Skip to content
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
Menu
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
  • En
Menu
  • En
Get the app
  • Menopause and beyond

Perimenopause: Are you ready for it?

Claire Millins

So, if your periods have become a law unto themselves, your PMS seems to hit whenever it feels like it, and you’re in your 40s, we might know what’s been going on with you. No, we’ve not been going through your socials. And no, you’re not ill. The menstrual irregularity, mood swings, and hot flashes that you’ve been experiencing are most likely Perimenopause. Welcome to the beginning of the end of your periods.

What is Perimenopause? 

Menopause marks the permanent end of menstruation and your child-bearing years due to the complete decline of Estrogen. 

Perimenopause, on the other hand, is simply the start of your journey toward the end of your reproductive years and hormonal shifts start taking place as your body starts to produce less and less Estrogen. 

When does Perimenopause start and how long does it last? 

The average age that women go through Menopause is 51, but generally, the Perimenopause phase begins in your 40s.  

However there are, as always, exceptions, and some women may begin experiencing Perimenopausal symptoms in their 30s, or if they’ve had their ovaries surgically removed. Perimenopause is just the first step in your Menopausal journey, and can take eight to 10 years. Joyous!

Perimenopause is over when you’ve been without periods for 12 consecutive months. Until that final 12 months, perimenopausal symptoms can last anywhere from a few months up to the full 10 years. 

What are the symptoms of Perimenopause? 

We’ve all heard the horror stories about hot flashes and yes, this infamous symptom does happen in Perimenopause. But it’s not just hot flashes, there are many other symptoms you could experience during your perimenopause due to your wildly fluctuating hormone levels. 

The other major symptom is irregular periods due to hormone levels making Ovulation erratic. This also includes blood flow during the period, breast tenderness, and your mood. Without going into too much detail, irregular periods are the worst. You can go three or four months without one, but then, by jingo don’t you know about it. Three months’ worth of period all rolled into one.  

My TOP TIP, and speaking from experience, when this happens tampons alone will not be enough, you may well need to use double protection in the form of sanitary towels, and for overnight, get the strongest you can get!! 

As always, there are things to look out for when it comes to irregular periods that may not be Perimenopause-related. 

If you experience any of the following, it’s worth double-checking with your doctor: 

  • Spotting between periods 
  • Bleeding after sex 
  • Periods that are longer or shorter
  • Blood clots during menstruation 

From my personal experience, a few years ago, I missed periods for three or four months and then had a heavy one that lasted 10 days, and then light bleeding continued for about six weeks, before immediately having another heavy period. Yes, I did go to the doctor and it transpired I had an Ovarian cyst, multiple uterine polyps, and a fibroid! Well, why go for one thing, when you score a hat-trick? One small operation later and it went back to normal… for a while at least. 

Now, when I get a period after missing several, I still get clots coming away, but the length is normal, and my feeling is that having missed three months, or so, that uterine lining’s got to go somewhere. Right?

Other Perimenopause symptoms can include: 

  • Tiredness and trouble sleeping
  • Mood swings 
  • Headaches 
  • Vaginal dryness 
  • Increased infections of the bladder and/or vagina 
  • Weight gain
  • Hair loss 
  • Increased cholesterol

Oh, the joys of having a uterus!

What can I do to treat the symptoms? 

Conventional methods include a short course of low-dose oral contraceptives for the relief of hot flashes. 

There is also hormone replacement therapy, HRT, but neither perimenopause nor menopause are actual diseases, and the human body has evolved over the last few millennia to successfully make this transition. So, although it is available, and many women swear by it, it’s not for everyone and both the risks and benefits should be carefully considered before going down that route. Also, HRT should never be used if you have an increased risk of blood clots or heart disease. 

If you experience extremely heavy bleeding during Perimenopause, you can have an endometrial ablation. This is when the uterine lining is destroyed to reduce, or end, menstrual flow. When my gynecologist mentioned this to me, she explained that if you have an ablation, you may still get a period each month, but it would be nothing more than a light showing. 

