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What Causes Irregular Menstruation Cycle?
Hi. I am 38 years old but my periods have become irregular since february. They were irregular last year also for a period of about 4-5 months and then they became regular again. I have also been having night sweats since age 25 - usually few times a month, maybe more. I have in the last 2 years been getting hot flushes more frequently. I have had 2-3 sets of tests done over last 2 years, ie FSH and thyroid etc on Day 5 of my cycle. All results are coming out normal, apart from Vitamin D difficiency and an elevated pituary gland. The doctor has concluded it is stress related and therefore not perim-menapause. However on reading on the internet etc it tells me that tests do not indicate approaching menapause and only show positive when you are firmly in it. Is it true that these could be symptoms of peri-menapause but they are just not showing up in the tests yet?
Tue, 4 May 2021
Hi,
Usually there is no confirmatory specific test for diagnosing perimenopause, as usually during perimenopause , hormonal level fluctuate thru out the menstural cycle. However, symptoms may point to the conditions of perimenopause. It usually starts around 40 years of age. However, in some cases, it may start early, as early as in 30 years of age. It usually start 4-8 years before menopause. If there is, persistant change of more than 7 days of length of your menstural cycle, more than 60 days interval of two periods, night sweating or hot flushes etc, it may be an indication of perimenopause.
Tests may be just useful to rule out other conditions which resemble with symptoms of perimenopause, like thyroid disease or ovarian failure etc. In your case,the symptoms may definitely be due to anxiety related,but these symptoms seem, at least to me more due to perimenopause than stress related. Still, you are advised to go for a scan to rule out any other condition of uterus like any benign or malignant neoplagia of uterus or cervix etc. particularly, if the problem of irregular period or heavy period persists.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
Usually there is no confirmatory specific test for diagnosing perimenopause, as usually during perimenopause , hormonal level fluctuate thru out the menstural cycle. However, symptoms may point to the conditions of perimenopause. It usually starts around 40 years of age. However, in some cases, it may start early, as early as in 30 years of age. It usually start 4-8 years before menopause. If there is, persistant change of more than 7 days of length of your menstural cycle, more than 60 days interval of two periods, night sweating or hot flushes etc, it may be an indication of perimenopause.
Tests may be just useful to rule out other conditions which resemble with symptoms of perimenopause, like thyroid disease or ovarian failure etc. In your case,the symptoms may definitely be due to anxiety related,but these symptoms seem, at least to me more due to perimenopause than stress related. Still, you are advised to go for a scan to rule out any other condition of uterus like any benign or malignant neoplagia of uterus or cervix etc. particularly, if the problem of irregular period or heavy period persists.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
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