Could it be peri?
Hot flushes? Irritable? Moody? Weight gain? Constant UTIs? Overwhelming fatigue? Sleep struggles? Brain fog and forgetfulness? Dry down there?
Nothing seems to be working.
Taming the perimenopause chaos starts with information you can trust, so you're informed about what's going on and what you can do about it
Most women are confused about perimenopause
Perimenopause is different for everyone. No wonder we're caught off guard when symptoms like sore shoulders and aching elbows start keeping us up at night." I'm getting old" we think.
Our mood changes, we notice we're anxious and irritable and we think "Of course I'm irritable and anxious! My life is busy, I'm juggling demands of work and family. Maybe I've always been anxious?" Sometimes we seek help and may start medications to manage our mood.
We find ourselves wide awake in the middle of the night. Sometimes soaking wet. We struggle through each day, propped up on coffee, craving carbohydrates and feeling constantly exhausted.
The hot flushes take us by surprise, inconvenient, uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing. We might seek help and if we're in our 40's, we might not be offered many options
Am I Peri? Or Menopausal?
There's plenty of talk about being 'Peri' and that has raised awareness for the women in their 40's, explaining some of the symptoms they were 'too young' to be getting. However we still don't know much about what age is normal, how long the symptoms last or which treatments are available to us or are even safe.
Many people talk about 'being in menopause' or being 'menopausal' which could mean many things. For some it means they are noticing symptoms, for some they are talking about being in the time of their life when periods have ceased.
No wonder we're all confused. One thing we're not confused about though, is that all women experiencing systems can feel better.
A few helpful definitions
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the 5-10 year lead-up to menopause, also referred to as the menopause transition.
Your hormones (especially oestrogen and progesterone) begin fluctuating unpredictably and symptoms such as irregular periods, hot flushes and mood swings may begin.
Average Start Age: 47
but can be as early as late 30s
Lasts: 4-7 years (but up to 10)
Menopause
You haven't officially hit menopause until you've gone 12 months without a period. Menopause is a single day - the anniversary of your final period.
Not every woman knows the day they reached menopause -they may not have recorded the date of their period or they may not menstruate due to contraceptive devices. Most women in Australia reach menopause
from 45 to 55 years of age.
Average age : 51 to 52
Lasts: 1 day (12 months after last period if cycling)
Post menopause
The phase after menopause, when symptoms may start to ease, (although not for everyone) and long-term health considerations, such as bone health and heart health, become more prominent.
Post menopause starts after menopause.
Lasts: Every day for the rest of your life
Are You Wondering
'Could it be Perimenopause?'
Download your free comprehensive guide to all things 'Peri' to find out what's happening, what's next and what you can do about it.
