Perimenopause

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause refers to the transition period leading up to menopause, which officially begins 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period. During perimenopause, a woman's body starts making changes as it prepares to stop menstruating permanently.

Some key things to know about perimenopause:

• It typically begins in a woman's 40s, but can start earlier or later. The average age of onset is 47.


• It lasts up to 10 years, but averages around 4 years.


• Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, mood changes, trouble sleeping, and more.


• Hormone levels, especially estrogen, rise and fall unevenly during this transition. This leads to the symptoms.


• It ends when a woman has gone 12 months without her period. At that point, she has reached menopause.

Diagnosing perimenopause can be tricky since many symptoms are common to other conditions. Tracking cycles and symptoms in a journal can help identify patterns. Blood tests of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels may also help confirm transitions.

Managing symptoms is key during this transition:

• Lifestyle changes like avoiding triggers, exercising, practicing stress relief, and eating a nutritious diet can help.


• Butterfly Hormone Center offers customized hormone therapy including bioidentical hormones to get levels optimized and help alleviate symptoms.


• Certain birth control pills or low-dose antidepressants may also be options for symptom relief.

The perimenopausal transition marks a major change, but women going through it report both challenges and surprising joys. Working with compassionate healthcare providers who understand this life stage makes a big difference. Every woman's experience is unique to her body and circumstances. Knowledge, self-care and community provide keys to navigating perimenopause gracefully.

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