What Is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause, when your ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. It often begins in a woman’s mid-40s — sometimes earlier — and can last anywhere from a few years to a decade.
During this phase hormone levels swing unpredictably, which is why symptoms can come and go: irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood changes, and new difficulty losing weight.
What Is Menopause?
Menopause is a single point in time: 12 consecutive months with no menstrual period. The average age in the U.S. is 51. After that, you are considered postmenopausal, and estrogen and progesterone stay low.
Because the hormone decline is now steady rather than fluctuating, some symptoms settle — but hot flashes, vaginal dryness, low libido, and bone loss can persist for years without treatment.
Perimenopause vs. Menopause: Key Differences
The simplest way to tell them apart: perimenopause is the fluctuating run-up (you still have periods, even if irregular), and menopause is the finish line (periods have stopped for a full year).
Symptoms overlap heavily, so many women don’t know which stage they are in. Bloodwork — measuring FSH, estradiol, and related markers — combined with your symptom pattern gives a clear picture.
When to Get Help
You do not have to wait until symptoms are severe. If hot flashes, poor sleep, brain fog, mood swings, weight gain, or low libido are affecting your quality of life, that is reason enough to be evaluated.
Physician-led hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can relieve symptoms in both perimenopause and menopause, and it is guided by your bloodwork rather than guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start HRT during perimenopause?
Yes. Many women begin hormone therapy in perimenopause to smooth out the fluctuations driving hot flashes, sleep loss, and mood changes.
How do I know which stage I’m in?
A combination of your symptom history and simple bloodwork (FSH, estradiol) usually makes it clear. A telehealth provider can order labs near you.
Is treatment available online?
Yes — MultiGen Wellness treats women entirely by telehealth, with labs drawn locally and prescriptions shipped to your door.
Talk to a licensed provider. MultiGen Wellness offers physician-led women’s hormone therapy by telehealth in all 50 states — new patients start for $247 (regularly $497).
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