What is Perimenopause?

I think the best way to answer this question is first to establish “What is Menopause?”

Menopause starts when a woman did not have her period for consecutive 12 months. In other words, you are “in Menopause” after not having a period for 12 consecutive months. The time before Menopause is called Perimenopause, it starts when your body starts preparing for Menopause. During this time, your hormone levels, especially estrogen, begin to fluctuate and become lower. This can lead quite a few physical and emotional changes & challenges.

Perimenopause can last anywhere from a few months to 10 years, per major medical sources. For me personally it is in year 12 lol. I started having very minor symptoms at the age of 38; and now at 50 still have not had a full 12 months without a period. So … not quite there yet.

When does Perimenopause Start?

Average age of menopause is 52 years old. So, if perimenopause lasts 10 years, we can deduce that it will start around 42. This is very broad number. Some people will start earlier and some later. It is generally accepted that perimenopause can start anywhere from late 30s to late 40s. Some women are in peri-menopause, but just not having any major symptoms, therefore they are not aware of it.

How do I Know Perimenopause Started for me?

Perimenopause starts for everyone at different times and presents with different symptoms. Here is a great compilation of what other women felt were Their first symptoms:

“I didn’t know what peri-menopause was back when I was 46 and started having odd hot flashes in the store and worse pms than I had ever had before. My periods were still spot on. I didn’t know what peri-menopause was when at 48, I had my very first panic attack when driving home from work and then again and again (I stopped driving for a good 6 months). I just thought it was from the stress of work and life. I didn’t know what peri-menopause was when I started getting brain fog, my periods started skipping (many pregger tests), I didn’t know what peri-menopause was when I started having insomnia and night sweats. Finally, I started doing my own research and voila…I figured it out. I wasn’t crazy. I am now 55 and post-menopausal (no period) for 20 months I think. It is getting better…I still have the occasional night sweats and anxiety flares but it is getting so much better. I guess what I am trying to say for those of you who are feeling alone in all of this glorious mess is that you AREN’T!”

“Irregular periods, then came weight gain.”

“My first symptom was I got very emotional.”

“I had my first hot flash at 43, symptoms of peri started sometime in my mid to late 30’s.”

“Honestly, the only symptom that I have is increased irritability.”

“I started hot flashes at 42.”

“I’m 44 and started the flashes and moods about a year ago.”

 “34, hot flushes, skipping periods, night sweats, trouble sleeping.”

“43 years: Night sweats, anxiety, migraines, irregular periods, thinning hair, foggy head, memory recall issues, fatigue.”

“I’m 51 now, but peri symptoms started at 43. I didn’t even realize it back then as I only had these weird periods of intense under arm sweating every day. I think those must have been daytime hot flashes, but I wasn’t even thinking of menopause then. I also soon after started skipping an occasional period and had night sweats.”

“51 yrs old is when my periods started changing, I’m 54 now. I went 7 months this year without one, but now have had several again. Feel witchy occasionally, have night sweats, not sleeping as great.”

“I was 46 when I started with peri-menopause irregular periods missed one here and there and constipation and a stuffy nose.”

“I’m 43 and been having night sweats and insomnia bladder issues etc and been feeling so low and depressed. The things I’m really struggling with is the tiredness the feelings of not being able to cope with every day things like the kids the cooking the house work etc and feeling low.”

“I am 43 and started having peri symptoms at 41…no one believed me. I started having hot flashes, super bad anxiety, and my periods are now coming twice a month sometimes.”

Finally, my personal experience was that at 38 I skipped couple periods and immediately after started having minor symptoms of rare night sweats, occasional fatigue, anxiety. As time progressed, some new symptoms showed up and then went away.

