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