Coping with Perimenopause: Symptoms and Natural Relief

Perimenopause is no walk in the park—it’s more like wandering into an unpredictable storm without an umbrella, unsure whether you’ll be caught in a drizzle or a downpour. When my OB-GYN decided it was time to take me off hormonal birth control, I thought I was ready for whatever came next. At first, my body went silent. No menstrual period for 200 days. I began to wonder if this was it—if I had finally crossed that invisible bridge into menopause. Then, without warning, it hit. A period arrived on the very day my husband and I left for a weekend getaway we had been looking forward to for months. The timing could not have been worse. The bleeding was heavy, the cramps relentless, and the fatigue wrapped around me like a weighted blanket I couldn’t shake off. It lasted 11 long, draining days. Later, I learned this had a name—“flooding”—and it sounded just as brutal as it felt.

"From Matthew Chapter 9: 20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment."

In my desperate research, I stumbled across articles and personal accounts suggesting that Shepherd’s Purse or Yarrow tinctures might help manage heavy bleeding. I tucked that information away, hoping I wouldn’t need it anytime soon. After that episode, I went another 50 days before my next period. This one arrived quietly, lighter, and far less dramatic. My energy stayed steady, and I felt more like myself again. Still, I’ve learned that perimenopause has a knack for keeping me on edge—never quite knowing if the next cycle will be a ripple or another tidal wave.

Some days, I can laugh about it—the unpredictability, the absurd timing, the fact that my uterus seems to have a twisted sense of humor. Other days, I just remind myself that my body is working through an important transition, even if it’s messy and inconvenient. Perimenopause may not come with a user manual, but I’m slowly learning how to navigate it with patience, a bit of humor, and the comfort of knowing I’m not alone in the journey.

Resources:

Matthew Chapter 9: 20-22

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