Abby’s Reviews > Hormone Repair Manual: Every Woman's Guide to Healthy Hormones After 40 > Status Update

Only humans and a few species of whales experience menopause and live past their reproductive years

Japanese word for menopause: kounenki, which translates to renewal years or energy

To cope with what British journalist Caitlin Moran calls the “ass-hattery of small children,” women are kept “tipsy and philosophical on shots of warm oestrogen” and are thus better able to cope with the “ass-hattery” of everyone else. Until menopause arrives, writes Moran, and suddenly, there’s no more “‘lady forgiveness’ left in the tank.”

More symptoms: fatigue from perimenopausal sleep disturbance, vaginal pain, dryness, and prolapse

Immune system remodels itself and brain recalibrates during perimenopause

FSH test may not catch perimenopause, only menopause

More symptoms: heart palpitations, night sweats, insomnia, memory loss, vaginal dryness, insulin resistance

Temporary symptoms: heavy periods, pelvic pain, sore breasts, migraines, night sweats, anxiety, depression

Fibromyalgia - unexplained chronic widespread pain and heightened pain response to pressure

Perimenopause & early menopause are a critical windows for health: small health problems could amplify into larger and more permanent health problems later in life, but is also a window of opportunity to make small changes that could make a huge difference in your future health