Millennials, could it be perimenopause? Dealing with the Overlooked Stage of Life – National

Waking up in a sweat, having irregular periods and forgetting your friend’s name during a conversation: does this sound familiar? For many millennials, these are not just signs of a hectic life, but the early symptoms of perimenopause.

Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, can begin as early as the late thirties and last up to ten years. Yet many people are unaware that they are experiencing the symptoms, often attributing them to stress, a busy lifestyle or simply getting older.

Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, may not think they are old enough for menopause symptoms, but many are already at an age where early signs of perimenopause can appear.

“I call it ‘millenial pause,’” said Dr. Judith Joseph, a physician and board-certified psychiatrist based in New York City, speaking to Global News ahead of World Menopause Day, which takes place on Friday.

Joseph, who is a millennial himself, explained that this generation has much more information at their fingertips about perimenopause and menopause than generations before them, destigmatizing the topic and promoting open conversations.

“We are the information age, so we want to learn things. We don’t trust people to save us,” she said. “That’s why I think we’re set up for a better outcome than previous generations, because we just have so much information and we have a culture of curiosity.”

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While she believes millennials will be more open to discussing the symptoms and effects of perimenopause, Joseph still considers it a largely underdiagnosed stage of life.

Menopause is officially diagnosed after a person has gone a full year without a period, usually around the average age of 51, according to the Menopause Foundation of Canada. Still, the journey to that milestone—also called perimenopause—brings unexpected emotional and physical challenges that many people may not anticipate.

During this phase, estrogen levels begin to drop, ovulation begins to decrease and periods become irregular, according to the Menopause Foundation of Canada.

And it’s different from the hormonal changes people feel during their periods, Joseph said.

“You’ll experience hormonal fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone that are much more intense and much more extensive and unpredictable compared to, say, your period,” she explained.

“It’s different because leading up to the point where you have your last period and you’re no longer ovulating, those fluctuations are much more intense and can lead to the symptoms of perimenopause.”

Tracy Gomes, 54, always had irregular and heavy periods. In her 40s, when the bleeding worsened, the Toronto resident consulted her doctor, who told her she had amenia, caused by iron deficiency due to excessive blood loss.

But she and her doctor didn’t know what was causing the heavy blood loss.

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“I thought it was fibroids so I went back and forth to my doctor. So I had ultrasounds and all these tests to see what it was, and I also went to an oncologist for a while,” she told Global News.

However, the difficult periods continued. It wasn’t until Gomes reached her fifties and entered menopause that she realized that her previous symptoms, including the heavy bleeding, had been clear signs of perimenopause.

“I went to the Menopause Foundation of Canada website and there was a page about the symptoms of menopause and the symptoms of perimenopause,” she said, adding that once she read that heavy periods were a symptom, realized she was.

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She was happy that she had finally found her answer, but was still angry that her doctor and all the specialists had never previously been able to identify the underlying cause of her symptoms.

This is not unusual, Joseph explained, as many doctors may not be familiar with perimenopause and often attribute the symptoms to other conditions, such as burnout, depression or autoimmune diseases.

“When I was in medical school, I didn’t know…. I thought menopause happens when you’re 50. No one told us about perimenopause. This is relatively new for many healthcare professionals,” she says.

Symptoms of perimenopause may vary, but often includes:

• Irregular periods, such as changes in the length, frequency, or cycle of the menstrual cycle.
• Hot flashes and night sweats.
• Urinating more often.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety or sleep problems.
• Brain fog and forgetfulness.
• Weight gain or slowed metabolism, especially around the abdomen.
• Vaginal dryness.
• Change in sexual desire.

It’s important to keep track of these symptoms and discuss them with your healthcare provider, Joseph advised, to avoid being misdiagnosed and given unnecessary medications.

Several factors can cause some women to show signs of perimenopause earlier than others, Joseph explained.

These factors can include genetics, lifestyle choices such as smoking, diet and exercise, as well as certain medical conditions or treatments, such as autoimmune diseases.

Race and ethnicity can also play a role.

“Depending on race, background and genetics, Black and Indigenous women tend to experience perimenopause and menopause earlier, longer and with more severe symptoms,” Joseph said.

Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, regular exercise – such as strength training, limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding smoking are crucial not only for preventing perimenopausal symptoms but also for relieving discomfort, Joseph said.

“Now I really limit my alcohol consumption, I eat tons of protein and as far as working out, I’m lifting weights,” she said.

“Eating foods that are not processed or high in sugar will reduce inflammation in your body. And reducing inflammation helps with joint pain, it helps with brain fog, it helps with sleep. These lifestyle hacks are really important.”

She also mentioned that other more natural, effective methods of managing symptoms include meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy.

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There are also hormonal specialists you can discuss with to see if medications are a good fit for you, Joseph said.

This includes hormone therapy using estrogen or estrogen and progestins to level hormones and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“It depends, because when you see a hormone specialist, they might say hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills,” Joseph said, adding that because of all the different treatment options, it’s important for someone to know you and understand your unique biochemistry so she can recommend the best treatment offer.