Perimenopause Information

Supporting women going through all stages
of perimenopause and onwards.

What is the Main Culprit?

The changes you’re experiencing during perimenopause are mainly due to hormonal fluctuations. This means that oestrogen levels can swing wildly while progesterone levels drop significantly.

The Real Problem Isn’t “Low Hormones”  — It’s Hormone Chaos

In perimenopause, your ovaries don’t switch off neatly. Instead, they become erratic. This leads to:

  • Oestrogen surging high one month, crashing low the next

  • Progesterone steadily dropping due to irregular ovulation

  • Brain chemistry being affected (serotonin, dopamine, cortisol)

This hormonal rollercoaster is what causes most perimenopause symptoms — not a simple “hormone deficiency”.

Why This Causes So Many Symptoms

Because oestrogen and progesterone affect almost every system in your body, this instability can trigger:

  • Anxiety & panic attacks

  • Low mood & sudden rage

  • Brain fog & memory problems

  • Insomnia

  • Palpitations

  • Hot flushes & night sweats

  • Weight gain (especially around the middle)

  • Joint pain

  • Breast tenderness

  • Heavy or irregular periods

  • Fatigue & burnout feelings

Many women feel like they’re “losing their mind” — when in reality, it’s their nervous system reacting to hormone swings.

 In Simple Terms:

  • Progesterone = calming hormone → drops first

  • Oestrogen = stimulating hormone → becomes erratic

  • Result = an overstimulated, unsettled nervous system

That’s why perimenopause often feels worse than menopause itself.

Why Some Women Are Hit Much Harder Than Others

There is no single “type” of woman who struggles in perimenopause. However, certain factors make symptoms more intense and more disruptive.

Some women are simply more sensitive to hormone fluctuation. It’s not how high or low your hormones measure — it’s how strongly your brain and nervous system react to the change. This is why:

  • Blood tests often look “normal”

  • Yet symptoms can be severe

  • Doctors may wrongly dismiss women as “okay”

Anxiety, Depression & Mental Health

This is one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed areas of women’s health.

Oestrogen = Brain Chemistry Control

Oestrogen directly regulates:

  • Serotonin (mood stability)

  • Dopamine (motivation & pleasure)

  • GABA (calmness)

  • Cortisol (stress hormone)

When oestrogen swings violently (which it does in perimenopause), the brain can no longer regulate these chemicals properly.

Why Anxiety Often Comes First

Progesterone is your natural calming, sedating hormone. It:

  • Supports sleep

  • Reduces anxiety

  • Keeps the nervous system settled

During this time ovulation becomes irregular → progesterone drops → anxiety skyrockets.

This is why many women experience:

  • Panic attacks

  • Night-time anxiety

  • Health anxiety

  • Sudden irrational fear

  • A constant “wired but exhausted” feeling

Even women who were calm their entire lives.

Clear Takeaway

  • The main culprit = hormonal instability

  • The hardest hit women = those with hormone sensitivity, stress overload, mental health history, nutrient depletion, or medical conditions

  • Mental health symptoms = often hormonally driven, not psychologically created

  • Supplements = support

  • HRT = treats the root cause