Definitions

Someone asked me the other day what the difference are between the 3 stages of menopause that they've heard people talk about, and I couldn't answer.  So I decided to go out and get some definitions for us.  Now, frankly I'm never a fan of blogs and other internet sites regurgitating information they found on a different website - I hate thinking I've found several sources of information only to realize they all just copied their info word for word from the same source.  However I came across one site that laid it out much better than all the other sourced I found, and in a way that wouldn't be improved by my rewriting it, AND they included 4 stages, differentiating between premenopause and perimenopause (I've always wondered if they mean different things, or one was just a more sophisticated word for the same thing).

So, here you go, from www.34-menopause-symptoms.com:

Premenopause

Premenopause can be broadly defined as the entire period of your life before menopause. Your periods during this time usually occur regularly, though almost all women experience exceptions at some point in their lives. You're able to bear children, and sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone are at stable levels. Women typically begin to transition out of this stage in their early- to mid-40's. Most women experience the following symptoms during this stage:

•  Cramps
•  Anxiety
•  Mood swings
•  Irritability
•  Nausea

These symptoms usually occur due to the hormonal fluctuations that are tied to the monthly menstrual cycle. Many women experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in the days or weeks preceding their period.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the phase in which ovulation and fertility begin to slowly wind down. Your hormonal levels decline and you may experience some rather unpleasant symptoms. Some of the most common perimenopausal symptoms include:

•  Mood swings
•  Hot flashes
•  Night sweats
•  Vaginal dryness
•  Irregular periods
•  Loss of libido

Knowing exactly when perimenopause has begun can be difficult. One of the most common early warning signs, however, is irregular periods. As you progress further into this stage, your periods will begin to taper off before ending entirely. This is because perimenopause is the stage in which hormone levels are fluctuating the most in order to prepare the body for the menopause transition.

Menopause

Once you have spent a year without menstruating, you have officially entered into menopause. Many of the symptoms from perimenopause, women may experience during menopause. These include: hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, and loss of libido; these symptoms occur as a result of lowered hormonal production. In other words, though hormone levels are no longer fluctuating drastically, they are overall lower than during perimenopause.

Postmenopause

The years of your life following menopause – postmenopause – is typically a time when symptoms begin to subside – the result of hormonal levels stabilizing in the body. That being said, women in this stage are at a higher risk of certain health conditions, including: breast cancer, urinary tract infections, osteoporosis, and insomnia. This is because of an estrogen deficiency, which occurs as a result of the decline in hormone production. With less estrogen circulating in the bloodstream, some of the body's functions aren't as well regulated.

And there you have it.  Knowledge is power!