Perimenopause quiz
Learn more about your symptoms, and what we’d recommend, with our short perimenopause quiz.
Hot flushes? Anxiety? Poor sleep? Weight gain? These are all common symptoms of perimenopause, the 2-12 year stage leading up to the menopause.
But which hormone imbalances are underlying your symptoms? Find out in our short perimenopause quiz.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is a time of hormonal changes, similar to puberty. It is defined as the 2-12 year period or phase leading up to menopause (menopause being the single point in time when periods have ended for 12 months). Typically perimenopause can occur anywhere from the ages 38-50.
Common symptoms of perimenopause
How do you know if you’re in perimenopause? Let’s look at some common symptoms of perimenopause.
The best place to start is with Professor Jerilynn Prior’s list of new symptoms that reveal if you are likely to be entering perimenopause. Professor Prior states that a midlife woman – who previously had regular periods – is likely to be in perimenopause if she has three of the following symptoms:
- New-onset heavy and/or longer flow
- Shorter (25 days or less) menstrual cycles
- New sore, swollen or lumpy breasts
- New mid-sleep waking
- Increased menstrual cramps
- Onset of night sweats, in particular premenstrually
- New or markedly increased migraine headaches
- New or increased premenstrual mood swings
- Weight gain without changes in eating or exercise
It is important to note that these listed above are just a few of the symptoms that you may experience in perimenopause and it is a different experience for each individual. As there is no single test that can define if you are in perimenopause, the above signs and symptoms are the best guide.
The Four stages of perimenopause
Did you know that perimenopause occurs in four distinct phases? According to Canadian endocrinologist Professor Jerilynn Prior, the four stages are:
- Very early perimenopause, when periods are still regular. This is when progesterone levels fall.
- Early menopause transition, from the onset of irregular periods. Progesterone continues to call, and estrogen is high and fluctuating.
- Late menopause transition, from the first cycle of more than 60 days. Both estrogen and progesterone are lowering.
- Late perimenopause, which is 12 months from your final period. Estrogen and progesterone are low.
Our Perimenopause quiz
In the short perimenopause quiz above, we look at some common hormone imbalances that can drive symptoms in perimenopause. These include symptoms of:
- Low progesterone
- High oestrogen or low oestrogen
- High testosterone
- Insulin resistance
References
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Brinton, R. D., Yao, J., Yin, F., Mack, W. J., & Cadenas, E. (2015). Perimenopause as a neurological transition state. Nature reviews. Endocrinology, 11(7), 393–405. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2015.82
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