What is happening
Perimenopause is the stretch before periods stop, when hormone levels swing rather than simply fall. That swinging is why symptoms come and go, and why they can be hard to connect to one cause.
What people notice
Changes to periods, hot flushes, broken sleep, joint aches, low mood, anxiety, brain fog and changes to libido. Not everyone gets all of them, and the ones people find hardest are often not the ones they expected.
What can be done
There are several options, including hormone replacement, non-hormonal medication and changes to sleep and exercise. Which is right depends on your symptoms, your history and what matters to you — which is a conversation, not a leaflet.
Speak to someone if
- You have bleeding after your periods have stopped
- Bleeding is much heavier than usual or between periods
- Low mood is affecting your daily life
General information only. It is not medical advice, it cannot account for your history, and it does not replace being seen by someone who can examine you. If you are worried, that is reason enough to ring us.