Here are 5 common perimenopause symptoms that can make you feel like you’re 13 all over again. Well by Messer’s Dr. Alyssa Dweck helps you sort through some of the most common symptoms below:
1. Wild and wonky periods
Perimenopause, the 2 to 10 years preceding menopause, is a time of hormonal chaos so erratic menstrual cycles are a super common. Ovulation occurs irregularly and less frequently often resulting in irregular, skipped and frankly wonky menstrual habits. Volatile levels of estrogen and progesterone result.
2. Irritability and major moodiness
Irritability, intolerance, impatience and mood swings are incredibly common symptoms during perimenopause. Whereas PMS moodiness might have been predictable and regularly occurring just prior to menstruation, the erratic and often skipped menses during perimenopause, provide little to no warning. These symptoms often occur with no rhyme or reason and take women by surprise…like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!
3. Libido… Soaring and sinking and soaring again
Testosterone is an androgen (male hormone) made in the ovaries and although production naturally declines with age starting in one’s 20s, the relative ratio of testosterone to estrogen can be high during perimenopause. Estrogen is often super volatile during the perimenopausal years. Both libido (sexual drive) and arousal (vaginal lubrication) due to rich vaginal blood flow can ebb and flow with hormone swings. Life events both personal and professional often experienced during peri, are also incredibly influential to sexual function.
4. Acne again?
Is acne appearing as if you are a teenager all over again? Blame your hormones! Testosterone is responsible for oily skin and clogged pores, amongst other roles. Estrogen is anti-inflammatory and promotes skin moisture. Imbalances in these hormones during perimenopause are often at the root of perimenopausal acne. Add a few stray course chin hairs and one may feel puberty is emerging all over again.
5. What? I still need birth control…
While ovulation becomes irregular and less frequent during the menopause transition, it can still occur until menopause, defined as 12 consecutive months with menses after age 40. As such, contraception, hormonal or otherwise, is still suggested to prevent pregnancy if needed.
Dr. Alyssa Dweck is a practicing board certified obstetrician/gynecologist at Well by Messer. She is a certified menopause provider with special expertise in female sexual health and human nutrition. She serves as Chief Medical Officer at Bonafide Health, a company which provides non-drug solutions for woman traversing natural life stages the menopause transition.
Dr. Dweck is committed to providing exemplary care for her patients, focusing on gynecology, menopause and sexual health. She practices at both the NYC and the Greenwich offices of Well by Messer and truly loves bringing her expertise to this area.
