Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause when a woman’s body begins to transition out of its reproductive years so yeah me being 44 and all. Perimenopause can bring a range of symptoms, which can vary in severity and duration and for some reason we just don’t talk about the enough. Some common perimenopause symptoms include:
- Irregular periods: One of the most common symptoms of perimenopause is irregular periods. This can include lighter or extremely heavier periods, longer or shorter cycles, or skipped periods. Quite often women of this age can have what they think is a pregnancy scare to discover it is in fact the total opposite.
- Hot flashes: Hot flashes are sudden sensations of warmth that can affect the face, neck, and chest. They can be accompanied by redness, sweating, and rapid heartbeat. They can take over you and make you feel uncomfortable in a public situation or even in the middle of the night.
- Sleep disturbances: Perimenopause can also cause sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, or feeling unrefreshed in the morning. This is a really hard one to manage when you have a busy career and teens to keep up with.
- Mood changes: Perimenopause can also cause mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, or depression. A common time in a woman’s life to find herself having relationship issues which can be linked back to perimenopause. She may not even know why she is mood-swinging all over the place let alone her family.
- Vaginal dryness: As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, vaginal dryness can occur, leading to discomfort during sex and an increased risk of infection. This can be another cause for issues in your relationship and can very much leave you not wanting anything to do with sex.
- Loss of bone density: During perimenopause, women may also experience a decline in bone density, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. This is why exercise is so important as it has the ability to help increase your bone density.
Help is available, the best thing to do is if you are suffering any of these you really don’t need to suffer alone. You should ask around and find a great GP who can help you understand your body with some blood tests to see what your hormones may be doing and to discuss anything that will be of benefit to you. It’s still quite a mystery and for some reason holds a level of shame and none of us are talking about it enough. It’s like a second puberty for women and you’d have thought our mothers would have shared their experiences to help us manage ours.
All these things mean you are normal!!!! Perimenopause is a natural stage of a woman’s reproductive life, and it can bring a range of symptoms. These can include irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and loss of bone density. It is important to talk to a healthcare provider about managing perimenopause symptoms. There isn’t much talk about this topic yet every single woman will at some point experience it. I think we should start talking about it more so we can all better understand what to expect from our bodies.
Love Renee xxx
