How To Know If You’re In Perimenopause : Key Signs Your Body Tells You

by: Nancybinspired

Table Of Contents

• Intro
• What You Need To Know
• What You Need To Do
• What You Need To Accept
• Summary

Intro

So here you are reading this blog because you’re wondering and scared perhaps too. Damn am I getting old? I don’t want to get old… Right? Well the photo above is me on my 63rd birthday. Last year. Okay? There’s nothing to fear.

So how do you know if your body is in perimenopause and what are the key signs your body tells you?

There are tons of books, blogs, and instagram posts telling you what to do, but I’m here to give you a high level short cut to what you need to know and do. There is no need to over analyze this and trust me I’m an analyst by profession, so I always over analyze shit. No need here. Just stop.

I’m writing this blog to help women because I’ve been through it. I’ve been through all the ups and downs, doctor after doctor trying to figure out what was going on with me. I’m going to save you a lot of time, time and money I already spent for you. So if you’re willing to grab a cup of coffee (or your favorite drink) get comfortable for a few minutes to read this blog, lets go!

What You Need To Know

First and foremost what you need to know is that lab work is not the indicator of what you’re experiencing and what you’re experiencing is real. Only you and you alone know your body, cycle, sleeping patterns mood and more. So how do you know if you’re in perimenopause and what are the signs?

First stop- something’s off. You’re waking up at 3.oo a.m. for no reason all of the sudden and you’re wide awake. You can’t go back to sleep for nothing and you might even make a pot of coffee and say fuck it. That’s the first signal, but you write it off, oh I’ve had a lot on my mind lately (like that’s the first time in your life, right). You’ll talk yourself out of connecting it to perimenopause because it’s an ever so slight shift, until it happens again. You still write it off, but then it starts to happen more frequently, and this frequency could be every couple months, monthly, etc. There is no pattern, she’s quite the bitch.

You may start to feel differently, whatever that look like for you. Could be you’re more irritated, short fused, agitated, crampy, tired, heart palpitations, etc., just different. Then you start googling shit. What is perimenopause? What are the symptoms? And you’re slightly panicked, but you want to KNOW. So what is the very first thing we as women do? We go to our gynecologist. Now we will either make a new appointment, or most definitely going to talk about it next visit.

So there you are, in the doctor’s office and you ask the question, How do I know if I”m in perimenopause? Your doctor most likely will say well it varies person to person, but you’re in your forties so, it’s too early, but I’ll order labs. Sound familiar? You agree because you want to KNOW. The labs come back and your physician says, nope, you’re not In perimenopause, all is good and cuts you loose. Did this scenario just happen to me? My reaction was, no way, something is off. Bullshit.

Being the rebel that I am, I went on the hunt for another physician, another and another until I got someone who would listen and help, someone who understood and knew. In this process of perimenopause. I had one female gynecologist say this to me “I have sick people to take care of and you’re not sick, there is nothing wrong with you and the labs prove it.” I was beyond shocked with how she spoke to me. She was pissed at me and thought I was being vain. (Her assumption) Little did she know, I was symptomatic with perimenopause before the labs. This is true and can happen.

What you need to know is that your body doesn’t lie. If you feel different, then something is different and you have to pursue that. Remember you hire physicians, it’s not the other way around, don’t get it twisted. If your physician is not helping you, go find another one. There is an entire network to choose from, but be selective and do your research.

What You Need To Do

What did I do? I went to a compounding pharmacy. They sold suppliments typical pharmacy items and so much more, but also compounded medications. They held seminars for menopause and I attended. I learned a lot and asked which physicians did they work with for perimenopause and menopause treatment because you have to start there. The prescription can only be written by the physician. They gave me a few names and (angels singing choir sound) I found my doctor. Hallelujah.

You need to search what lab work is truly required to find out where your body is as it relates to perimenopause, meaning thyroid, all of your hormones, etc. An extensive lab order at the beginning will paint the full picture of your story. (This is expensive so check with insurance beforehand)

You need to work with your physician and qualified pharmacist to add vitamins, supplements and other modalities such as meditation, etc. to your routine if not already there. It’s in the subtleties the changes are made and keep you on course with the “normal’ you and the perimenopause signs your body is sending.

I recommend also paying attention to how you feel. Are you tired? Are you still waking up in the middle of the night? If not, good that means this new cocktail is working. For now………

As you continue to approach your fifties, your body will continue to change every so slightly, it will continue to give you perimenopause signs and you need to be sensitive to the changes that affect your lifestyle (and relationships, especially your husband, ah your poor husband…). Flying off the handle because of hormones is a big red flag, so understand when this happens and take action for an adjustment. Make another appointment with your physician or call if in between annual check ups. Address it, don’t wait because it WILL get worse.

How to know if you’re perimenopause key is stop listening to what everyone else is telling you because our bodies are all different. Pay attention to yours and the signs your body is giving you. What is changing and how often. Find the physician who understands and the local compounding pharmaceutical team that supports you and this outside of traditional medicine approach.

