Perimenopause is the sort of gift you never really wanted but you can’t take back because you lost the receipt. It’s like the last hoorah of your fertility as it slowly makes its way out of the door, but it overstays its welcome and has to mess stuff up on the way out so that you’re stuck cleaning up like the responsible adult you are.
Many people are familiar with the term menopause and equate that to symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. But menopause is actually just the term for not having a menstrual cycle in 12 months or longer. Perimenopause is the time before the year-long absence of a menstrual period, and it can last a pretty long time, as much as four to eight years for some people.
But like a lot of things that involve women’s reproductive health, it’s under-researched, so even doctors may scratch their heads at some of the symptoms.
A comprehensive list of symptoms can be helpful even if some may still constitute a trip to the doctor to check for other causes, because chances are, if you’re nearing 40, perimenopause symptoms are knocking loudly. Thankfully, YouTube creator Kari Anne Wright has compiled a visual list to help you feel a little less alone on this wild ride.
Everyone knows the most talked about symptoms such as hot flashes or vertigo, but Wright takes the time to list things people may not know. Heart palpitations, hair loss, joint pain and forgetfulness are all symptoms of perimenopause. But so are things like foot cramps, itchy ears, weight gain and cold flashes. Yeah, you can just randomly become freezing cold and nothing works to warm you up.
Honestly, the list of symptoms for perimenopause is so long that it feels like the only things not listed are breathing and spontaneous combustion. But having a list and knowing you’re not alone may be just the thing you need to survive this inevitable part of life, so hurry and watch the video below. Save it to your favorites for when you have a moment of wondering, “Is this perimenopause or am I losing it?”