Perimenopause Patient Resources

The menopause transition, or perimenopause, is divided into an early and late phase. No two bodies are the same; every woman will experience this process a little differently. Still, there is a method to the madness. Studies find certain perimenopausal symptoms peak during specific stages. These symptom patterns increase awareness and pinpoint therapies targeted to your needs.

In the early transition phase, you will typically see menstrual cycle disruptions. You may become less regular or skip a cycle before resuming your previous schedule. Ovulation (mature egg release from the ovary) is less consistent.

The late phase of menopause is marked by cycles over 60 days apart. Cycle patterns will vary greatly during this 1-to-3-year period. Eventually, your body is no longer able to perform the balancing act. It can no longer compensate for the changes taking place. The closer you are to menopause, the more vaginal dryness, deterioration, and painful intercourse you may experience.

Once 12 months have passed since your last menstrual period, you have reached the early postmenopausal years.

Due to the unpredictable hormonal environment of perimenopause, symptoms surface. They usually spike when women move from early to late perimenopause. Some symptoms are mild to start and deepen throughout the transition. Anxious and depressive feelings tend to intensify as women move into the later phase. Similarly, vulvovaginal symptoms increase as estrogen levels decline.

Many perimenopausal symptoms are linked. Addressing one complaint may remedy another. For example, hot flashes and sleep difficulties appear connected. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation study (SWAN) discovered that women experiencing moderate to severe hot flashes are much more likely to wake during the night and suffer from disrupted sleep.

Addressing vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) like estrogen, can also improve nighttime disturbances. Women supplementing with estrogen appear to exhibit higher sweating thresholds and less frequent attacks. Oral progesterone may also encourage uninterrupted sleep due to its sedative properties.

Learn more about personalized therapies for menopause symptoms, including hormone replacement therapy, on the Belmar Pharma Solutions website, under “Women’s Health”

Perimenopause is a transition between your reproductive years and the end of your fertility. It’s a time of sex hormone fluctuations. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel through the blood to exert an effect on specific tissues. The effect of each sex hormone depends on the overall balance among all the hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Estrogen levels, particularly, can rise a bit and then drop, over and over, as the ovaries gradually slow down their release of eggs. Researchers describe perimenopause as “disruptive” because its hormonal rollercoaster can cause troublesome physical and emotional symptoms in most women.

While perimenopause often begins in your 40s, it can start as early as your 30s or as late as your 50s. It may last from a few months to up to 15 years. It ends with menopause, which is when you’ve gone a full year without a period.

Yes. It’s possible to get pregnant during perimenopause. While your ovaries are producing less estrogen and progesterone, fertility and egg quality decline, and your periods may become irregular, you can still get pregnant. Even if you don’t have a period for several months in a row, it doesn’t mean that pregnancy will not occur. If you do not want to become pregnant, contraception is still necessary. Notably, perimenopause symptoms such as missed periods, fatigue, and mood swings, are often similar to early signs of pregnancy.

On average, perimenopause lasts about four years. However, some women experience perimenopause symptoms for just a few months, while others endure unpleasant symptoms that last up to 10 years. Typically, without addressing symptoms with hormone medications or therapies such as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), most women endure perimenopause symptoms for two to eight years before they reach menopause (12 consecutive months without a period).

Weight gain during perimenopause is common, especially around your midsection. This is usually the result of hormonal shifts, including decreased estrogen production, which can lead to fat storage around your belly. Sometimes known as “the menopausal middle,” this weight can be difficult to lose, but it is possible.

During perimenopause, your body often stores fat, burns fewer calories, and can become resistant to insulin. This complex chain of events can make you gain weight even when you don’t change anything about your diet or lifestyle. For perimenopausal women, it’s not typically just a matter of taking the “exercise more, eat less” approach.

Addressing the root cause of weight gain during perimenopause “hormonal deficiencies,” may help you lose weight. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is one way to optimize your hormones to help boost metabolism, regain muscle tone, and lose unwanted pounds. Personalized BHRT helps bring your hormones back to an ideal level and can therefore make it easier to prevent unwanted weight gain.

Many women aren’t aware of perimenopause, or that their experiences could be linked to hormonal imbalance. Being familiar with the signs and symptoms of perimenopause will help patients identify early and act. Symptoms can start years before the final menstrual period (FMP). Tracking menstrual cycles manually can be helpful, as is connecting with a healthcare provider if perimenopause is possible.

Perimenopause triggers a multitude of hormonal changes. When estrogen levels drop and androgen levels rise, an imbalance occurs. That imbalance causes the body to distribute fat differently, and there can be signs patients see and feel. For many, muscle mass begins to break down and more fat starts to accumulate around the midsection. Combined with a slowing midlife metabolism, weight often fluctuates.