Things are starting to happen here in Sweden. Comparing to the UK and US we have a long way to go but suddenly it happens. Our government has decided to investigate how the menopause is handled in the medical world and for the first time in my life I feel that my struggle is worth it. The University of Uppsala has also initiated a unique project. A project that will include studies of women and mental health during the reproductive years. I also debate a lot and had a long debate article about the woman brain in one of Swedens largest evening paper. 

But we still have a long way to go. It still is such a taboo. The other day a 45-year old influencer started to talk about her PMS-problems that suddenly have increased. I tried to comment and tried to make her understand that she is in perimenopause. Her response was that – I took all the tests, I still have eggs so I am not near it. 

Her answer makes me mad but I also actually started to laugh. And I am really concerned that it still is so hard to realize or confess that you are in perimenopause. I do think the reason is the fear of aging but mostly still lack of knowledge. Women don’t understand that that the perimenopause is part of the menopausal transition and that it actually is the rockiest. So just one more time.

The menopausal transition have three phases:

Perimenopause – the time before your periods stops. 

Menopause – the day you haven’t had your period for twelve consecutive months.

Postmenopause – the time after. 

When we only talk about ”menopause” women get confused, because they think that it’s only the point of time when your periods stops. The problem is that during perimenopause there a no tests that can reassure you that you are there. Some of you will do tests and your GP:S will say –  no it’s to early, your oestrogen level is fine and you still have eggs. For me it’s like banging your head into a door that doesn’t open. 

Maybe you went to a naturopath instead that told you that you have estrogen dominance. That is a very confusing word not used at all in the medical world. It is really controversial and doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to much oestrogen. You can have low oestrogen and be ”estrogen-dominant” Because the only thing the word oestrogen dominance means is that your sex hormones are not dancing together anymore. You are in perimenopause and you progesteron is decreasing, that’s why it looks like you are oestrogen dominant. I can imagine that you maybe wonder why we can’t take progesterone in the beginning when it’s only the progesterone that is decreasing. We can and some do – they use a progesterone cream. We have be to be aware of that this is nothing that is common in the medical world. but I’ll try to explain in my next post about the pros and cons with progesterone cream so stay tuned. 

This is a guest post. Any opinions expressed are the writer’s own.