34 Of The Most Pesky Signs Of Perimenopause

The other day I was talking to a woman who was experiencing the signs and symptoms of perimenopause.

So I began talking to her about it because you know, it’s kinda what I do! At one point she replied and said “excuse my ignorance, but what is perimenopause?”

Now that threw me. Because I thought we were living in a menopause zeitgeist, I feel like everyone’s talking about it!

But clearly, that’s not the case. Or, at least not unless you happen to be immersed in it like me. So I put together a list of the 34 (recognised) symptoms of menopause.

I’ve seen lists of 40 signs and symptoms and one I saw the other day was titled ‘100 symptoms of perimenopause’. I get it. And I suspect this zeitgeist we’re living in is uncovering more and more.

 

When does perimenopause begin?

There’s no definitive answer but on average it’s mid-40s. AVERAGE. It can be late 30s or late 40s as well. As I always point out every.body.is.different. And you’re peach, I’m a pear, and Sally’s an apple. Similar, but different.

We call this bio-individual and it doesn’t matter if you’re perimenopausal or not, we are bio-individually different all of our lives.

 

What is perimenopause (peri)?

Perimenopause is the lead-up to menopause. And menopause itself is when periods and fertility come to an end. It lasts on average four years but can go on for over a decade. Further, it’s a time when hormones can go into a state of chaos and cause an onslaught of crazy-making symptoms.

There are several hormones at play here: estrogen and progesterone play a major role. But estrogen isn’t estrogen per se. Indeed, think of it as plural because there are three varieties and the one we’re most concerned with here is estradiol (E2).

 

3 Types of Estrogen

• Estradiol: most common in women of childbearing age
• Estriol: abundant during pregnancy
• Estrone: the estrogen the body produces post-menopause

 

Stumbling into perimenopause

Unfortunately, a lot of women stumble into peri because they don’t know to expect it! (That was me. 🤭)

The first sign that peri is happening is a change in the regularity and weight of your periods. For example, they may become irregular, heavier, lighter, shorter or longer.

So let’s take a look at A-Z of the most common signs and symptoms.

 

The 34 most recognised symptoms of perimenopause:

Menopause is a universal female experience.

1. Allergies

It’s a little-known fact that the immune system is closely related to hormones affected by menopause hence never-before-experienced allergies may occur.

2. Anxiety

If you’ve never experienced anxiety before it can be a bit of an unpleasant jolt. Indeed, it can produce a kind of sinking feeling in the gut and a feeling of overarching worry. Breathing techniques help (click here to ask me.)

3. Bloating

Soooo many women experience this unwelcome caller. Your tummy feels hard, filled with air and distended (and maybe accompanied by farting – sorry!)

4. Breast discomfort

If you’ve had tender breasts during PMS or pregnancy you’ll know this uncomfortable feeling. In fact, it can be caused by estrogen dominance or too much estrogen (estradiol) in relation to progesterone.

5. Body odour changes

Especially changes in the vagina’s natural odour which is due to an altered pH caused by declining estrogen.

6. Brain Fog

As a result of brain fog, you might forget your keys, someone’s name and/or find it difficult to focus. Although we can (and do) experience this at any age it tends to become more prevalent during peri.

7. Burning mouth syndrome

Some ladies begin to experience a metallic taste and a feeling of burning in the mouth. This can definitely be a sign.

8. Depression

While the mental health aspects of perimenopause can sometimes be under-reported they are common. What’s more, if you had a bout of depression before you’re more likely to experience a relapse.

9. Digestive issues

Our gut goes through changes during peri and we might not absorb nutrients as well. Indeed, bloating, gas and nausea can all manifest in some (not all!) people.

10. Dizziness

Furthermore, dizzy spells can raise their irksome head and hello vertigo or balance issues.

11. Electric shock sensations

This sign is described as a feeling like an electric shock happening under the skin.

12. Fatigue

If you’ve ever been pregnant do you remember the feelings of tiredness that can ensue? In a similar fashion, a feeling of extreme fatigue and zero energy are often felt during perimenopause.

13. Feelings of Dread

Akin to anxiety but different (does that makes sense), this feeling is often described as a sense of impending doom. Not fun.

14. Formication

An unusual and unwelcome feeling of having bugs crawling on your limbs formication is again caused by shifting hormones.

15. Hot Flushes

These are synonymous with menopause which makes them no more pleasant. Everyone’s different in how they experience hot flush, some women describe a feeling of an internal furnace while others relate to a heating up and ‘wave’ over their face and body.

16. Hair changes

Hair thinning and hair loss can creep up and be very distressing. As a result, self-esteem can take a hit. And if that’s not enough, hair loss/thinning is often accompanied by an increase in facial hair.

