Win Gold at Perimenopause Olympics
100 symptoms of perimenopause
If there was an Olympic sport for spotting, I would win the gold, silver, and bronze medals in the same year.
I cannot watch the Olympics.
Let me clarify: I cannot watch the Olympics while I’m in perimenopause.
I cry too darn much. This wasn’t always the case. I’m not a crier by nature, but now anything can easily make me cry.
I cry for an odd reason too. Yes, I get emotionally excited for the winners, and yes, I feel sad for those who tried their best but didn’t win.
I don’t cry over athletes, though. I cry for their mothers.
When I watch the Olympics, all I can think about is what every athlete’s mother is thinking at that moment. Are they watching behind covered eyes? Are they holding their breath? Are they getting a stress-fueled hot flash?
When my son decided to join his high school’s wrestling team during his freshman year, he had never wrestled before. He’s a tennis player. It’s not often you hear those two sports in the same sentence, let alone an athlete that does both. He may be the first one ever.
I was used to sunny-day matches (tennis is always canceled during rain; it makes the court too slippery) or indoor games, where I sat in cushy stadium seats, drank iced tea, and cheered him on. I was ill-prepared for what was to come.
All I could picture was my sweet boy’s head jammed into a sweaty germ-filled armpit, or worse, a crotch, while picking up ringworm and impetigo. Although I wasn’t pleased, I supported his decision, encouraged him to shower immediately afterward, and promised an award for compliance. A mother’s job. What I didn’t do, was attend any of his matches. I could not. That was Dad’s job in our family.
I knew I would be a nervous wreck, and I knew it would only stress him out more, so I stayed back and let him do his thing. He did very well without me there.
So I know what I would be thinking if one of my twins was in the Olympics, and that’s why I feel for all of the mothers. I would be holding my breath while complaining to anyone who would listen that he didn’t style his hair correctly to keep it out of his eyes, and I would wonder if he was wearing clean underwear or not.
The Perimenopause Olympics
Here are my imagined Olympic games if perimenopause was a sport.
An earlier article I wrote called My Endurance Sport is Perimenopause explains that after 7 years so far of being perimenopausal, I’m a champion.
The 100 Symptoms of Perimenopause
There are now over 100 documented symptoms of perimenopause. I heard recently it’s now at 150. I have no source for this information, so I’m sticking with 100. This doesn’t mean that you’re going to get all of them. Thank goodness!
Which ones would qualify you for the Perimenopause Olympics?
Starting at the top of the body (the pink ones have article links)
Head (15)
Headaches
Migraines
Dizziness
Depression
Brain fog (this includes memory lapses, difficulty concentrating & focusing, etc..)
Issues with word recall (usually nouns per Dr. Felice Gersh)
Unable to multi-task, intolerance to loud sounds or violent images
Increased swearing and intolerance for BS - maybe that one is just me?
Panic attacks
Hair loss
Dry, brittle hair
Vivid dreams & nightmares
Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth, Face, Throat (26)
Vision changes
Sensitive to light
Dry eyes
Dry mouth
Taste changes
Burning mouth, lips
Tingling face
Tooth sensitivity
Gum problems
Bad breath
Itchy ears
Earaches
Pressure or feeling of fullness in the ears
Changes in hearing, ringing in the ears
Acne
Jaw pain
Swollen glands
Sinus congestion
Sneezing fits
Runny nose and post-nasal drip
Increased allergies
Difficulty swallowing
Increased cavities, dental issues (I have increased tartar)
Heart and Lungs*** (4)
Shortness of breath
Heart palpitations
Irregular heartbeat
Hyperventilation
Body (20)
Joint pain
Muscle, tendon, ligament, fascia pain
Injuries - pulled muscles, broken bones, sprains
Dry skin
Brittle nails
Changes in body odor
Itchy skin
Tingling sensations
Electric shock sensations
Changes in body temperature regulation (too cold and/or too hot)
Excessive sweating
Hot flashes & night sweats
Chills and body shaking
Intolerance to heat or cold
Fatigue - mental, emotional, or physical
Weight gain
Weight loss
Muscle spasms/twitches
Restless legs
Cold hands and feet
Breasts (3)
Sore breasts
Fibrocystic breast changes
Enlarged breasts
Digestion and Stomach (13)
Bloating
Excessive gas
Changes in appetite
Digestive issues
Diarrhea (first time ever I have spelled this correctly from the start!)
Constipation
Food cravings and aversions (if you’ve been pregnant, are they similar? 😁)
Feeling full too quickly
Acid reflux
Heartburn
Nausea
Vomiting
Trouble digesting foods
Pelvis (15)
Vaginal dryness - this can feel like an infection, but without an infection present
Changes in libido
Changes in pleasure sensations & lack of lubrication
Painful intercourse
Bleeding after intercourse
Skipped periods (or the opposite, closer periods)
Spotting
Increased or changes in discharge
Sleep (4)
100!
***If any of the above symptoms are concerning, please see a doctor. These symptoms could appear on the symptom list for a disease and may not be perimenopausal. Keep in mind that perimenopause can mimic other health conditions that a doctor can rule out or confirm. It’s best not to assume perimenopause is causing all of your health issues.
How Does this List Help?
Seeing the list in one place is validating and will save you a ton of hours that I know you’ll spend on Dr. G trying to find valid information to confirm your suspicions. When a lot of these showed up in my life all at once, I thought I was going crazy and, even worse, thought I was dying. Once I was able to identify it as something related to perimenopause, it brought me out of that survival mode that I often talk about.
Wait, there’s more?
We now know that estrogen and progesterone for women are so much more than reproductive hormones. They control so many of our body’s functions and functioning. They also control other hormones and body chemicals that we rely on to function optimally. While all of the above symptoms seem unrelated - they have one thing in common - your fluctuating hormones during perimenopause.
These fluctuating hormones can set the stage for other conditions and diseases. Here is a short list.
Some common health issues during perimenopause and should be evaluated by a doctor are:
High cholesterol
Gallstones
Frozen shoulder
Thyroid nodules
Injuries
Fibroids
Ear noises & ringing (tinnitus) - scientists don’t understand why this happens in general let alone for us.
Rib area pain
Epstein-Barr Virus reactivation
Prolapsed organs (bladder, vagina, and rectum slipping out of place)
Heart conditions
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Osteopenia and osteoporosis
Eating disorders
In 4 Years Maybe Everything Will Be Better!
Perimenopause lasts between 2 - 14 years. I’ve heard that by the time you complete your first year of menopause, the hormonal havoc should be settled enough that some symptoms will have disappeared if they haven’t already by the time you reach menopause. Unfortunately, other ones may be ramping up.
For every single one of the above symptoms, I can tie it back to something that happens during perimenopause that can influence it. But, keep in mind, like anything with health there are usually multiple factors.
Are there any symptoms on the list you’d like me to explore further in an upcoming article? Post a comment below (free Substack account needed) to let me know and I’ll add it to my writing schedule.
Be well, stay cool…
Disclaimer, Content Use Policy, Privacy Policy
By the time I got to 100 I was laughing, what a ridiculous trick nature plays on us eh? We all deserve a medal just for getting to old age!
First of all, your perimenopause Olympic sports list was hilarious!
Second, I'm right there with ya sister. I cry at all the Mama's reactions!
And Third, the perimenopause symptoms list is enough to make us all want to throw in the towel, but my hunch is, the more we track our cycles and learn to support what our bodies are needing, that maybe, just maybe we can shrink our own personal lists.
Thanks for another well written article!