Menopause is often thought of as the time when our periods stop!

But from reading, watching, and listening to shows and podcasts on this topic and through speaking to women who are either going through or have gone through this, you will find that there is so much more to this.

We have all heard of the dreaded "change", but until you are nearing an age when this will occur or are suffering from a condition where this will happen early, then it tends to be something far from our thoughts or something that's just not on our radar.

Before reading more into this and listening to podcasts, I myself just thought one day your period will just stop and I might get the odd hot flush here and there, but I now know there is so much more that will happen along the way even before our periods finally stop.

To put it more accurately, you're in menopause when you have not had a period in 24 months, with the average age being 51, although some women experience Menopause younger due to some operations or health issues.

As we grow older, our body no longer produces much Oestrogen and Progesterone, which are the 2 main hormones that prepare our bodies each month for either a period or pregnancy.


The 3 stages of Menopause:

* Perimenopause

* Menopause

* Postmenopause


Premenopause – The time before any symptoms of menopause starts and refers to the time from the onset of menstruation through to menopause.

Perimenopause – This is the time when you start to experience any symptoms associated with menopause, through to postmenopause.

Perimenopause is when our ovaries start to produce less Oestrogen and usually begins around our 40s and last around 4 years, although some women can begin their Perimenopause earlier in their 30’s due to health reasons, and for some women, this can occur much later, and as we are all different, the severity of symptoms can last from a few months to 10 Years!

Menopause – This is when you have not had a period for 2 years.

Postmenopause – Is the time after 2 complete years of no periods.

Premature Menopause – is Menopause that occurs under the age of 40.