The Hormone Rollercoaster

This image is probably the most powerful visualization I have seen of what happens to our hormones during menopause.

Fluctuating hormone levels in menopause

If there's one key takeaway from this graphic, it's this: No, you're not going crazy! The symptoms you're experiencing are due to a physiological change in your body.

Let's take a closer, but not-too-scientific, look at what's happening.

Before Menopause: The Reproductive Years

Before the menopausal transition begins, your hormone levels are relatively stable and cyclical. The two main players are estrogen and progesterone, produced by your ovaries. They work together to regulate your menstrual cycle, prepare your body for pregnancy, and support bone density, skin elasticity, and heart health.

Estrogen is typically higher in the first half of your cycle, and progesterone rises after ovulation. This consistent rhythm is what most women experience for decades. Nothing new here.

During Perimenopause: The Transition Begins

As you enter perimenopause, your ovaries start producing estrogen and progesterone less consistently. This isn't a smooth, gradual decline. Instead, it's a period of crazy ups and downs. It's like a hormonal rollercoaster ride, with highs and lows that can be quite unpredictable.

You might experience times when estrogen levels are very high, followed by sharp drops. Progesterone production also becomes unpredictable. This hormonal rollercoaster is responsible for many of the common symptoms you might be feeling, such as:

• Irregular periods: Your cycles might become shorter, longer, heavier, or lighter.

• Hot flashes and night sweats: Sudden feelings of intense heat.

• Mood swings and irritability: These are caused by fluctuating hormones affecting your brain chemistry.

• Sleep disturbances: Often linked to night sweats.

• Vaginal dryness: A result of lower estrogen levels.

• Changes in libido.

Does this sound familiar? Understanding this can be incredibly validating, as it explains so much of what you might be going through.

Peri menopause can feel like a hormonal rollercoaster ride, with highs and lows that can be quite unpredictable

Post-Menopause: The New Normal

You officially reach post-menopause after experiencing 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. At this point, your ovaries have largely stopped producing estrogen and progesterone. While some of the more acute perimenopausal symptoms like hot flashes may fade, the long-term effects of consistently low estrogen levels become more noticeable. These can include:

• Increased risk of osteoporosis: Estrogen is crucial for maintaining bone density.

• Increased risk of heart disease: Estrogen has protective effects on your cardiovascular system.

• Continued vaginal dryness and thinning of vaginal tissues.

• Urinary changes, such as increased urgency or incontinence.

• Changes in your skin and hair.

I hope that by understanding these hormonal shifts, you feel more empowered to navigate the stages of menopause, seek the right support, and be kinder to yourself as you understand the very real reasons you might not feel like yourself.