Perimenopause is the stage at which your body begins to reduce the production of hormones in the body, it’s therefore the transitional phase between menopause.
You are considered to be ‘perimenopausal’ until your ovaries stop releasing eggs. It can occur much earlier than most women think. The early to mid 40’s is the most common time for perimenopause to occur, but in some cases it can even be as early as the mid to late 30’s.
There are lots of different symptoms of perimenopause, so here we are going to discuss a few of the most common ones.
Heavy/Irregular Periods
Heavy or irregular bleeding is one of the most common signs of perimenopause, so don’t be alarmed if you suddenly find your periods are even heavier than before. It might seem a bit strange, but it’s very normal.
Mood Swings
The famous mood swings that you hear about during menopause can also start during perimenopause. The reduction of hormones means that your mood is bound to change along with it and sometimes that can result in feelings of frustration or feeling low.
Night Sweats
If hot flushes in the day weren’t enough, the dreaded night sweats can completely ruin a good sleep. They are extremely uncomfortable, you find yourself changing the sheets almost every day, lying on towels to try to protect the mattress, even swapping between duvet togs to try and cool down. If this sounds like you then rest assured you are not alone!
Fatigue
You might find that you suddenly start to feel tired much quicker and earlier on in the day. This is very normal, most women experience fatigue and find that they can’t do quite as much as they could before.
Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal dryness is another common symptom and can cause discomfort during sex, unfortunately this continues into menopause with 84% of menopausal women finding sex painful. If vaginal dryness is causing issues for you in the bedroom, try using a lubricant and wear your LaBalance device the rest of the time to help with up to 24 different symptoms including vaginal dryness.
Hot Flushes
Hot flushes can range from the occasional one a day, up to eighty a day! Women suffer differently during perimenopause just as they do when they finally reach menopause. If you’re wondering why some women suffer more than others, read our blog post on the topic.
Other Common Symptoms:
- Lack of concentration
- Weight gain
- Bloating
- Joint pain
- Breast tenderness
How can you be sure if you’re perimenopausal?
Visit your doctor if you think you might be at this stage in your life and you’re experiencing some common symptoms. Usually a doctor can tell you if you’re perimenopausal based on your symptoms, but blood tests can determine reduced levels of hormones to confirm this if necessary.
What can you do to reduce symptoms of perimenopause?
We’ve created a device called LaBalance which reduces and in some cases, completely eliminates symptoms of menopause, including those women who are perimenopausal. It works by re-balancing the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for the symptoms we’ve discussed above. There are lots of things you can do to help yourself such as regular exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating the right foods, but if you’re really suffering we strongly recommend trying the LaBalance device.