The Meno phase of life has 3 distinct stages. Thank goodness for that, because it can be overwhelming at times, so knowing that there is a transition to the final act, is good to keep in your back pocket on those difficult days.

We are all different, so we start perimenopause and menopause at different ages. Some of us may notice signs of change like irregular periods in our 40s. However, for others, we can experience changes in our mid-30s.

If you are reading this and wondering, what is going on with my periods? Or what is happening to me? I am more tired than normal or not sleeping. Then don’t wait! Speak with your Doctor or health professional. Speaking from experience, the sooner you can identify what is happening the sooner you can get support, so that you can move through it, as positively charged as possible.

Perimenopause (Peri Meno) is the first stage “around or near menopause”. It can last for 2 to 12 years before Menopause (Meno) and by all accounts is the time you will likely experience the most symptoms. It is the lead up to your final period (Yay!). Then there is Post Menopause (Post Meno) and that is the final stage where your body adjusts to the new normal in terms of hormone levels.

So, what is happening with our hormones at this time?

In short, our bodies reproductive system is starting to slow down, and our ovaries are starting to run out of eggs, in preparation for Meno and that means a change in our hormones. The key hormones at play in this change are oestrogen and progesterone and as they usually balance each other, this is why you will notice changes. I personally noticed the night sweats and the mood swings first, which was quite hectic and at times made me feel unstable.

Peri Meno and Meno brings a range of physical and emotional indicators, however, not all of us will experience symptoms; in fact, 20% of us will have no symptoms (lucky you!), while 60% of us experience mild to moderate symptoms and 20% of us have symptoms so severe that they significantly interfere with daily life. For me, I seem to have fallen in the severe end, for a couple of years, but it has eased off and I am coming out of the other side.

I have put together the list of symptoms below based on my own personal experience, listening to other women’s experiences and of course fact sheets that are available from several great services, which you can find links to on Meno References Page, here.

Symptoms can include any of the following:

• Irregular periods, heavier periods, flooding.
• Problems with falling asleep, staying asleep and sleep quality.
• Exhaustion and not sleeping!
• Night sweats
• Hot flushes/ flashes
• Breast tenderness and size change
• Itchy/crawly/dry skin
• Hair loss, lots of hair falling out, change in hair line, change in hair feel (i.e., drier/ brittle)
• Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) soft tissues including muscles, tendons, and nerves and general joint pain. 
• Sore mouth, jaw, gums. Shiny, pale to deep red gums that bleed easily. Or a dry mouth.
• More sensitive than normal to hot and cold food and drinks, and that everything tastes a little odd, either salty, peppery, or sour, or bitter & metallic.
• Sensitivity to smells or loss of smell.
• Hearing loss and or Tinnitus
• Ovarian pain (felt in the lower abdomen, pelvis, and lower back) It may be persistent, come and go, be dull, or progress to sharp bursts of pain.
• Memory or cognitive difficulties (brain fog) and trouble concentrating.
• Urinary issues, including incontinence, frequency of needing to go to the toilet.  
• Vaginal dryness, dry eyes (but a constantly runny nose).
• Loss of libido (sex drive)
• Migraines
• More pronounced premenstrual tension.
• General sense of fury.  
• Mood changes, such as feeling tearier and more irritable.
• Anxiety.
• Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem
• Weight gain, despite no changes to diet or exercise.
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, including worsening IBS symptoms.
• Increased body odour/ change in normal odour
• Feeling the cold (even when having hot flushes)

When you visit your Doctor, it is important to make sure you have noted your symptoms, frequency, and intensity and ideally bring that list with you, so you can refer to it and best describe how you are being impacted. Be sure to know how frequent/ erratic your menstrual cycle is and what your flow is like. Ensure you list all your medications and supplements.  Remember this is a normal stage of life, so don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed, you can talk about anything and ask every question, even if you think it is silly. Your Doctor is your first port of call.

Why not use this list from Jean Hailes, you can download it here:  https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/uploads/Perimenopause-and-menopause-symptom-checklist.pdf

or you could try this one from the Australian Menopause Society here: https://www.menopause.org.au/images/stories/infosheets/docs/ams_symptom_score_card.pdf

The other thing to keep in mind is at this stage of life there could be other reasons you are experiencing changes, it is not just changes in levels of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, you should consider other factors such as your thyroid, adrenal (stress), blood sugar OR sex hormones. I did some more digging to investigate this because I became frustrated with not sleeping (and a few other things), despite being on HRT. I found my way to the Lucy Rose Clinic.You can find their details on Meno References Page here and read their article on The Complex Connection: Thyroid and Menopause.

In summary every woman will experience the 3 stages of Meno. While it can be challenging and really test you, Meno is a positive and essential life stage and a time for renewal, enlightenment, and empowerment. As I am writing this, Meno is more widely discussed than ever before, however that was not the case even 5 years ago and I had not yet learned that there was such a thing as PeriMeno until I was at least 2 years into my own change. As I said at the start if you are wondering at all about any changes you are experiencing, or if you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out to Me, via the Meno Service page, your Doctor or Medial Professional now, there is help available.

The 3 things I recommend for your Doctor or Medical Professional appointment are:

1. Prepare your list of symptoms, know your cycle, and your current medications and supplements. Book a long appointment and know what you wish to discuss and get help with.
2. Ask for all the tests and make sure you have a thorough health check, to cover off on all your personal changes. Not sure what to ask for have a look at the list available here:  https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/health-checks/women-40-60
3. Investigate specialists and alternative therapists, talk to your mates, who have they seen and ask for referrals if you think that is what you need. Not sure where to start with this, why not start with a Thyroid and Hormone Assessment here:  https://thelucyroseclinic.surveysparrow.com/s/thyroid-quiz/tt-974fab