5 Things to Know About Perimenopause

Whether you are not quite there yet, going through it right now (phew!), or have already passed through to the other side, these 5 Things about Perimenopause will help introduce you to what is happening within your body, why it is happening, some possible symptoms, and what the benefits are of this wholly natural hormonal shift in women’s bodies.

We will continue to provide education as this blog progresses, and we are so happy you are here! If you have not already done so, please join our Abundancia Community today, and have access to free monthly resources for our Members, first access to our online courses, and unconditional love and support from all of our tribe.

1. What is the difference between Premenopause, Perimenopause, and Menopause?

Although you may have heard the terms “premenopause” and “perimenopause” used interchangeably, they are actually two distinct stages in a women’s life. The etymology of the word menopause, although coined in its most current form by a French physician, originates from the Greek words for “month” and “pause or cessation”.

During premenopause, you are not experiencing the symptoms of menopause. Rather, you are still having your period regularly, and are considered to be in your reproductive years. Although some hormonal changes may be occurring in your body, you will not generally experience any physical symptoms. This is not to be confused with premature menopause, which only affects about 1% of women, and is defined as occurring before the age of 40.

Generally speaking, a women enters into perimenopause after age 40. At this time a woman may begin to experience various symptoms (see #4 below), and if she is not on hormonal birth control, may start to notice a change in the length of time between periods. For example if she has had regular periods every 30 days, she may begin to notice that it is only 28 days, or 25 days, or even 32 days. This variation is an early indicator of entering into perimenopause. A woman may begin to experience perimenopause symptoms 10-15 years (yes, years!) before actually reaching menopause.

Once a woman has gone 12 months with no period, then she is considered to have “officially” reached menopause. Before reaching this point, it is not uncommon for a woman to miss a period for 2-6 months or more, and then have another one. This can occur for several years, before going a full year without a period. The average age for women to arrive at menopause is 51.

2. WHY does this even happen?

“Menopause remains one of the great mysteries of biology; it goes against the theory of natural selection – that a creatures main focus must be having as many offspring as possible. Menopause is an enigma, a physical characteristic that should, according to Darwin’s theory, have been selected against.” Darcey Steinke, Flash Count Diary: Menopause and the Vindication of Natural Life

Among all animal species, studies show that there are only a few outside of human women, who experience menopause and they are all whales – killer whales, beluga whales, short-finned pilot whales, narwhals….and us. Although menopause has been observed in some primates and elephants held in captivity, in the wild it does not seem to be the case. At any rate, there is no clear reason why women and whales live so many years in post-reproductive life.

Some argue that because women are living longer that we are noticing this time of life more. However if you look at life expectancy for females at the beginning of the 20^th Century in the United States, although it was only 49 years old, that was an average. There were always some percentage of women who lived many years past reproductive age. So, in short, menopause is not a new occurrence.

Another popular theory is known as the “grandmother hypothesis”, with the basic tenant being that help of grandmothers enables mothers to have more children. Thus, women who had the genetic makeup for longer living would ultimately have more grandchildren carrying their longevity genes. (Grandfathers are not included in this theory, sorry guys.) This hypothesis was first gathered by Kristen Hawkes in the 1960s, after studying a group of Hadza in northern Tanzania.

In February of 2019, two additional studies were published in Current Biology which provide a more nuanced (and somewhat conflicting) idea of the grandmother hypothesis. Among some of their findings are: 

• Women’s hazard of death increases when grandmothering opportunities decline

• Having a maternal grandmother improves grandchild survival

• Co-residence with old paternal grandmothers decreases grandchild survival

• Grandmothering favors post-reproductive longevity only up to a point

I’ll let you make your own mind about these studies…..

Suffice it say, as long as you survive to the age of 60, you’re gonna go through menopause. So please, read on…..(smile)

3. Is there a test I can take to know if I am in perimenopause?

The short answer? Not really. 

Although various tests exist, and some will claim that testing for estrogen or FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) can alert you to the stages of perimenopause, the fact is that the levels of estrogen and FSH vary significantly throughout your monthly cycle, and a single test is not going to determine whether or not you are in perimenopause.

Likewise, be wary of any over the counter tests (there are various which test urine or saliva) which claim to give you an answer one way or the other. Read here and here for more information on testing and hormones.

