Signs of perimenopause
Symptoms relating to the menopause ( the perimenopause) can start up to 10 years before periods eventually stop. Here are a list of the more common issues...
- Infrequent or absent periods
— periods get less frequent and are lighter
— its been over a year since the last one - Very heavy prolonged irregular periods
— a period arrives unexpectedly and lasts for 2 weeks
— the bleeding is heavier than you have ever had - Hot flushes and nightsweats
— you go red and start sweating without any warning
— you are the woman with the shortsleeved blouse on the train in the snow
— the bedsheets are wet and you feel clammy then chilly at night in bed
— your partner has more bedclothes - Urinary symptoms
— going more often
— not being able to hold on when you do need to go
— leaking urine when you cough or sneeze - Anxiety and social phobia
— panic attacks
— palpitations
— no interest in life and having fun
— unable to feel happy when others are - Mood swings
— one minute an angel, next the devil incarnate - Sleep disturbance
— disturbed sleep even if not overly hot - Poor memory
— lists and endless trips upstairs - Headaches
— more severe and more frequent - Vaginal dryness
— even if you are in the mood and foreplay is great - Decreased libido
— you’d rather read a book - Weight gain
— metabolism slows
— poor sleep and anxiety fuel overeating
— the diet that worked before simply doesn't
— theres only so much exercise you can do and it doesn't seem to help
— poor sleep and anxiety fuel overeating - Loss of breast fullness
— the ski slope gets worse - Loss of fat in the labia
— it becomes painful to ride a horse, or to go a long distance on a bike
— the inner labia protrude - Joint pains
— especially if you aren’t fit
— hips, back and knees - Change in body shape
— wider waist
— increased tummy fat - Skin changes
— dry skin and wrinkles
— acne
— contact allergies
— crawling sensations or itching in the skin
— burning tongue - Hair changes
— thinning hair
— loss of body hair
— the tweezers are in overdrive - more facial fluff and a mini moustache - Nail changes
— nails become brittle and grooved