What to Expect and How to Cope :: Perimenopause

4

This may be a bit of a ways off for some of us, but I wish that someone would have warned me about some of the things I am experiencing as my childbearing years pass.

Yes, I am talking about menopause, or more specifically perimenopause.

Now I am no expert, so don’t take what I say as anything other than advice from someone who is currently going through this transitional time. To be honest, I am surprised at how early I am going through this. I am only 45 years young! After talking with my OB/GYN, we realized I have been experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause, the period before menopause, for some time now.

what to expect and how to cope perimenopause

5 Symptoms I Experienced Before My Regular Cycle Stopped

1. Sleep Disruptions

I have been having trouble sleeping for years now. I tried over the counter and prescription sleep aids and nothing really helped. I would still wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Even as a child, I had trouble sleeping so this was not on the radar at all.

2. Irregular and Heavy Cycles

This began in my mid-thirties and was treated with birth control shots that made me gain close to twenty pounds. Yikes! We just thought it was part of an isolated problem and did not see the whole picture that was beginning to emerge.

3. Weight Gain

So speaking of adding on some extra pounds, that twenty pounds I gained really was difficult to lose. I was so frustrated and angry, but with a little help from friends I finally lost about fifteen of it. Turns out I was not lazy or unmotivated; it is just harder, not impossible to lose weight once you begin perimenopause. Thank you, hormones.

4. Mood Swings

Yes, they were happening and still are. The good news is that I am on the look-out for them so it helps to manage them. Between the hormones in our house from a normal teenage girl and my roller-coaster estrogen, my husband should probably receive a medal.

5. HOT FLASHES

This one is a biggie for me. It is the reason I finally talked to my doctor. You would think that having cycles months apart would be the herald for me to realize I was premenopausal, but I did not put it all together until I started with these power surges!

heating pad
Bye-bye camps … hello mood swings!

The upside to all of this … I don’t feel crazy anymore. When I was looking at all of these symptoms individually and in isolation, I felt overwhelmed and frustrated. When my OB/GYN and I talked, and I sort of internalized that this is a natural process and transition, it seemed easier to manage. It also did not hurt that she was willing to really TALK to me about it. She and I agreed to take a very conservative approach to treatment for as long as possible.

4 Things That Helped Ease My Premenopausal Symptoms

1. Regular Exercise

Only thirty minutes a day helps.

2. Eating Better

My sweet-tooth is epic! (I am reading a lot about the effect sugar may have on all of these symptoms.)

3. Limiting Diet Sodas

I LOVE Diet Coke. I will admit it, but for lots of reasons besides perimenopausal symptoms, I limit my intake. I can tell the difference. Artificial sweeteners are not good for me!

4. Taking Time for Me

Seems so simple, but I am not always good at it. I love to read, write, listen to music, travel, and have lunch with friends. Identifying what I love and what relaxes me helps me manage some of the mood swings. The sleep thing still eludes me though.

So, Why Bring It Up?

I wish I had done some things earlier. I wish I had shared my concerns with my OB/GYN earlier. I wish I had talked to my mother about her experience. She went through it very early as well.

If I had known five years ago what was beginning to happen, I might have managed the transition differently. As mothers, much of our health is ignored or put on the back burner as we raise our families. My greatest hope is that I will be around to counsel my daughter on this very subject … but until then, I hope this helps other mothers accept a normal transition into a time when we become the strong, powerful, wise queens we were always meant to be.

Have you experienced perimenopause or menopause? What symptoms or advice would you add to the list?

Heating Pad Photo Credit: estherase / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Previous article5 Tips for Being Your Own Health Advocate
Next articleTeen Mom :: My Story
Lori Clarke
Raised in the foothills of North Carolina, Lori found herself moving to Columbia for some boy almost 20 years ago. After finally saying yes, she and her husband, Donald began a family and put down roots right here in South Carolina. A two time graduate of the University of South Carolina, Lori holds an M.A.T. in Elementary Education and an M. Ed. in Educational Administration. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Language and Literacy and teaches 5th grade in a local school district.

4 COMMENTS

  1. I found out I was pregnant with my only child right before my 43th birthday. Let me tell you, potty training while having a hot flash has to be some sort of crazy cruel joke! One of my big signs was the crazy unbelievable headaches, just blinding hormonal headaches. Hang in there everyone!

  2. I was thrown into menopause at age 21 (emergency hysterectomy :/). While it was no fun at all, I can tell you that self-care will be one of the best things you can do for yourself and the symptoms will get better….eventually 🙂

  3. I unfortunately started at peri-menopause at 31. Everyone else in my family had hysterectomies in their 20’s (my mom was 24) so there was no one to really base my symptoms off. I had my third child right before my 30th birthday, and my period returned ON my 31st birthday with a vengeance. I went from normal periods (well…7 day periods was normal for me) to 3+ week long periods, a week of not bleeding only to start it all over again. It was painful, my moodswings were out of control…I tried numerous things including an ablation of my uterus with no relief. Even after the ablation I still had 3+ week periods. And never missed one! I got a hysterectomy at the age of 34 and am so grateful. It has taken a few years but I am finally calming down a bit. The hot flashes are brutal, and so is the intense anxiety! People don’t talk about the anxiety and depression…that anxiety came out of no where. I was okay and then lying on the floor freaking out and telling myself to just breathe. This stuff doesn’t happen in your 50’s or beyond ladies…it can start in your 30’s. We need to better educate, not just women but the medical professionals who treat them.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here