How long does perimenopause last?

Commonly four to eight years, and it starts well before periods stop. That's why symptoms often arrive in the forties while cycles are still happening, and why a blood test taken on one day is a poor way to answer the question — hormones swing week to week in this phase.

Does naturopathy work instead of HRT?

They're different things and it isn't a competition. Menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective option for hot flushes and night sweats, and it's a conversation with your GP. Naturopathic care is used alongside it, or by people who can't or would rather not take it — working on sleep, blood sugar, bone and cardiovascular health and the day-to-day symptom load.

Is bleeding after menopause ever normal?

No. Any bleeding twelve months or more after your last period needs medical assessment promptly, whatever it looks like and however light it is.

Menopause Naturopath Melbourne | Perimenopause Support

Menopause is one day — twelve months after your last period. Perimenopause is the years leading up to it, and it’s where most of what people describe actually happens.

It commonly runs four to eight years and often begins in the forties, while cycles are still coming. Hormones swing rather than decline in a straight line, which is why symptoms come and go and why a single blood test on a single day answers very little.

What shows up: changes in cycle length and flow, hot flushes and night sweats, broken sleep, mood and anxiety changes, brain fog, joint aches, vaginal dryness and shifts in body composition.

What your naturopath works on

Sleep, which is usually where the most is gained. Night sweats break it, and broken sleep makes the mood and cognitive symptoms considerably worse, so it’s the thread worth pulling first.

Hot flushes and night sweats, including trigger patterns — alcohol, caffeine, heat, spicy food — and herbal medicine where it’s appropriate for you.

Blood sugar and body composition. Insulin sensitivity changes through this transition and it affects both the flushes and the longer-term picture.

Bone health. Bone loss accelerates around menopause. Calcium and vitamin D status, protein intake and — most of all — resistance training are the levers, and starting early matters more than starting perfectly.

Cardiovascular health, which becomes a larger consideration after menopause and is worth attention while there’s time to influence it.

Mood and cognition, which are affected by the hormonal shift itself as well as by the sleep loss.

Muscle and strength, which protects bone, metabolic health and independence later.

⚠ What belongs with your doctor

Any bleeding twelve months or more after your last period needs prompt medical assessment, however light. So do very heavy bleeding, bleeding between periods, and periods that suddenly change pattern.

Menopause before 45, and particularly before 40, should be investigated rather than accepted. Menopausal hormone therapy is a GP conversation and it’s the most effective option for flushes and night sweats — your naturopath works alongside it and will tell you what interacts with it.

Who you’d see

Carmen Farrugia works across hormonal health, and holds AHPRA registration as a midwife and Division 1 nurse.

Perimenopause and menopause