The Mystery Of Perimenopause 

The Mystery Of Perimenopause 

THE Launch of World Perimenopause Day 2019 (last Thursday, October 11) calls for better education and awareness, as new research reveals early symptoms are wrongly mistaken for ageing, stress, anxiety and depression.  
 
In a study of 1,000 women in the UK, 70 per cent of participants admitted to experiencing perimenopausal symptoms in their 30s and 40s, with 90 per cent failing to recognise the immediate link to their fluctuating hormones and instead attributing symptoms to ageing, stress, anxiety and depression. 
 
The findings revealed the link between symptoms and perimenopause taking on average 14 months for women to identify. The most common symptoms experienced included period changes, sleeping problems, hot flushes, anxiety, weight gain, low mood and night sweats, with women typically experiencing a combination of five symptoms during the early stages.  
 
While period changes were reported as a common symptom and is often widely regarded as the onset marker of menopause, findings showed four in 10 women did not experience this as one of their first symptoms. 
 
Expert gynaecologist and menopause specialist, Anne Henderson, explains: “There is barely a part of the body oestrogen doesn’t effect. It affects the central nervous system, the skeleton, the cardiac system, the bladder, skin, nails, hair, teeth – everything is impacted. And it is the symptoms related to these areas that women primarily come forward with during the perimenopause.” 
 
The study also found that when the women first experienced symptoms, a third of women either chose not to take any action or decided to Google what they were feeling, as opposed to visiting a GP or speaking to friends and family.  
 
Speaking on the effects of lack of information and awareness, Anne Henderson explains “Some of the commonest questions I get asked are, “am I going mad?” and “is it just me?”. This is probably because very few women associate the profound psychological changes that happen at the menopause with the menopause itself.” 
 
Launched by Health & Her, an award-winning website offering free expert advice on perimenopause and menopause, World Perimenopause Day took place to raise awareness around the transitional period into menopause and the management options available, while combating global stigma and a call for better education.  
 
Health & Her offers a first-of-its-kind approach to tackling female health changes, with holistic advice encompassing a range of management approaches as well as access to a digital symptom tool intended to help women access expert advice and products tailored to their needs.  
 
When the day-to-day becomes challenging, it can be a huge relief for women to join the dots and understand the connection to their fluctuating hormones, so they can seek out management solutions that will work for them. 
 
World Perimenopause Day has been created to educate and inform women – to help them take control of their health in a supported way.  

At  healthandher.com, women can find free and trusted expert advice on perimenopause and menopause, as well as tried and tested products designed to ease symptoms. 
For the month of October, 10 per cent of all sales will be donated to Wellbeing of Women – a UK charity dedicated to improving the health of women by funding medical research into reproductive and gynaecological health.  
 
AWARENESS: World Premenopause Day will become an annual fixture. 

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