Perth Perimenopause Naturopath

Perimenopause is a time of hormonal change that begins an average of seven years before menopause. Typically, you can expect your period to stop between 45 to 55 years old, meaning perimenopause can start from as early as your late thirties through to your late forties.

Sudden onset or worsening of:

• mood disturbance including irritability, anxiety, and depression

• heavy periods

• painful periods

• prolonged periods (more than seven days in length)

• irregular periods (menstrual cycles less than 21 days or more than 35 days in length)

• breast pain

• premenstrual migraines

• hot flushes and night sweats

• insomnia

• abdominal weight gain

During perimenopause, there are two main changes to reproductive hormone levels, a gradual decrease in progesterone levels plus high, fluctuating oestrogen levels that can at times have an up to three-fold increase. This leads to a state of low progesterone in comparison to high oestrogen, known as unopposed oestrogen.

Unopposed oestrogen also occurred during your first puberty. During your first puberty, progesterone levels slowly increased over time. In your second puberty, progesterone levels are slowly decreasing over time.

This is why many unopposed oestrogen symptoms you experienced in your first puberty can reoccur in perimenopause, such as premenstrual migraines, period pain, and heavy periods.

Oestrogen fluctuation causes high oestrogen symptoms of irritability and breast tenderness to be interspersed with falling oestrogen symptoms of night sweats and hot flushes, abdominal weight gain, and insomnia.

Every woman’s perimenopause journey is individual and can vary in length and severity of symptoms.

For example, if you suffered from PMS or PMDD in your younger years, you may be prone to more extreme perimenopausal mood disturbance.

If you have had a history of heavy/irregular/painful periods, they may worsen during this time.

This is why perimenopause does not always respond to a one-size-fits-all approach, such as the conventional treatments, antidepressant medication or the oral contraceptive pill.

Please be reassured that perimenopause is temporary, a natural process of reproductive hormone change that can last an average of seven years prior to menopause.

Despite popular belief, menopause itself is not a time to dread. Menopause, defined as the life phase that starts twelve months after your last period, usually signals the end of most symptoms. Most women feel calmer, and more in control and balanced during menopause.

It is during perimenopause, the lead up to menopause, when the most uncomfortable and unpleasant hormonal symptoms tend to occur.

Your second puberty can coincide with guiding your children through their own puberty.

Mothers often put their own health needs last during this busy and sometimes challenging time of parenting.

However, engaging in self-care by seeking support in navigating the hormonal shifts of perimenopause, will help to boost your energy, balance your moods, and manage the everyday pressures of parenthood.