why do you guys call the menopause peri
sorry if this aounds thick but i never heard it called this before
jayne

Perimenopause is the time before menopause when your hormone levels are starting to change from normal toward what they will be like when you are no longer menstruating. There can be wild fluctuations causing all sorts of symptoms, but you are still having your periods so you are not menopausal yet. You are not officially menopausal until you have not had a period for an entire year. But you can be perimenopausal during many years prior

For example, I am not yet menopausal but I am now experiencing hot flashes, chills, and palpitations. I have had a couple of missed periods (not consecutive), other periods are late, early, or on time. I am perimenopausal.