Perimenopause signs and stages
Menopause in Chinese Culture is considered a Woman’s second spring, the transforming from Woman to Wise Woman. A time to focus on self-care, set boundaries and nurture ourselves after years of caring for everyone else. In the next blog, I will introduce some evidence based and Traditional Chinese Medical lifestyle tweaks that support the transition.
I encourage Women to not put too much weight on the label ‘perimenopause’, as often it’s the symptom itself that will guide us to figuring out the right support.
Most Women have some hormonal symptoms during the Peri-years, but symptoms vary in severity.
Early Menopausal Transistion / Early Peri-menopause:
WHAT SYMPTOMS MIGHT BE PRESENT?
The menstrual cycle (from the the first day of the bleed until the day before the next bleed) may become slightly Shorter or Longer.
The menstrual period (bleed) may become heavier or lighter, longer or shorter. Many Women experience variation from month to month.
Pre-menstrual symptoms and period pain might become worse.
Muscle tension and pain, joint pain, headaches may feature, especially in the lead up to and during the period.
Feeling ‘wired’ and ‘tired’, exhaustion, fatigue, burnout, brain fog.
Mood swings, emotional sensitivity, especially in the Pre-Menstrual phase.
Weight gain, especially around the belly, breasts and thighs. Most Women gain 2 dress sizes.
Food sensitivies and bloating
Fluid retention
Itchy skin
Insomnia, especially wakefulness from 2-3am, or waking too early
Night sweats
Pregnancy is still possible in this phase
WHY
During Peri, our reproductive capacity goes into what I refer to as semi-retirement. In the first part of the cycle, Oestrogen levels are varying, underproducing one day and overworking the next. FSH is high and ovulation is still occuring, but the timing may vary. After Ovulation, there may be lower than usual levels of Progesterone, with varying Oestrogen levels. Your GP may be reluctant to test your hormones in early Peri, as the results will be inconclusive. It’s key to remember that your hormones change from day to day. A blood test is a snapshot of a moment in time, rather than explaining what is happening throughout the cycle.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, many of these symptoms relate to the Liver/Gall Bladder energetic, Digestion and the Kidney/Adrenals. Moving the circulation and fluid is also a key strategy for this time.
Late Peri-menopause/ Late Menopausal transition
WHAT SYMPTOMS MIGHT BE PRESENT?
Menstural cycles become more irregular, with bigger gaps between periods.
Many of the symptoms from the early-Peri list and PMS symptoms will occur still, and some may worsen
The mood and brain related symptoms especially anxiety, overwhelm, insomnia and brain fog may feature strongly at this time.
‘Vasomotor symptoms’ - hot flashes and night sweats might begin, day or night, or both.
WHY
In this phase, Ovulation is occurring less frequently, Oestrogen and Progesterone in this phase tend to be more consistently low.
In this phase the Chinese Medicine support continues as it has before, changing the treatment according to the symptoms. In this phase, generally more tonic herbs are used.
Menopause
The strange thing about this phase is that when you’re in it, you don’t know that you’re in it.
Menopause is the 12 months after your Final Menstrual period.
Once you get to your ‘no period anniversary’, you are now ‘Post-Menopausal’
By this time, Ovulation has completely stopped. Oestrogen production from the Ovaries is low, but some is converted in the Adrenal Glands, and the Fat (Adipose) tissue, among other sites.
Post-menopause
Once you’ve been period free for 12 months you are ‘Post-menopausal’
Many Women experience the symptoms of Menopause after the transition.
In an upcoming blog post we will look at the kinds of self-care that can be game-changing during the transition.
Supporting your wellbeing,
Ceda xx