Not feeling like yourself?
What is perimenopause?
At some point in your 40s, you'll probably start to notice some changes. You may see obvious changes in your menstrual cycle, or not-so-obvious changes like mood swings or sleep issues.
Welcome to perimenopause! Perimenopause is the gradual transition from your reproductive years into menopause. It can last anywhere from a few months up to ten years. Your estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate wildly, and you may start to feel symptoms associated with shifting hormone levels.
Things are changing. You deserve answers.
Entering perimenopause is confusing. There's no official start, and limitless combinations of symptoms and changes you may experience. It's an inevitable process, and it can be overwhelming, but you don't have to suffer.\n\nIf you're experiencing symptoms, we can help. Our menopause-trained doctors can help you find a treatment plan that works for you.
The cruel joke of perimenopause is multilayered and complex. First of all, each one of us will experience our own unique cocktail of the roughly 34 symptoms of menopause, so there is no immediate way to recognize it. Secondly, it occurs at a time of life that is often busy and stressful, and because we manage everyone else’s lives, we only tune into our own bodies sporadically.
Anne Fulenwider
Co-founder & Co-CEO of Alloy
Perimenopause & menopause-specialized doctors
Ongoing care and education
Medicine delivered to your door
Free shipping
Perimenopause is treatable
95% of Alloy customers feel symptom relief in 2 weeks or less*
*Survey of Alloy customers on hormonal treatment
What our customers are saying:
Frequently asked questions
- What is perimenopause?+
The Menopause Society says perimenopause is “the gradual transition between the reproductive years and menopause (the cessation of menstrual periods)”
Basically, it’s a time when your hormones are fluctuating, and you’re still getting your period, but you also may be having symptoms of menopause. The most common symptoms of perimenopause are changes to your menstrual cycle, mood swings, anxiety and depression, weight changes, and sleep disruptions.
- What does it mean?+
It means menopause is coming…you won’t know exactly when (the length of perimenopause varies from person to person, and it can last up to 10 years!), but it’s coming.
- What’s happening with my hormones?+
They’re all over the place. Truly. They’re up and they’re down, and it can be erratic.
- What are the main symptoms of perimenopause?+
Common symptoms of perimenopause include mood swings, anxiety/depression, sleep issues, weight changes, and unruly periods (heavy, painful, irregular). Incidentally, other than period changes, these are also symptoms of simply being alive, which is one of the reasons it’s so hard to tell when it’s happening!
Perimenopause symptoms vary from person to person, and your experience won’t look the same as your friend’s, or your sister’s, or even your mom’s. You may not even be able to pinpoint your exact symptoms–sometimes it’s just a feeling that something is off, or you’re not quite yourself. Consulting with a menopause-trained doctor is a great first step in figuring out what’s going on.
- What can I do about it?+
The first thing you can do is recognize it, which isn’t easy, since there is no precise start time and the symptoms can be so varied. And, know you’re not alone! The second thing you can do is get help from a menopause-trained doctor. You don’t have to feel crappy–there are safe, effective treatments available to help you!
- How do I treat perimenopause?+
For most women, a low-dose birth control pill is the best treatment for perimenopause. Birth control pills contain estrogen and progesterone, which will help even out your hormone levels and alleviate symptoms. It will also regulate your cycle, help with those painful, heavy periods, and provide contraception, which, yes, you still need! Ask us about how younger siblings are made.
Alloy offers multiple low-dose birth control options, and, for some, Menopausal Hormone Therapy. Your menopause specialist will help you figure out the best treatment plan for you.