottle up our pain and suffer in silence anymore. We encourage you to ask older women in your life, “How is your body changing as you age? And what support do you need from me as you’re dealing with this period of perimopause and menopause?” Initiating this convo will be very healing emotionally and physically for the older women in your life. Please remind them that they’re beautiful, radiant, and resilient. And that their nieces at V Vitamins have the key to revitalize and rejuvenate their intimate health without miracle suppositories. Or you can be a blessing, and gift your mom, aunt, relative, or friend a blessed bottle to support them through this stage of life.💕