Stages of Perimenopause

1. Early Perimenopause:
   In this stage, you may start to notice that your periods are becoming irregular. They might be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier. Hormone levels start to shift, but you may still have regular periods for some months. Speaking from personal experience, my periods became shorter but remained very regular. They went from 31 days to 28->27->22!!! days. Some were heavy.
2. Late Perimenopause:
   In late perimenopause, your periods may become very irregular. You might go several months without having a period. Hormone fluctuations are more extreme at this point, and symptoms like hot flashes and sleep problems might also increase. My late perimenopause is skipping periods and having them be 40->60 days apart. Some are now lighter.

My Personal Cycle Length vs Period Length Chart: 11 years worth of data.

What Can I Expect During Perimenopause?

• Irregular Periods: Your periods may come more often or less often. Some months, they may be very heavy, and other months, very light. What helps? To have some type of predictability I always track my periods with a tracker app. This way I can at least see the trajectory. I also record symptoms such as breast pain or ovulation pain. This again helps to have some type of prediction what a period might start.
• Hot Flashes: You might feel a sudden warmth, usually in your face, neck, or chest. This can last from a few seconds to several minutes. What helps? I dress in layers, so my hoody is going on and off, depending on how I feel. A hot flash might make one feel crappy (clammy) for sure. As I feel it coming on, I try to relax, maybe gaze through the window and breath consciously and slowly.
• Night Sweats: Hot flashes can happen at night, making it hard to sleep. What helps? Non-synthetic blanket is awesome! It regulates temperature pretty well. I also like to have a set of dry PJs close by if I need them in the middle of the night. I noticed a strong connection between having red wine at night and subsequent bout of night sweats.
• Mood Changes: You may feel more irritable, anxious, or sad. What helps? I try to stay consistent with Magnesium Supplements as well as looking through Amazon’s “Calming Supplements” sections.
• Sleep Problems: Many women have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. What helps? Hmmmm… this is my major issue right now. I wake up several times at night. I am fully awake by 5 or 6am and cannot go back to sleep. The only solution I have so far is to go to bed at 9pm aka early 🙂 I noticed that if I go to bed at 11 or 12 or even later than that, I will still wake up super early, hence my day is going to be messed up.
• Weight Gain: Some women notice they gain weight more easily, especially around the stomach. What helps? I am aware this is a stressful topic for many. So far what works for me is tracking calories and maintaining ratio of Carbs to Protein to Fats. There will be a separate article on this subject, where I will describe exactly how I track my macros.

These are most often reported ones. You may or may not experience them. There are actually many more symptoms than these six… We will be discussing all of them in greater detail as we move forward with this newsletter.

What Can I Do?

Perimenopause is a natural part of life, and while it may be challenging, it’s also a time of transition to a new phase. If you feel overwhelmed by various sensations that come with this transition, I invite you to visit my Soothing Corner and read through “Perimenopause: General Approach” article. It is written with calming aspect in mind. It helps me to read it several times in a row to get distracted from unpleasant buzzing thoughts, and to accept that what is happening is normal and natural.

• Stay Active: Exercise helps with mood and weight gain. I am huge proponent of walking.
• Eat Well: A balanced diet can reduce symptoms. I did adjust my diet in the last year a lot. What helped me was doing it in steps. For example, I made one adjustment and stuck with it for 1-3 weeks, then added another adjustment, and so on.
• Consider Herbal Supplements: There are various supplements that target unpleasant symptoms of peri- and menopause. I personally take quite a few and I will be dedicating several articles to this topic.
• Talk to Your Doctor: If your symptoms are severe, your doctor can offer treatments like hormone therapy or natural remedies.

Perimenopause affects each of us differently. If you have an idea of what to expect and you take time to learn how cope and even master it, you will feel more in control.

Dear friend, we reached the end of my first article for my Elistocrat Newsletter! I decided to make this intro very generic. If you started experiencing minor symptoms (sensations) here and there and want to get your bearings of where you are in the process, this is a great place to start.

I invite you to read on for a more in depth conversations about Peri- and Menopause. I add articles daily. I am here to cover each topic and angle, supplementing every article with my personal experiences, as well as insights I’ve gained from the many women that I met along the way.

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