17. Headaches/Migraines

Fluctuating estradiol in relation to progesterone can cause an increase in the frequency or severity of headaches and migraines. This often settles down in post-menopause.

18. Incontinence/UTIs

The estradiol changes in the vagina also affect the bladder causing stress or urge incontinence and an increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs). To clarify, stress incontinence can be brought on by sneezing or coughing while urge incontinence is the urge to pee there and then. Pelvic floor exercises, devices such as femfit® and laser treatments can help.

19. Insomnia

Oh my gosh, a lot of women experience difficulties getting to sleep, staying asleep, night sweats and insomnia. Breathing techniques, salty baths (ask me for a recipe here) and meditation may help. As can Tart Cherry and Melatonin.

20. Irregular heartbeat

Have you ever felt your heart ‘fluttering’ in your chest? Of course, it’s disconcerting and it’s one of the common signs. Breathing in for two sharp breaths and breathing out a few times may help to relax you.

21. Irregular menstrual cycle

Often the first sign of perimenopause, a change in frequency, duration and flow is a sign of perimenopause. If you experience heavy bleeding please don’t panic it can be to do with this.

22. Irritability

Similar to hot flushes, mood swings, rage and irritability are infamous signs of perimenopause and there are many memes created in honour of them. But it’s no joke when you’re living it – breathing deeply as described above will help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system.

23. Itchy skin

All of a sudden you may find your leg itchy, your arm or your vah-jay-jay and it can be crazy-making. And you’d never connect it with peri but it’s that rascal estradiol again shaking things up. Fractionated coconut oil and shea butter can be soothing. In addition, vitamin C may help a little.

24. Joint/muscle pain

Aches and pains can come out of the blue and in fact, fibromyalgia is being linked with perimenopause these days. Whether it’s in the joints, muscles or even in the fascia (the connective tissue) it can be related to peri.

25. Loss of libido

Indeed, you may feel more like “not tonight darling I’ve got a headache” than hot to trot during peri. It is certainly a common complaint but by the same token, some women feel more like the latter.

26. Mood swings

Reminiscent of PMS and pregnancy (after all, they’re all sex hormone-related) peri can trigger tears one moment, happiness the next, major irritability and rage that flies in the face of anything you’ve ever felt before!

27. Muscle tension

Similar to joint and muscle pain, muscle tension is a feeling of tense and tight muscles.

28. Night sweats

This one’s a humdinger for ladies who wake in the middle of the night bathed in a pool of sweat and it’s no picnic if they have a sleeping partner either. And of course, this can contribute to fatigue.

29. Oral issues

Bleeding gums, breaking teeth or loss may increase during perimenopause both in relation to growing older as well as hormonal changes.

30. Paresthesia

Until now, you may have never heard of this term but it can be common for many perimenopausal ladies. The simplest way to describe it is as ‘tingling extremities’ or a feeling of pins and needles or numbness in arms, legs, hands and feet.

31. Vaginal dryness

The vaginal mucosa is much affected during the menopausal transition as levels of estradiol decline. This can lead to vaginal dryness. Tip: fractionated coconut oil can be helpful as can MenoMe® 40+ and 55+.

32. Weakened fingernails

In like fashion to the hair changes of perimenopause brittle fingernails and toenails can be affected during perimenopause. (Email me to ask me about some fabulous products to help.)

33. Weight gain

I hear from women frustrated by this occurrence at least a dozen times per week. It can be due to both hormonal changes and growing older. Further, evolution shifts our fat from hips and thighs up to the waist/abdomen. But any more than a 2kg weight gain can be reversed. And though we applauded body positivity, you don’t want t carry too much weight for your best health post-menopause.

34. Osteoporosis

This is a serious skeletal disease that’s on the rise. Indeed, osteoporosis is a condition of weakened bones and an increased risk of fractures. We lose bone mass and muscle mass (sarcopenia) at a rapid rate in the first five years of post-menopause. Therefore, it’s important to do bone and muscle strengthening resistance exercise now to help mitigate this.

 

Conclusion

I know right it sounds scary. But it’s not all gloom and doom.

While most of us would probably like to put our heads in the sand right about now, remember knowledge is power.

And the better informed you are the better choices you can make for navigating perimenopause and post-menopause. Because what you do now makes all the difference to the rest of your life.

Remember when talked about bio-individuality at the beginning? Every. Body. Is. Different.

You may experience some of the above or none of the above. But you probably won’t experience all of the above. Phew right?

Yes, it’s a big deal but it’s a natural part of life and we’re all going to experience it if we live long enough. True story.

And hopefully, it helps allay some of the confusion that you may be feeling. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me (contacts below). I’m here to help. Always!

 

 

Main image: Andrea Piacquadio @pexels

 

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor and this information isn’t intended to treat or diagnose. The signs of perimenopause can also be symptoms so if you’re concerned please seek medical advice.