15/05/2026
Don’t Blame Peri For Everything
Can we talk about something? Because I love that perimenopause is finally having a ‘glow-up’ and getting the attention it deserves. Women are talking about it, doctors are listening, and we’re no longer just being told to push through. That’s a win.
But there is a trap forming in this movement, and we need to name it.
Everything is becoming peri’s fault.
Tired all the time? Peri.
Can’t sleep? Peri.
Anxious, flat, foggy, unmotivated? Peri, peri, peri.
And here’s the thing, it might be peri. But it also might not be. And if we stop digging and looking for answers, we could be missing something really important.
+ Low energy? Yes, hormone shifts can cause fatigue, but so can low iron, low ferritin, or low B12.
+ Poor sleep? Progesterone changes are real, but so is an underactive thyroid, blood sugar issues, or undiagnosed sleep apnoea.
+ Mood changes, anxiety, low mood? Oestrogen plays a role, but so does low vitamin D, thyroid dysfunction, or chronically elevated cortisol.
+ Brain fog? Could be peri, but also thyroid, anaemia, inflammation or even coeliac disease.
And if you’re in your late 30s or early 40s, please don’t just accept “it’s probably peri” without asking more questions. Yes, peri menopause can start earlier for some ladies, but for the vast majority that is way to early. Ask your GP or healthcare provider for some bloods tests including iron panel with ferritin, B12, full thyroid panel including antibodies if relevant, vitamin D and hormones.
Perimenopause deserves its glow-up, but your health deserves more than one answer. Keep digging and get the full picture, and if it is perimenopause, please know that there’s lots of things we can do to support your journey.
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