The Unspoken Transition: Understanding Perimenopause

So many mothers and women I speak to especially in their forties, communicate that they feel like they are in a bit of crisis. Their cycles are coming way later than usual, sometimes way shorter, or not showing up for months at a time. Some have gained unwanted weight and say that no matter what they do they can’t seem to lose that pouch at their stomach. Others notice health issues like headaches they didn’t use to get, depression, more mood fluctuations, joint issues, sleep difficulty or sometimes feeling hot flushes. And the list goes on. The statement I hear over and over is “I feel like my body is falling apart!”. And my response is “Nope, you just may be in perimenopause”.

So, what is perimenopause? Perimenopause is “the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years. Perimenopause is also called the menopausal transition. This natural transition is marked by fluctuations in hormones which are the motherboard of our reproductive wellness. This motherboard can affect the many other systems of the body, which is why other symptoms that aren’t associated with reproductive health can be experienced.

While perimenopause is yet just another process that we go through as women, it can sneak up on you. This is because this key reproductive stage has been conveniently left out of discussion. I believe that this was primarily due to patriarchy.

In the patriarchal story of women’s health, girls get their period, which is "gross". They mature and are at the apex of their beauty, get pregnant and then should look like nothing ever happened, and look that way forever. After that the story gets muddled. It goes something like, you’ll one day go into menopause, get gray hair and be a grandmother, lol. It is an incomplete, incorrect and immature view of women’s health. Mainly because the story was not written by those who have actually gone through it- women.

The reality is women's reproductive journeys like women are far more beautiful, complex, rich, deep and profound than that archaic story. And this includes a woman's perimenopause journey. While it may be true for some women, the vast majority of us do not perfectly have our cycles and then all of a sudden go into menopause without a hitch. Perimenopause is a process that often goes on for years and can span over a decade.

While the symptoms of perimenopause can be complicated an uncomfortable, it can also be an amazing time. It can be a time where many of us women are forced to prioritize our health (even with all that can go on) and as such we can be empowered to shift the trajectory of our health and life towards greater optimal health and longevity.

Take good care.

Love being a woman,
Dr. Danett