Why do some women fail to recognize they’re in perimenopause even while experiencing significant symptoms?

Many women fail to recognize they’re in perimenopause—even when experiencing significant symptoms—because perimenopause is highly individual and its symptoms can be confusing, unpredictable, and often overlap with other life changes. Here at Alloy, we see that:

Symptoms are diverse and can mimic other conditions. Hot flashes, sleep problems, mood swings, weight gain, and brain fog can be mistaken for stress, aging, or other health issues.
Hormonal fluctuations are irregular, so symptoms may come and go, making it hard to connect them to perimenopause.
Life in your 40s and 50s is often busy and stressful, so women may not tune into their own bodies as closely, attributing symptoms to external factors rather than hormonal changes.
There’s a lack of education and conversation about perimenopause, so many women simply don’t know what to expect or what the signs are.

As Anne Fulenwider, Alloy’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, puts it: “Each of us experiences a unique cocktail of symptoms, so it’s hard to recognize perimenopause. And it occurs at a time of life that’s often busy and stressful, and because we manage everyone else’s lives, we only tune into our own bodies sporadically.”

If you’re curious about perimenopause symptoms or want to learn more, check out our comprehensive resources and articles:

If you’re experiencing symptoms and want support, Alloy offers personalized treatment plans and a range of solutions for symptom relief. You can start your journey with a perimenopause support consult or explore our product solutions.

You’re not alone, and relief is possible!

This answer was created using the following resources: