What Perimenopause Actually Is, and Can It Be Diagnosed??
If you’ve been told perimenopause is just a slow decline in hormones…
this is where so many of us are misled.
Because that’s not actually what’s happening.
Perimenopause is better described as a hormonal transition phase — and in many ways, it mirrors what your body went through during puberty.
That’s why it has been referred to as “the second puberty.”
Why “Second Puberty” May Make More Sense
In your teenage years, hormones weren’t stable — they were fluctuating, unpredictable, and often intense. But also key here - was the oestrogen dominance compared with progesterone.
Perimenopause is similar.
Oestrogen can spike higher than your reproductive years
Progesterone starts to decline earlier and more consistently
Cycles can become irregular or anovulatory
Your nervous system becomes more reactive
So instead of a gentle decline…
you get waves, surges, and crashes.
And that’s exactly why symptoms can feel so intense.
You’re Not “More Aware” — You’re Feeling It More
One of the biggest myths I hear is:
"Maybe I’m just noticing things more as I get older…"
But the truth is —
Your body is under more physiological pressure at this life stage.
These hormonal swings impact:
Your thyroid function
Blood sugar stability
Brain chemistry and neurotransmitters
Your immune system
Your nervous system resilience
So the symptoms you’re experiencing aren’t random…
they’re real biochemical signals, and they are worsened by stress.
Your Symptoms Are Clues — Not Inconveniences
This is the reframe that changes everything.
Symptoms in perimenopause are not just something to “get through” —
they are messages.
They tell us where your body needs support.
Perimenopause doesn’t create dysfunction overnight.
It reveals what was already under strain.
So… How Do You Actually Diagnose Perimenopause?
This is where it often gets frustrating.
Because many women are told:
"Your blood tests are normal."
And yes — they often are.
That’s because perimenopause is not diagnosed by a single blood test.
Diagnosis is primarily based on:
Your age range (typically late 30s to mid-40s+)
Changes in your cycle (length, flow, symptoms)
Your symptom picture
Your health history
Hormones in perimenopause fluctuate daily —
so a single blood test can easily miss what’s happening.
Functional Testing Gives a Deeper Insight
While standard tests can rule things out, they often don’t explain why you feel the way you do.
This is where a more functional approach matters.
Looking at:
Thyroid function (especially T3 conversion)
Iron status and ferritin
Blood sugar patterns
Mineral balance
Nervous system load and stress patterns
Because when we understand what’s driving your symptoms,
we can actually support your body properly.
The Takeaway
Perimenopause is not:
A slow hormonal shutdown
Something you just have to “push through”
Or a time where your body is failing you
It is a transition that places higher demand on your system.
And your symptoms?
They are your body asking for support — not signalling the end.
If You’re Feeling Off…
If you don’t feel like yourself,
if your energy, mood, weight or clarity has shifted —
there is always a reason.
And more importantly —
there is a way forward.
Natasha Gedrim BHSc (Naturopathy)
Thyroid and Hormone Naturopath
