Absolutely! Many physicians denied this until recently, but us women know better so doctors are trying to understand this more. Considering the staggering amount of baby boomers coming the doctor's better get it straight fast or they will have "raging bulls" tromping through society. LOL I started my menopause at 38.

A lengthly illness can bring it on early or such things as chicken pox from children, measels, etc. It's a shock to some people's bodies and can trigger peri menopause to menopause.

PERI MENOPAUSE: This is when your hormones are having a field day on your behalf. Some days you are lethargic, cranky, skipped periods or erratic periods. You can have "break outs" on your face, some women can have the start of thinning hair. If the hormonal change is great, your taste can change.

• Note: Up until the early 1900's women going through menopause (approx. around 50) often died at early ages .. this was quite accepted back then, but women today can live long and healthy lives.

MENOPAUSE

Means when you cease to have a period. You're ovaries are no longer producing eggs and thus, you cannot become pregnant. This is a very tricky part of women's menopause because you could actually still have a period down the line, so still wear that protection while engaging in intercourse. Better safe than sorry.

SYMPTOMS: Mood swings (often mistaken for bi-polar or mental illness) It's really not that bad and can be controlled.

Hot flashes & night sweats (one time you are stoking hot, the next you are chilled to the bone.)

Changes in skin (dark patches on the face of some women caused by hormones) pimples, more moles, skin tags on the body. Moles and skin tags are more in the heridity factor so if the women in your family don't have them you probably won't.

Breast swelling

Water retention

Weight gain (in some women)

Thinning hair (in some women)

Thinning of the vaginal tissue and other parts of the body.

Thinning skin (can bruise easier)

Depression (in some women)

Feelings of discontentment.

Insomnia (in some women)

It all sounds pretty grim, but it's not. It's a state of mind as well. I never thought I was becoming half a woman because I was in my menopause. I relished it! No more periods, and bingo! For some reason life became clearer to me and I didn't have to perform like a trained seal in society. Although gritting my teeth at times (those mood swings) I was always pleasant to others and my manners never changed. The only change was, I didn't take life so seriously and I didn't take the guff from some people I use too. I wish I'd had these good habits when I was younger and I would have probably gotten farther in my life, but that was then and this is now.

To tell you the truth, I felt free! I was my own person, felt more relaxed and enjoyed more things in life. I had the time and I went out and took college courses, went on a holiday, exercised and still do Tai Chi, ate well and was proud of me! My gene pool has blessed me with good skin, don't look my age, I've always been slim, and the few facial lines I have I wear like a badge of valor! I earned them, I keep myself up mentally and physically. I would never have plastic surgery because I'm proud of who I am and for the first time in my life I am comfortable with me and it shows.

I believe the poor husbands gets the worst of it. After all, I've always said on this board that your husband should be your best friend and this is when they really have to be your best friend (bless their little souls. LOL) One day I would feel great and next ... the almighty question, "DO YOU THINK I'M STILL PRETTY." As I said it I had a glin of hysteria in my eyes that was not missed by my husband. With sweat running down his face, his eyes darting from side-to-side and his throat becoming dry, he squeeked out "You will always be beautiful to me!" Well, I can tell you, that the poor guys are in a no-win situation. I squeeked back, "You're just saying that to make me feel better!" Thank God, I didn't have too many of these mood swings and learned to forget about me and do some good out there in society and "get a life."

If you are in peri menopause or menopause the first words out of your doctor's mouth is going to be "HRT" (Hormone Replacement Therapy.) Unless, for some reason you have to absolutely go on this DO NOT! In Canada they found the statements of: "HRT gives you stronger bones and prevents Osteoperosis and helps heart disease was simply not true and, in fact, it caused more heart disease, breast cancer and blood clots. Stay away from it! See a good Homeopathic doctor (they are doctors) and take other methods of helping you through your menopause. I again state "How you approach menopause in your life is a state of mind." Read everything you can on it and realize it's not a disease, but a part of a woman's life.

I wouldn't sum it up that you are going through your peri menopause or menopause just yet and you should have a complete physical and a hormone check (by blood testing) before you come to any conclusions.

Meanwhile, go on the web and find out about menopause and embrace it as just a normal part of your life (which it is) and don't look at it as an illness. It's not! Embrace life and live every minute of it whether you are in menopause or not.

Some of the most famous women in the world do so after their menopause!