Day 5: It’s A Process – Peri to Post

When we think of menopause, most of us think of that time when we start to feel differently. Our periods start to get weird on us and we just generally start to notice that things aren’t quite like they used to be. Then one day, it happens: you feel like someone lit you on fire. Uh-oh. Menopause.

Well, technically no.

Contrary to popular belief, menopause is not all those changes you’re feeling. Not even when the hot flashes arrive. It’s all part of the process but it’s not exactly menopause.

Let’s get technical. Menopause, quite literally, is the permanent end of your periods. You haven’t technically reached menopause until you have not had a period for 12 months straight. Not a few months here and there. 12 consecutive months. At that point, you are in confirmed menopause.

This description leaves lots of women scratching their heads because their doctors or their friends or the talk show host on TV said they were in menopause but they’re still having periods. What’s going on here?

In popular culture, the word menopause is used not just to refer to the actual end of periods, but also the changes that lead up to that point – the hot flashes and night sweats, the mood changes and the changes in our lady bits that no one likes to talk about. (Yes it happens and yes we’re going to talk about it).

As we approach the point of menopause our bodies are undergoing changes. This is often referred to as the menopausal process and it is divided into different phases.

First up is perimenopause. Perimenopause are the years directly before the actual end to your periods. It’s during this time that your sex hormone levels, in particular estrogen and progesterone, begin to decline. Most of us begin to notice changes in our bodies. Perimenopause normally starts in our forties, but can also be in our 30s.

Some of the symptoms of perimenopause can include hot flashes, night sweats, sleep troubles, mood changes, sore joints, brain fog, weight gain, and more. Not all of us will experience all symptoms, but it’s common for most of us to experience at least some of them.

Perimenopause continues for some years. As time goes on, your hormone levels will continue to drop, you’ll stop releasing eggs, and your menstrual cycle will stop. After 12 consecutive months of no periods, you’re officially in menopause.

Just an FYI, you may be thinking that just because you’re skipping periods and hormones are falling that you’re not very fertile. That’s not true. As long as your body is still releasing eggs and you’re having a period, you can still become pregnant. So take precautions as you normally would until your doctor confirms you’ve reached menopause.

So let’s say it’s officially been 12 months since you last period. Congrats, you reached menopause! You might be thinking, “OK, great. Done.” Not so fast. Once you’ve reached menopause, you now transition into post-menopause.

Post-menopause are the years following the end of your periods. Now without the protection of its hormones, your body will undergo additional changes. Some of these changes can pose health risks. It’s really important to monitor and be proactive with your health care regarding things like bone health, heart health and breast health. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about all of this later on so you have the knowledge and tools you need to stay healthy. For now, remember that this is such an important time in your life, and you should prioritize taking good care of yourself.