Most women know that there comes a stage in their life where they will go through menopause. There are symptoms that you’d know, and you’d almost expect to happen when you’re in your 50s. Things like hot flushes, mood swings, sleep problems, and periods that are excessively heavier than normal. But what if this starts happening in your 40s? Or maybe your late 30s? Let this be your guide for the signs and symptoms of perimenopause written by a naturopath near Ballarat and Bendigo.
If you have these symptoms, then – is this already menopause?
It might not be. Have you ever heard of perimenopause? These symptoms are more likely to be you entering perimenopause. A time that leads up to menopause, they are two different things.
Perimenopause and Menopause
Perimenopause happens 2-12 years before menopause and it’s the time of your life where you will experience symptoms. This is because your estrogen levels are going up and down, a little like a rollercoaster. At times, your estrogen levels can be higher than ever before.
When you pass from this to menopause, your symptoms will settle down. This time starts a year after your last period. It is a time of life where your body has the lowest estrogen levels it has ever had. This also means that it is vulnerable to health conditions it hasn’t experienced before, because you effectively lose the protection of estrogen.
Signs and Symptoms of Change
If you think you might be entering perimenopause, look below and see if any of these signs are present for you:
- Longer or heavier menstrual flow that is a recent change.
- Shorter menstrual cycle (<25 days).
- Newly sore, swollen, or lumpy breasts.
- Waking during the middle of sleep that has only started recently.
- Increased menstrual cramps.
- Night sweats have started, especially if they occur before your menstrual cycle.
- Migraine headaches that have started recently or have recently increased in severity.
- Premenstrual mood swings that have increased or are newly occurring.
- Change in weight, specifically gain, without change in exercise or diet.
Should you have any 3 of the above you may be entering perimenopause, even if you have an otherwise regular menstrual cycle.
Not everyone experiences this, you may move into menopause with minimal disruption. This gives you an idea of what might be going on for your health if you are experiencing these symptoms. There are a lot of things that you can do to help reduce the impact of these symptoms on your day-to-day life.
Have a chat with your naturopath to determine what is going on for you and how you can best support this time of transition. Book your appointment easily with a naturopath near Ballarat and Bendigo now.
