My Journey with Perimenopause
Hello Everyone,
I have a short work week this week and hope to get a few things done around the house. We are celebrating the 4th at home with just a small barbecue and some rest hopefully. I really want to head to Meijer to see if they have any flowers or plants. I have been shocked at some of the items that their garden center has. I am hoping to be surprised again.
Now let’s discuss something serious. I know, I know, the title is a little rough, but we have all gone through it, knows someone in it, or will be going through it here soon. Perimenopause is all over social media and is being discussed by many individuals. I only just learned this term earlier this year. I was having lunch with a few friends when I begin to discuss how I was feeling physically.
I mentioned how I was tired all the time, could not sleep well (which I NEVER had a problem with), was waking up with moments of body heat, headaches (which I rarely had), noticeable weight gain (that seem to happen overnight), body tightness, fluid retention, and unpredictable periods. My friend then mentioned peri. I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, but she then told me about Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Instagram videos and that I needed to watch them.
Oh my goodness! A whole new world was opened to me, and I begin to look up everything that I could on perimenopause. I then called my doctor to make an appointment with her.
Captured at on May 09, 2020 by Stacie Flinner Photography.
As usual it would take months to see her, so I decided to try a hormone balancing pill. I was sure that I was in perimenopause. I had all those symptoms all the time and I do recall my mother mentioning it to me in my late 20s early 30s about “early menopause”. I went to Happy Mammonth and took their hormone test. I answered honestly and everything came out pretty true, so I ordered their Hormone Harmony pills to try. I used them for about 2 months and realized that I was not getting the same results as everyone else, and you have to take 4 pills a day! That to me was a lot. The only difference that I noticed was that I had less upset stomach which I enjoyed but I was still miserable. So I stopped ordering them and moved on with my research.
I met with my doctor, and I did share my bottle of Hormone Harmony pills and she to be careful. A lot of those hormonal pills have metals in them. She did “confirm” that I was mostly likely in perimenopause but of course there are no tests to confirm your hormones before menopause. She then referred me to a dietitian and weight loss doctor. I had a great Zoom call with her, and we are meeting in about two weeks to discuss my meal plan and hormones.
photo credit: Victoria Magazine
While waiting on my appointment I have been reading the book Rushing Woman’s Syndrome book and I have learned so much from it. I have learned not only about perimenopause but how being in “fight or flight” has an impact on my body, weight, and hormones. I am now in the section learning about PMS, estrogen, and progesterone.
I didn’t realize how excessive estrogen could affect your body and give you PMS symptoms. I didn’t know that progesterone is one of the most powerful antianxiety and antidepressant substances that the body makes. One thing that is in the book that has been sticking in my mind is SNS (flight or fight) and PNS (rest and digest). I now know that I am in flight or fight ALL THE TIME. I have been trying to train my mind to rest and digest. This book has been guiding me on how to deal with my hormones and perimenopause in a natural way and I am loving it. One comment that the author had was “Women are not supposed to get PMS. Your period is supposed to just turn up…. no extreme mood swings, no pain, no premenstrual migraines… just menstruation”.
I certainly hope to get to that someday. I hope my post has helped someone in some way. We are all making these hormonal journeys and I love when women share theirs. I hope that you enjoyed mine. Please share you story below. I would love to hear about it.
Happy 4th!
Good Evening Mrs.Schockley. I still had your blog page up on one of the million tabs that I have open on my browser 🙂 I remember you mentioning that you would talk about your perimenopause journey a few weeks ago. I have also been reading and learning so much about this as well in the last few weeks. I viewed an online summit about women’s health over 40 back in May and it was so eye opening. I didn’t even think that many of the things that we assume are just a part of aging, like dementia, osteoporosis, etc. are due to the decline in our hormones. I did not realize how they play such an important role in our health! One of the speakers, Dr. Felice Gersh, wrote a very helpful book titled Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know. I really like her approach by suggesting natural ways to relieve the issues that come up during all of the phases of menopause, in addition to bioidentical hormone therapy. I read an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola about excessive estrogen just like you mentioned, and I’m looking into more information about that now. There was so much more information from that webinar, sorry this was so long!
First of all thank you for reading my blog. Saying that you just had it opened made me smile. Sounds like you watched a great summit! I am learning the same things. It’s amazing how perimenopause and menopause can affect your health. That book sounds like something that I need to add to my list. I didn’t think you comment was long at all. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing!
Oh, you’re very welcome 🙂 Have a blessed and restful weekend!
I’d like to apologize for the lengthy post but I’m living this and here’s what I’m experiencing and learning. ?
