Perimenopause: The Years Before the Final Period

Four women talk together in a circle on a backyard patio.

What this topic covers

Perimenopause means the years before the final period. The guides below take the topic in the order we suggest you prepare: first what to track and bring, then what to ask. For an overview before the guides, read the Menopause Society's patient page on perimenopause.

Guides in this topic

Read them in order, or jump to the one that matches your next visit.

When Perimenopause Usually Begins: how to put your own timeline on paper.
Length of the Perimenopause Transition: what to ask about how long the transition may last.
Midlife Weight Gain and Perimenopause: what to bring up about weight changes.

Build your page for the visit

Once you have read the guides, build one page to take with you: the dates of your last few periods, a list of your current medicines, and your questions. Then read the Office on Women's Health menopause basics page to check the terms your clinician is likely to use. This hub sets the reading order only, and your clinician is the one who reads your dates and symptoms.