Today's Topic
Today on A.Vogel Talks Menopause, I'm going to be talking about what signs can indicate that your perimenopause is ending.
Perimenopause is a stage where so many different things can happen, and so many women contact me and ask, "How long is this going to last? When am I going to be in menopause itself?"
This is such a difficult question to answer because it's going to be different for every single one of you. For some, it's going to be quite short. Some of you might not even notice anything going on. For others of you, it can last seven or eight years and be quite a tumultuous time.
But what I thought I would do today is look at some of the signs that may indicate you coming to the end of this phase and entering menopause properly.
What is perimenopause?
This is the stage where your hormones start to change in the approach to menopause. Symptoms are going to be different for every single one of you. For some, it's all about periods changing. For others, it can be all about the emotional side of things changing. And for some, it can be a combination of both.
Some women notice very little difference and changes. And that can be confusing, because they're reading and listening about all the things that are going on and wondering why it's not happening to them.
So, you're all going to have your own particular perimenopause and menopause. It's just unique to you.
Signs perimenopause is ending and menopause is beginning
There are a few signs you can look out for which can indicate that you are in the late stages of perimenopause and heading toward menopause soon. These include:
Period changes
For the majority of women, changing periods are a good indication that things are moving towards menopause itself. Periods can start to get lighter. They maybe only last a day or two. They can get a lot further apart. You might get one period, miss one, get a period, then miss two, and so on.
So, there can be this whole combination, sometimes lasting a year or more, of periods coming and going.
For some women, their periods just stop suddenly and that is it. For others, your hormones sometimes want a last fling. They want to make a big statement to show that they're on their way out. So, for some women, just as they get to menopause itself, they may get a few, really heavy periods and then things start to wind down and eventually stop.
Sleep issues increasing
In perimenopause, this is one of the main symptoms. You may just find that your sleeping pattern changes. You can't fall asleep as easily as you once did. You may find you get up in the middle of the night a lot more. You might find you wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning and that you just can't get back to sleep.
PMS symptoms getting worse
This is quite a common one. So, whatever your normal monthly cycle was like, very often that can be exacerbated in perimenopause. So, if you used to get things like breast tenderness, irritability, mood swings, bloating, sugar cravings, then these can all be exaggerated. So, even if you're still getting regular periods, at this stage, your PMS can be much worse and it can last longer and take longer to ease off. Perimenopause symptoms can also get worse at this point.
When are you considered to be ‘in’ menopause
A lot of sources say that you're in menopause after you've been without periods for one year. But one of the things we've really noticed over the many years that we've been doing this, is that a lot of women get no periods for a year or even a year and a half, and there they are thinking, "Yes, that's it." And then, periods can come back. They can just get a single one or they might come back for a few months. Very often, this is just it. It's a last fling. Again, your hormones are just wanting to make a little statement before they start really decreasing.
It can also be due to other things. So, it's really important, especially if you get periods back after a year or more, just to double-check with your doctor, because it could indicate things like fibroids, or cysts, or even a prolapse. So don't just take it that this is normal. Do get this double-checked.
What can you do to help yourself?
In this situation, when you find that your periods are changing in any way at all, track them. Make a note of when they're arriving, when you expect them, how long they normally last, so you can do a diary. You can use your calendar or you can get these fabulous apps now where you just put everything in, and it does everything for you.
And what you'll find is you can then look, maybe over six months at a time, and you can notice the changes going on. And that's one of the best ways to find out whereabout exactly you are in perimenopause and leading up to menopause.
So, another thing that you can do, if you're in the perimenopause, if your periods are starting to tail off, or get shorter, or starting to miss, or you're in the menopause itself and you need a little bit of extra help, you can look at our Menopause Support tablets. This is a menopause supplement that contains phytoestrogens, and magnesium which is good for mood and energy.
A.Vogel Menopause Support | For Perimenopause, Menopause & Postmenopause Symptoms
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And just look after yourself well with lots of self-care and introduce some of the menopause basics/good habits, that I regularly recommend, including eating well, sleeping well, exercising often and practicing deep breathing. Put yourself at the top of the list as much as you can, because that's going to help you no end.
So, I hope you enjoyed this one. It's a very confusing stage, I know. Everybody is very different so if you have any questions, if you're worried about where you are and what's going on, please comment and I will be happy to answer you.
And until then, I'll see you next week for another edition of A.Vogel Talks Menopause.
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