The 7 Surprising Symptoms of Perimenopause

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Welcome to the Thriving Women Project Podcast, hosted by myself, Wendy Griffith. This is the podcast for women who want to level up and thrive in all areas of your life, health, and business. Join us as we cover a range of topics all inspiring you to thrive and not just survive. We are here to work on the project of you because I believe the best gift you can give your family in the world is a healthy and thriving you. It's time to thrive. Hello, lovely thriver and welcome to episode seven of the Thriving Women Project Podcast. So in today's subject matter, I want to get stuck in to the topic of the surprising symptoms of perimenopause. So earlier in the season on episode two, we spoke about the signs, the typical signs, tools, hacks, tips for perimenopause. But I also recognize that this journey isn't the same for everyone.

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Everyone's going to have different symptoms, and some women will actually experience a lot of symptoms that perhaps are lesser known. And so they might not actually realize that perimenopause is something that they may be struggling with or could be the factors as to why they may be feeling different in themselves, their mindset, their health, their body, whatever the case is. So that's really what we're going to talk about in today's episode. And I also have a very exciting resource that I've created for you that I'm going to share with you later on in the episode. Let's get stuck in to the seven surprising symptoms of perimenopause that you might not know about. Some of these things that, again, I hadn't even thought about because it's not necessarily been on my personal journey so far, but things like ringing in your ears or weird bruises on your leg, even without smacking it on the coffee table, a nu tract infection again, that leads to yet another prescription for antibiotics.

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These are all secret symptoms of perimenopause, and you might find you have them along with more common symptoms of hot flashes and irregular periods or as your only symptoms. And this is the key thing is that we are all so unique and different and our experience is going to be widely different from the next woman. So that's why we can't go on what Betty Boo next door says about what she's experiencing. We have to really advocate for ourselves and really understand and know what is going on with our bodies. But no matter how many symptoms you have, once you understand a little better what is going on with your body, you can relax a bit and also give it the little extra hormonal help that it might need. So let's take a look at some of the surprising signs that you may be perimenopausal that you didn't know about.

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I certainly didn't know about this until I started delving further into the topic and doing my menopause wellness practitioner training, which I'm very excited to announce that I'm now qualified as a wellness practitioner in menopause. So I am just delighted and I learned so much throughout my training and I'm just so excited to bring this knowledge to you on this podcast. So the first surprising symptom ringing in your ears. So your ears might be ringing or maybe it's more like a swishing sound in the ears in a pulsating rhythm. And the sound may also be humming buzzing, or like waves crashing. So a certain form of tinnitus, also known as ringing of the ears, it's more likely for women in menopause and research shows a woman's hearing can be temporarily affected when progesterone levels are high during the latter portion of your monthly cycles. So that might be something that has been happening more and more to you that you think this is weird, what's going on could be a sign for you.

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Another one, surprising symptom number two is heart palpitations. So heart palpitations can be an early symptom of perimenopause caused by increasing follicle stimulating hormone. The FSH as your body tries to stimulate ovulation. So you may feel hot flushes or anxiety along with them or not. But when it comes to an irregular heartbeat, I really recommend that you talk with your healthcare provider, speak to your doctor to make sure there's no other reason you're experiencing it. Because as we're going to talk about later in the podcast, you might be one of the one in 100 women that is experiencing premature menopause. And if so, your risk of cardiovascular disease with the decreasing estrogen in your body is so much higher than a woman going through her typical perimenopause journey. So this is something that you need to be aware of. Number three, tingling in the extremities.

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So getting all the nutrients we need is harder in menopause, and some of the nutrient deficiencies can lead to specific symptoms. So take vitamin B12 for example, without enough of it, you might feel tingling or numbness in your hands and feet the same way you feel as if they're going to sleep or you've been sitting on them, which I do quite regularly. Although B12 deficiency is quite common, testing for it can be tricky. So blood B12 levels are sometimes normal despite being deficient within your cells. Brilliant, just to help us even more as women and as a result it can go undiagnosed. So here's something else that might surprise you. You may be accidentally increasing your risk for low B12 levels by taking regular antacids. So since digestive difficulties can often increase in perimenopause or menopause, many women start relying on an acids to calm their gas, their bloating or their heartburn.