If you feel better, do more, if you don’t, make a change.

Exercise. Make sure you’re active is some capacity, even if this is new to you. Get moving, sweat and release stress.

What You Need To Accept

This is the hard one. Are you sitting down? It’s going to get worse before it gets better. At least that was my case. What do I mean? I say it this way perimenopause is hotflashes’ bitch. She comes in first, she changes everything up for you, makes you feel like you’re going crazy, can’t sleep, irritated, moody and it’s worse than PMS. You start gaining weight for no damn reason, you go to bed and wake up 2 lbs heavier. Wtf? That’s why she’s hotflashes’ bitch, because hotflashes are next level…..

The title of this blog is How to know if you’re in perimenopause: key signs your body tells you, well that’s true. Remember it, ingrain it in your head to pay attention to the signs your body gives you.

Hotflashes

You’re saying oh fuck right now, right? Let me tell you this is the absolute worst and most embarrassing situation I’ve ever experienced. Sitting in a work meeting, speaking my turn as sweat for no reason started coming out of my pores, forehead and down the side of my face. Panicking even more out of embarrassment scoping for a tissue and hoping no one is noticing. Can you imagine? True story.

Hotflashes are like a wave of a fever with sweat that rises and falls (you can feel it) stays hot goes away and then you’re chilly because you’re wet. So at it’s peek your skin may turn red or flushed, sweat occurs during this phase, then it subsides and you are freezing all of the sudden.

Hotflashes comes with zero warning. There’s no trigger, time of day, no warning whatsoever. The only indicator is you’ve probably skipped a period and if not you’re about to.

What you need to accept is the perimenopause can last a good decade or more. You’re not menopausal until you’ve missed 12 consecutive menstrual cycles. For me the calendar was at 11 months no cycle, then a cycle and the calendar started all over again! When I say it’s a bitch, it’s a bitch. This meant you don’t know if you’re going to get a period, going to get a hotflash, you just don’t know what or when it’s going to hit you.

Most women gain weight and get that middle age belly, despite all the work to prevent it. I got it, got rid of it and it came back. I never really understood this other than stress had to be a contributor.

Accept the fact that you most likely will lose the curvy small waist figure. You may or may not, but it’s hard to find women in their 50s, 60s or 70s with tiny waist and flat stomachs unless they’ve had surgery. (If you could only see their belly buttons…shhhhh).

Accept that you’re getting better, wiser and blessed to enter another phase of life. It’s a blessing you made it here and there’s so much in your future to do without have a cycle. Your life is not over, you’re just eggless and that is another thing you have to process.

When you reach the age of perimenopause and in your fifties, you realize your eggs are numbered and you think about not having the ability to have children for good. It’s a flashback to all the times you tried not to get pregnant or maybe wish you would have or had more kids. It definitely will cross your mind as your reach this reality and it’s normal. You’ll process it, accept it and move on.

Summary

I’m here to tell you you’re going to get through perimenopause and menopause and be okay. If you follow me and my content I will teach you how to defy it and defy all challenges that come your way. The photo above is another photo of me at 63 years old. So fear not. I survived it and so will you.

My tips are to stay healthy, be active and have a good positive mindset. Surround yourself with happy, positive people and definitely let your spouse know how much you appreciate him. He goes through it with you. A good man will endure it gracefully and understand. Have great communication with him and ask for his feedback, he knows you best next, right? You know your body, but he knows you and what you’re like to live with. Take his feedback and adjust accordingly.

Remember to listen to your body. That’s the beauty of how God created us. He let our body give us signals, it’s just we’re too busy to pay attention to them, or we think our way out of the signs. How to know if you’re in perimenopause, your body will tell you and give you signs, your job is to start paying attention to them and I’d recommend doing so around your forties, it will just depend on the age you started your menstrual cycle.

Nothing in this blog is medical advice. I’m not a physician and cannot advise medically, I’m only sharing what I experienced and offering guidance to help you if you have a similar experience.

Be proactive with your life always, not only with perimenopause, but health and wellness overall. I’ve always been active and never had issues with my cycle. I honestly would’ve rather taken it to my grave than go through menopause. Sorry, but the truth, it’s a bitch.

Accept the fact that your body is going to change just like adolescence and you won’t’ be able to stop it or control it, but you can control the symptoms. Do what you can to enhance the experience. When you reach menopause you can decide if you want bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Have that discussion with your physician.

You can defy aging, You don’t need to be frumpy out of shape and angry. You can get through perimenopause and ultimately menopause and still be attractive with a vibrant spirit and much vitality left. You don’t need to look at this phase in your life as a mortality marker, remember you started your cycle as a very young girl. It’s been many decades and a lot of “months” dealing with this as a female. Ultimately, you will have a sense of freedom knowing you’ll never have to worry about the time of day your cycle arrives and making sure you have what you need with you to handle it ever again. There is an upside and that’s it.

You got this girl. Promise.

Let this inspire you today!