The mood swings and weight gain have been astronomical. My moods goes from hysterical sobbing to frightening rage to suicidal thoughts with depression with no real catalyst. I’m in the shower and I got this burst of insane rage. No one bothered me, no one was there, I’m just angry for no reason . These moods can ebb and flow all in the same day. I thought I was going insane. As soon as my period is over, I normalize. I’ve put on 17 lbs since March of this year AND IT WON’T BUDGE! Not to mention the brain fog. I walked into the kitchen, could not recall why I walked in there. In the middle of working, train if thought completely disappeared. I ended up speaking to my friends mom, who held my hand and told me it was ok. She gave me the run down, nitty gritty and I followed up with the Dr. & my hormones levels were down. My cycle is irregular, sometimes having 2 cycles within 20 days, skipping months, showing up a week earlier or later. The thing is this is life experience differs greatly from from 1 woman to the next. What’s happening to me may not be the same as what’s happening to you & the degrees of severity differ as well.
I’m not one to just do what the Dr says all the time and take RX. I do believe that the body is a marvelous machine and it heal & be balanced. You do have to care for it and do proper maintenance just like you would a vehicle. You wouldn’t put diesel fuel in an vehicle that uses unleaded gas, it won’t work optimally. You can’t give your body toxic foods and drinks and expect it to run optimally. It’s a WHOLE LOT going on and hormones are very complex. There are varying views on everything. This was such a taboo topic and it wasn’t discussed in years past. Now light is being shed on it. Suzanne Somers (may she RIP?) was called a quack when she started talking about HRT, Bioidentical hormones, funky foods. No one 20 plus years ago was hipped to it but she was. I think they way she lived may have helped her live as long as she did with reoccurring cancer. Now others are coming out with variations of what she did and said back in 1990s and early 2000s. I’m trying to collect all her books while they’re still around. She did know what she was talking about. I watched her on HSN with my mom years ago as a teenager, never thinking I’d be that age. Now, here I’am lol?
A few people that I listen too are Chalene Johnson, Dr. Taz, Dr. Mindy Pelz and Teresa Tapp. Teresa sadly passed away in 2019 and her platform has vanished pretty much. That woman had a way of breaking the body down and explaining what’s happening better than anyone I’ve seen before. A few people have managed to upload her seminars and fitness videos to YouTube. I would urge you to watch Brain Body Fitness Healthy Hormones Seminar. It’s nearly 2 hours. Mrs Shockley I just viewed it and I think this might be the ticket with helping my body and hormones get into alignment. It’s totally different way to approach fitness and hormones and yet it makes sense, at least to me. I had heard about her years ago but now I’m revisiting her method because I’m in such a bad way and it applies now.
I’m watching my diet ( learning about food combining) and reading ingredients because I don’t want stuff sneaking in. I’m using herbal tinctures from the Herb Pharm company. I like this company and their commitment to their customers and the Earth. For menopausal symptoms I’m using Menopause Health. My mood has stabilized and the swings are nothing like they were, almost not there any longer. For my sleep disruptions in using lemon balm and their Bed Time spray. I’ve been using these products now for 6 weeks and I can tell the difference in a really good way. I’m also looking at Stress Manager drops to help with cortisol levels. Stress makes them go up.
Overall Mrs Shockley, there isn’t a 1 size fits all. You’ll have to Guinea Pig yourself to see what works with your body. That’s in everything lifestyle choices, RX, herbs, diet, fitness the whole thing you must see what works FOR YOU! It’s a journey, almost like 2nd a puberty of sorts. We need to support each other in this. I’m so glad for this post?????
Thank you Tracey for sharing this with all of us! This was truly insightful. I will agree with you about the rage. I am normally not an angry person but for the past 8 months I have been on a rampage! Ready to take on whoever wanted to challenge me. It’s not good but honestly some of the rage I have used to tell some people in my life no who needed to be told no! I have been praying and asking the Lord to help guide me in this new season because that is exactly what it is. A new season. You are also right about remedies not being a one size fit all. I am exploring things in my life to help aid with the hormones. I am actually looking into a Pilates class. I saw one that actually has the Pilates machines, and I am really considering it. Thank you again!
I too am going through Perimenopause. It’s been a struggle! I believe I’ve had every symptom from it. I am 44 years old and I have probably been going through this since my 30s, but now it’s becoming worse. I actually had never heard of Perimenopause until only a couple of years ago. I am so glad that it’s being talked about more. Hopefully we can all find some relief soon. ?
Hi Alicia, you too!? Oh my goodness! I feel like everyone is in the thick of it. I have been told that it can start as early as 35 depending on the person. I am glad that awareness is being brought to this. I am going to start looking for a functional medicine doctor myself.