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Unfortunately in this case, trying to find relief for one symptom can create another, but luckily there are lots of natural options out there to help reduce digestive difficulties. And something you guys probably realize already, I'm a huge fan of looking after your gut health and what that looks like in terms of having a pre and probiotic in your daily regime. And that's something I do actually take. I have my morning's daily green drink where it has a collagen supplement, it has my pre and probiotic digestive enzymes in. It also has a hit of green. So I've get that variety of fruits and vegetables, and sometimes I'll actually also put a B12 supplement in there with it just to really boost that and make sure my B12 levels stay up. That's the other thing that helps us with energy. When you're feeling low, when you're flagging B12, that is the winner.

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So number four, clumsiness and bruising easily. So you may be understandably blame any new or noticeable lack of coordination on not getting enough sleep or brain frog, which don't get me wrong, are better known menopause symptoms. But clumsiness like bumping into things, needing to avoid anything breakable tripping and loss of balance is also its very own symptom. So you may have noticed this as part of your PMS, but it can also appear for the first time as part of perimenopause. Yeah, yes, increased cu clumsiness can make bruising. Another common symptom of perimenopause occur even more so you may even bruise so easily that you don't remember how the bruises got there. And this can result from changes in hormones or from differences in the amount of nutrients you're getting in your diet. So that's just something that you might not be aware of to look out for.

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Number five, dry mouth and dry eyes. So the changes to your estrogen levels can cause dry mucus membranes in general, including in your mouth and eyes. When you first experience dry mouth, you may think that you may just need to up your water intake, which most of us indeed should be doing, but when dry mouth is related to perimenopause, even drinking the eight glasses of water a day that is recommended might not seem to help. And if you're suffering from dry eyes, your eyes, Mel, feel itchy, scratchy, increasingly tired during the day or extra sensitive. So a lot of screen time makes this worse. Obviously, since while staring at the screen, we forget to blink, which is what moistens the eyes. So a little tip for this is to actually try a pair of blue light glasses, which actually blocks that light from your screens, which may just help alleviate some of those symptoms for you.

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Number six, gum and teeth problems. So issues with your gums and teeth can really take off as menopause approaches. So one possible cause, especially of receding gums is increased low grade inflammation in the body in menopause. So another common cause is declining levels of estrogen, which compromise your bone density in general, including the bone in your jaw surrounding the teeth. And I actually had this recently, I went for a hygienist and a dental checkup and she actually said I did have a little bit of suppression in the lower jaw, but she said, nothing to worry about. But that is just naturally going to be a case of my age and as I'm on my perimenopause journey because of that bone density decreasing. So it's just something to be aware of. Make sure that you're taking your calcium vitamin D support. I take a supplement every night which has got magnesium vitamin D in it, which again is really going to help all round with your bone health.

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Number seven, and I know this is something that a lot of people struggle with is urinary issues. So a lot of people might have problems with urinary incontinence, so maybe when they laugh or sneeze, and I know this can be really frustrating, I mean of all the things that we have to deal with as women now, we just have to wet up hands every time that we attempt to laugh. And this can be a really horrible sign that perimenopause menopause is on the way, but also it's something to consider. And I didn't completely understand estrogen's beneficial effect on urinary tract issues, but it's actually quite dramatic. So just as lower estrogen levels cause vaginal dryness, your urinary tissues including the sphincter can become thin and more sensitive. So the bladder becomes much more susceptible to infections. And because everything happens on a continuum, you may find yourself feeling uncomfortable even if you haven't been diagnosed with nu tract infection.

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And changes in your sphincter can lead to more incontinence as well as a loosening of internal structures such as the ligaments that hold up the uterus, especially if you've had children. Again, brilliant as women, we have all the fun things to deal with. So those are maybe some things that you hadn't perhaps thought about, maybe what we've talked about in previous episodes. You've thought, no, I don't have the hot flushes, I don't have this, I don't have that. But maybe some of these you're thinking, actually, this is something that might be me. And that's why I really wanted to do this episode today because I was just so flabbergasted when I read these and thought, huh, who knew? Knew all the extra fun surprising symptoms that perimenopause would bring. So I hope these have really helped you today, just educate you a little bit more.

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Not to scare you, but just to be empowered and to know that what you're going through isn't your fault, but it's your body's natural journey. And then what you can do is take those steps to actually support it. And on that note, I'm really excited to share with you that I have created your ultimate perimenopause guide with all my tools, tips, hacks, holistic living, HRT, all the things, diet, lifestyle, nutrition hacks, all the things that are going to help you to thrive on your perimenopause journey. So do straight after listening to this, go to the link in the show notes, grab your free guide, get that tool, arm yourself with the resources. And what I've aimed to do with that guide is really consolidate down all the information that's out there from my course, from the books I've read, all the things, and actually just distilled it into a very simple few pages that will give you the high level of what you need to thrive during perimenopause so that you don't have to feel overwhelmed.

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Obviously there's things there that you think I need to delve into this more. I need to learn more about this. Absolutely. You can go away, you can do the research, you can Google, get the books, all the things. But really this is just designed to be a holistic guide to really help you give you all the essential information that you need to thrive on your perimenopause journey. So I'm really excited to share that with you and I hope that will be super, super helpful for you. So in the next part of this podcast episode, I'm really excited to interview somebody for you, which I really think is going to help you just sort of expand your knowledge and awareness of, again, something that you may not have considered for yourself.

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So welcome back to part two of this episode, all about perimenopause and I'm so excited, but equally humbled to have my incredible friend, Lisa, who is going to come on and share a little bit more about her personal journey and experience of premature menopause because the statistics around this blew my mind when I realized that one in 100 women will go into menopause before the age of 40. So Lisa, thank you so much for joining us today. And just tell me a little bit more about where you were, how old were you, what started to happen? What was your journey to discovering that you were in fact in premature menopause?

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Okay, so thank you so much for letting me, asking me to come on with the podcast. So I was 38, so six years ago, and I had started to suffer from quite intense hot flashes over a period of months, just this overwhelming heat that rose from my chest just upwards and just basically just stopped me at my tracks. So I went to the doctor and because of my age, they wanted to obviously rule out anything like sinister, thyroid issues, anything that just to give an indication of what was causing these hot flushes. So I did have some blood tests, which I know isn't routine, but because of my age and I was under 40, they just wanted to get a marker of in my blood some what was happening. So I had the blood tests, which indicated that my hormone levels were menopausal, ruled out anything else, thyroid, anything else.

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That was all okay. And that was kind of the start of my journey. What I would say is that I felt very unprepared. That was the last thing that I expected the doctor to say. I was under 40. I didn't think menopause was on my radar until I was my early fifties and kind of all I knew about menopause was hot flashes and being given an antidepressants, that was my only kind of experience of living at home with my parents. That's what happened to my mom. We didn't talk about menopause, but I knew that she had gone through a period to use some antidepressants. So just going back, and it does seem like a long time ago, but it's gone really quickly. I educated myself so so quickly about what was happening because I was completely clueless about HRT, what was going to happen to my body, how I needed to sleep my

:: 15:17

Where things were six years ago, people just didn't know what they know now. And hopefully in six more years time, that will have changed as well. Just a couple of things there though that really struck me when you said, so they did the blood test, they wanted to rule out sort of other issues. That's so interesting that and I suppose makes sense that they were worried about thyroid issues or things like that and took your blood tests. I know that can often be a bit of a dicey wine as an indicator for menopausal because you're sort of taking it at that point, and unless your hormone levels have dipped specifically or there's your cycle factors as well, it's quite a difficult one, but great that in a way for you, that those blood tests came back and showed so that you could actually get the help and support that you deserve. So tell me, what did that help and support look like though from the doctors?

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So because of my age, and obviously having that reduction in estrogen, which is just so important for your heart, your bones, your brain, I was advised to go onto HRT because it wasn't, menopause is a natural process and I'm at an age where it wasn't natural for my body to have these decreased levels of estrogen

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Because those do link, especially in early menopause women to cardiovascular disease and issues later on if you are below 40.

:: 16:53

Yeah, so I started on HRT and I think looking back, I just had to trust the doctor. I didn't have any kind of knowledge myself, any kind of what else I should be doing because I didn't know anything else. And that has been a bumpy ride, and menopause is so unique to everyone. We're not going to experience the same symptoms, the same fluctuations in those hormones. And I now feel in a place that actually I can listen to my body a bit more than I did initially because I just didn't know what I should do, what I shouldn't do, how I could help what

:: 17:44

Suddenly having all these drugs thrusted you and having to take things. But I know what I've always been really inspired by you and your social media content, which I'm going to link to in the show notes because you absolutely have to go and follow Lisa's account. It's all designed to support women like her in that premature menopause, but how much you've embraced a holistic lifestyle. So tell me a little bit more about what that's looked like for you.

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Okay, so for me, being told you're in menopause, my mind went straight to what is the impact of what I'm doing now, going to have in 5, 10, 15, 20 years time, I had a family, my children were approaching, their teens at the time, we're quite active. I want to live as long as possible. And for me, I didn't see taking HRT as this manic fix. What other things could I do? I'm a runner. I've run since my early thirties and that's been a massive therapy for me in menopause. It's headspace. I needed to take care of me better. I was always on the bottom of my priority list and I've moved myself higher up that I need to be the best me for my husband, my children, my friends, my parents, and for me, it's been very much about how I can look at what I eat, look at what I drink. I don't drink a massive amount of alcohol. I don't smoke. We changed some of our meals, so I'm cooking a lot from things from scratch. I started taking some supplements to boost my health. I wanted to take care of my body and wanted to be as healthy as I could be.

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That's amazing. And I just think such an important message because obviously HLT is an amazing thing and I definitely when the time comes, we'll be all on that bandwagon. But I do think the holistic approach, and certainly for me being 41, moving into that stage, seeing my body change, knowing that I'm on that journey, which can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years before actual data menopause, or in your case you've already reached that date. But for me it's thinking, right, how can I best prepare my body? What type of change up in exercises, diet, lifestyle, prioritizing, sleep, self-care, all those sort of things. So that's hugely inspiring to hear. And so I mean, this has really just gone on to be almost a complete career change for you because now you are actually a coach helping women in premature menopause. And I know that you've got some fantastic resources and you've got a really fantastic guide, which I love, which I'm going to link to in the show notes for the listeners to get, especially if you think this could be where you are in your journey right now and just really supporting women.

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I know you've gone on to study further. So tell us a little bit more about Lisa 2.0 post menopause, the journey you've been on.

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I'm just so excited because when menopause entered my life, you do have that. Why me? Why now? What have I done wrong? Have I bought this on? And after that initial shock of what was happening, I'm such a firm believer of things happening for a reason. I want to be able to help people because I felt so alone, so isolated, and really silenced because I just didn't know what to do, who to talk to, where to go, what to believe, what to not believe. Menopause is so individual for that person. There isn't a one fix for everything. It isn't just this massive checklist. You just do that and you'll be good. It's just opened so many different avenues. I've been involved in the menopause network at work. I've been working with a couple of charities and it's just made me give me back that passion for

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Life. I know for you, completing a nutrition diploma, you doing your menopause wellness practitioner training, you're doing so many things and I can just see your face and joy light up. So you've actually taken something that can be perceived as quite a negative by a lot of people, and you've really turned it and embraced it into a positive. So this is why I wanted the listeners to hear from you today. I want you to know that if this is you, if premature menopause is something that you're experiencing, you are not alone. There are so many fantastic people like Lisa out there who are ready and willing to support you. And very exciting. I know hopefully we'll hear very imminently, but you've just been interviewed by the Times and for an article all about premature menopause. So when that comes out, you'll know someone famous, you can hit Lisa up for some autographs or shout out, which is fantastic and you absolutely deserve.

:: 23:06

And I've just seen how you've grown as a person, even just over these few months we've worked together and just shining and just being such a beacon for the community. So thank you so much and thank you for coming on and sharing more about your story today. I know that will inspire so many people. So yeah, I hope this episode today has really helped you just to sort of encapsulate a little bit more about maybe some of the lesser known things about menopause. Because I know something we were talking about earlier, Lisa, is how, for example, with the estrogen reduction with premature menopause, that dramatically increases your cardiovascular health risks. And so it's all these little things that you maybe don't know about, haven't thought to factor, you don't know the questions to ask. This is really why I wanted to put this episode together today, just to delve a little bit more into this stage, whether you are menopausal already, whether you are perimenopausal, and just want to remind you to go ahead and get that perimenopause guide that I've created for you.

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Really just summarizing what to look out for, some of the lesser known things to look out for and some top tips to help you from an HRT, but also from a holistic living perspective. And then certainly if you're someone who is definitely menopausal, you've hit menopause, then definitely go over and check out Lisa's content, her guide, all her resources to help you on that journey. So thank you so much and I look forward to speaking to you on the next episode. Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me for today's episode. If you've got value from this, please won't you take two seconds to take a screenshot and share APIC of this episode on your socials extra points. If you'd like to rate and review this podcast on your preferred platform so that we can share the love with more women wanting to thrive in their lives, do be sure to visit my website, wendy griffith.co uk to get all my free resources to support you on your thriving journey. Until next time, God bless, take care of yourself and keep thriving.