I was able to look at new directions in life. It's a time when women are no longer raising children and can look at how much wisdom they have gained. But, according to Dr. Susan Hunter it is actually during the peri-menopausal stage, the time during which the ovaries begin to produce decreasing amounts of estrogen, that many women experience the most upheaval. A woman notices changes such as irregular periods that can range from too many or too heavy to skipping periods all together. Peri-menopausal women may also experience hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings, Hunter said.
Some women have no symptoms.
Others have symptoms up to ten years before. Halverson explained that historically, the average woman lived to be only about 50. For most, menopause wasn't an issue and little research was available on the topic. In addition, until recently, research on other medical issues such as heart disease was only done with men. Now researchers recognize that men's and women's bodies are different and have learned that estrogen levels play an expansive role in women's bodies.