If a woman has concerns about missing her period while still in her 30s, if there are questions about fertility for those hoping to get pregnant, or if there is concern that you may have thyroid issues, your doctor may want to run some tests to determine your hormone levels.

As for perimenopause, because it can vary so widely from woman to woman, the best way to know is to keep track of your cycle on a calendar, make note any characteristic changes, and consider keeping a diary so that when you do consult with your doctor, you can provide her with all the necessary information for what is going on with YOU.

4. Symptoms of Perimenopause

Oh yes. Now for the fun part! 

Before we get into the symptoms that you may experience (emphasis on may), it is important to note that although many women experience these symptoms, here at Abundancia we want to stress the need to “de-medicalize” it and embrace it as the natural process which it is.

Furthermore, although a significant minority of women may experience all of the symptoms (and a few may have a really hard time of it), the majority of women will likely experience this range of symptoms over a period of months or years, or only intermittently.

It is estimated that around 20% of women experience moderate to severe symptoms. Those symptoms may include: hot flashes, night sweats, heavy bleeding, vaginal dryness, decreasing bone density, breast tenderness, headaches, sleeplessness, urinary and vaginal tract infections, verbal memory and reading problems, and moodiness (or as the writer Suzanne Moore is quoted as saying, “I don’t really have the mood swings that some talk about. I just have the one mood. Rage.”)

(So now you’re saying…..WTF??) Please, read on…

I will quote here from The Menopause Book because they say it best: “Before this list sends you screaming into the street, keep in mind that it is highly unlikely that any one woman will get hit with everything…. Some [symptoms] will be barely noticeable. Others will qualify as annoying, and still others may interfere with your ability to function. But you can learn to deal with all of them until that time when things actually improve. For example, some women’s sex lives get better during the transition. (Yes, you read that right.) And no matter what else happens, by the end of this process you won’t have to worry about unplanned pregnancies or contraception for the first time in decades. You’re going to be just as smart as you ever were – and no doubt wiser.”

5. Time to Celebrate!

This transition in our lives is a chance to begin the second half of our lives with a renewed sense of purpose. It can be the inspiration and wake-up call to really, and truly, start taking care of our health and physical activity levels. We can begin to focus on ourselves after years of focusing on child-rearing and careers.

Some of the physical benefits of menopause relate to having our periods – or rather, after 30 years, we will no longer have our periods! Although that may make some of you wistful (no more periods!), that also means no more tampons, no more pads, no more looking for a bathroom with a sink to empty our menstrual cups, no more menstrual cramps, and no more worry about wearing white! It also means an end to hormonal induced migraines. An end to PMS. And of course, being able to have sex without any fear of unplanned pregnancies. 

The anthropologist Margaret Mead called it “menopausal zest” – the rush of energy, both physical and pshchological, that some women feel after menopause. It is a chance to take stock of our lives and see if we are headed in the direction in which we want to go.

Well-being coach Julie Leoni notes that “cognitive psychology has taught us that we can influence how we experience and feel about life if we change how we think about it; so let’s lay claim to the new beginnings of the menopause and initiate a culture of celebration and excitement as we enter this new phase in our lives.” She encourages us, rather that focusing on what we are losing, to focus on what is coming.

This transition can usher in a time to reinvent ourselves. Did you know that the fashion designer Vera Wang did not open her first bridal boutique until she was 40. Julia Child did published her first cookbook when she was in her 50s. And Lousie Hay published her first book at the age of 50, and opened Hay House at the age of 58. My own grandmother, Anita Griffin, went to school at the age of 50 and became a Registered Nurse (RN). It is never too late to start over!

Dr. Chritiane Northrup, in discussing the Wisdom of Menopause, states that “[T]his life stage ushers in the springtime of the second half of life and is often accompanied by surges in creativity, vitality, newfound ambition, and the need to be of meaningful service to the community in a larger way… We quite naturally seek answers from deep within instead of looking for approval from the outside.”

Here at Abundancia, we invite you to join our Community, and we will guide you through this transition. We will help you find balance, nourish your mind, body & soul, empower yourself to enjoy all that life has to offer, and connect with other women who will support you on this journey, and beyond. We are so happy you are here!