Natural ways to treat Perimenopause symptoms

Menopause is simply a transition from one phase of life to another. Unfortunately, many women see it as the beginning of the end and seek to find the answer to eternal youth. 

News flash! It doesn’t exist anywhere other than in your mind. 

You may not be able to have any more children, you may have a few grey hairs, you may have a few wrinkles and you may have a few extra pounds, but it’s not the end. 

The best way to get through it is to think positively. And that’s half the battle won. 

Other natural ways to help alleviate the symptoms of perimenopause are: 

Exercise

Exercise is probably one of the best ways to help alleviate symptoms. Having talked about it before, you know that exercise improves your mood enormously due to the release of Endorphins, or happy hormones. But exercise can also help with the weight gain issue and bizarrely, can also help with those hot flashes. 

The best form of exercise is always to do one that you enjoy. However, during Perimenopause, weight-bearing exercises are a must, along with aerobic exercise. 

Just don’t exercise before bed, because this won’t help you sleep. 

Healthy diet

Middle-age spread is not a myth, and a healthy balanced diet, combined with exercise should help stave it off. 

As well as avoiding the usual suspects such as processed foods, sugar and too many carbohydrates, certain foods can help with your symptoms. These include soya products, such as tofu, edamame beans, and soya milk, which can help balance hormone levels due to the natural Estrogen they contain, and flaxseeds which help hormone metabolism. 

Vitamins and supplements

The one vital vitamin and mineral for perimenopause and menopause itself is Vitamin D and calcium. This is because Menopause reduces the amount of Estrogen in your body, which itself is directly related to your bone density. Calcium and Vitamin D will help strengthen your bones and reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. Additionally, Vitamin D can boost your mood.  

Vitamin B complex and Vitamin E also help ease the symptoms, so ensure you take a good multivitamin and mineral supplement that includes all of these.  

As always, if you’re thinking about natural supplements check with your doctor, and don’t try everything at once. If you do that, you could overwhelm your body. So, take care and try one at a time. 

Relax 

Tiredness and insomnia go hand-in-hand during Perimenopause, so it’s essential to try and relax and establish a good nighttime routine.  

This could include taking a relaxing bath, or doing some relaxing yoga before bed, or meditating to relax your mind and relieve stress. 

Try and avoid taking a power nap in the middle of the day. You may feel refreshed after, but a daytime nap can interfere with getting to sleep at night. 

Perimenopause: What now?

As with everything, when it comes to our bodies we are all unique, and no two of us will experience Menopause in the same way. Some people will sail through the experience quickly and easily, whilteothers will suffer from the symptoms for some time. 

There are ways to cope, however, and if you need help seek professional medical advice. And beware, until you’ve gone that full 12 months without a period and reached that magical Menopause stage, you can still get pregnant!! 


Disclaimer: This website does not provide medical advice. The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

  • February 23, 2020
  • Menopause and beyond
Claire Millins

Claire Millins

Claire is a freelance writer and "blurbologist". She writes about health and wellness, fitness, travel and motorsport. Generally found where the fast cars are, Claire wears a lot of pink and also is a firm believer life should include more impromptu sing-alongs, dance routines and jazz hands 👐

More stories

When your period strikes, it's the first phase of your cycle

Your period: Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Take More Pictures Darling

Steph Hendel

Steph Hendel – An Interview with the Health Coach

RELATED POSTS

juice and a plate of fruit

How do high levels of progesterone impact our hunger?

Sweets. Takeaways. Cakes, ice cream, crisps, bubbles… What are we talking about? Well, aside from being a kickass

Read More »
Hormona app on table

Announcement: The Hormona app is now global.

Gang, we’ve got some big news! We’re thrilled to announce that the Hormona app is global! Yes, women

Read More »
Ciara_Hormona_Employee_02

Meet Ciara Horrigan, Regulatory Manager at Hormona

As you may have noticed, Team Hormona is expanding as we grow and introduce new features and exclusives.

Read More »
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us
Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

© Wlness Science Ltd 2023

Language
  • En
  • En
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can always opt-out if you wish. Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT