Where are you on your Menopause Journey?

Menopause is a journey moving through the stages of peri-menopause, menopause and post- menopause.

The way to determine where you are on your menopause journey is by tracking menstrual cycle patterns and symptoms. Age is also a factor, and most women will become naturally menopausal between the ages of 45 and 55 years (1). The symptoms of menopause are experienced in the peri-menopause stage 2-10 years before the last menstrual period. Symptoms are caused by fluctuations in the sex hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Around 80% of women will experience symptoms during peri-menopause and they are likely to change as you move from the early to the advanced stages. Twelve months after your last menstrual period (menopause) you become post-menopausal, your sex hormones will return to pre-puberty levels and symptoms will subside (1).

If you notice irregular periods or changes in flow, this can be an indicator that menopause is underway (1). Changes in menstrual cycle patterns are experienced by women not on birth control. In early peri-menopause you may experience irregular or changeable cycles with at least a 7-day variation between each period. In the later stage of peri-menopause, the menstrual cycle is longer than 60 days, with two or more missed periods until menopause is complete (2). It can be useful to track your menstrual cycle with a journal, using your fitness app or one of the menstrual cycle apps available.

One of our favourite apps is Balance by Newson Health which you can use for free or pay extra for Balance+. When tracking your menstrual cycle, useful information to log can include start date, duration, flow heaviness and any mid-cycle spotting. If you experience heavy or more frequent periods or are concerned by any changes in your menstrual cycle, you should visit your GP.

Alongside changes in menstrual cycle, most women will experience a range of symptoms and body changes (3). Looking at the list of symptoms can be overwhelming, but it’s important to note you won’t have all of these. Each woman is unique and so is her menopause journey. Symptoms may also come and go due to fluctuating hormone levels, and this can create a feeling of uncertainty about what to do to manage or cope with the situation.

The list below shows some of the more common symptoms:

• Hot flushes and night sweats
• Brain fog, lack of concentration, memory issues
• Mood changes – depression, anxiety, panic attacks, anger, rage
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Insomnia and sleep issues
• Joint pain, onset osteoarthritis
• Muscle aches, loss of muscle (sarcopenia.)
• Headaches, migraines
• Eyesight changes, dry eyes
• Weight gain, redistribution of weight to trunk and waist
• IBS, bloating, constipation
• Vaginal dryness, pain during sex
• Loss of libido
• Recurrent UTI’s, overactive bladder, incontinence
• Breast pain
• Dry skin, acne, itching crawling skin
• Racing heart, palpitations

As with your menstrual cycle, it can be useful to track peri-menopause symptoms. To assist you with this we have created a downloadable symptom tracker. This information can help you identify any patterns or triggers to symptoms and be a useful reference if you are planning on a visit to your GP.

You may have seen menopause testing kits available online and through alternative health practitioners. These tests collect urine, blood, and saliva to measure levels of Follicle Secreting Hormone (FSH) and sometimes Estradiol (a form of oestrogen) and luteinising hormone (LH) too. Due to the fluctuating nature of hormones during peri-menopause, these tests are not conclusive or recommended. Tests that measure these hormones are not used by medical professionals in the assessment of menopause (1).

We highly recommend a visit to your GP for a midlife check-up. This is an opportunity to talk about menopause symptoms, body changes and if HRT or other treatments might be suitable for you. It’s also good to check to make sure that the symptoms you are experiencing aren’t something else. Christchurch based GP Dr Sarah Marr, recommends booking a double appointment to allow plenty of time for a general check-up and to discuss and explore options that could support your symptoms.

There are also different natural remedies, and lifestyle changes you can make to support your menopause journey. For more information on this stage read Embrace Peri-menopause.

Everee #3 - Peri-menopause Support is specifically designed for women going through peri-menopause. With Ovitage® Collagen boasting an amino acid balance substantially higher is cystine, tyrosine and glutamic acid. Everee Women #3 is your protein powerhouse for sustained support right through menopause

We will explore this further in our weekly Women’s Wisdom blog and provide practical tips to support your health and wellbeing.

If you haven't experienced a menstrual period in 12 months, you are now post-menopausal. You can also experience medical menopause after removal of the ovaries and chemotherapy or radiation treatment (1).

In the early stages of post-menopause (the first five years), you may notice some symptoms beginning to subside. As you transition into late-stage post-menopause (the rest of your life), some symptoms will disappear, others may become your new normal, and it's likely you'll feel more settled (1). For more information on this stage read Navigating Your New Normal in Post-Menopause.

Again, we recommend a check with your GP to discuss symptoms, check overall health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and review any medications.

Everee #4 - Post-menopause Support is designed for women embracing their post-menopause years with vitality and a renewed focus on self-care. Featuring Ovitage® Collagen and boosted by clinically proven cGP-Pro extract from New Zealand blackcurrant, this protein powder is rich in specific amino acids ideally suited to boost the body's ability to deal with the challenges of post-menopause, from brain function through to metabolic health and muscle maintenance.

No matter where you are on your menopause journey, the team at Everee Women have you covered, with menopause specific support and information.

1. Australasian Menopause Society(2020). What is menopause? Australasian Menopause Society. https://www.menopause.org.au/images/infosheets/AMS_What_is_menopause.pdf
2. Harlow, S. D., Gass, M., Hall, J. E., Lobo, R., Maki, P., Rebar, R. W., Sherman, S., Sluss, P. M., de Villiers, T. J., & STRAW + 10 Collaborative Group (2012). Executive summary of the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop + 10: addressing the unfinished agenda of staging reproductive aging. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 97(4), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2011-3362
3. Australasian Menopause Society(2024).Menopause what are the symptoms.https://www.menopause.org.au/images/factsheets/Menopause_What_are_the_symptoms.pdf