Does perimenopause cause irregular periods?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 47 and have been experiencing some changes that are affecting my daily life. My periods have become irregular; sometimes they are shorter than usual, and I skip months altogether. I have also been dealing with intense mood swings that are hard to control. On top of that, I have noticed some weight gain despite losing my appetite.

Could these symptoms be related to perimenopause?
How can I tell if this is just perimenopause or if there might be other health issues involved, and is this affecting my mental health?

I am always cranky and fussy with my family, and they are not happy about it.

What kind of tests or evaluations should I ask my doctor for?
And if it is perimenopause, what are my options for managing these symptoms, particularly the mood swings and weight changes?

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure about what to expect in the coming years.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Most women go into menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Before the actual menopause (the period completely stops), the hormones that control the period become erratic, causing irregularities in the period in both quantity and days, mood swings, and weight gain, amongst others. So, the symptoms you listed above are perimenopausal symptoms indicating you are in your perimenopausal period.

Perimenopause is a diagnosis of exclusion, as even a hormonal profile is sometimes not helpful in the diagnosis. The female hormones are erratic and may occasionally be normal, high, or low, so doing a hormonal profile may occasionally reveal a normal result (this does not rule out the diagnosis of a peri-menopause period). So, you can do a complete blood workup and a hormonal profile, which may be helpful in the diagnosis.

At this stage, the appropriate option for management is to start low-dose exogenous hormones to augment your endogenous ones. Classically, we start women on combined oral contraceptive pills, provided she does not have any contraindications. So, this is the next most appropriate step for you to do to stop the symptoms you are presently experiencing and improve the quality of your life. You would need to come to the hospital for evaluation before the commencement of the pills.

You would be okay, as peri-menopause is very manageable.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.