From perimenopause to menopause, Kaya 959 listeners open up about unexpected symptoms, hormonal changes, and real-life experiences women aren’t warned about.
By Bulelwa Hoala
Perimenopause and menopause are natural stages in a woman’s life. During this time, levels of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone begin to decrease in the body.
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, as the ovaries stop releasing eggs and menstruation comes to an end. Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, although it can happen earlier.
Perimenopause, on the other hand, is the transitional phase leading up to menopause. During this period, a woman’s fertility starts to decline and her menstrual cycle may become irregular. However, pregnancy is still possible. Many women remain in perimenopause for between six and 10 years before menopause officially begins.
During these stages of change, some women experience extremely challenging physical and emotional symptoms, with hot flushes being among the most common.
In this week’s Girl, Let’s Talk segment on Feel Good, Andy Maqondwana invited Kaya 959 listeners to share the one symptom of perimenopause or menopause that completely caught them off guard.
One listener called in to speak about excessive sweating.
“Yho, yho! I’m changing my bedsheets every single morning now. During the day, I’m fine. I’m normal. But at night? I actually had to cut off my dreadlocks because of the amount of sweating.
“The first time it happened, I was shocked. The bed was so wet I thought I’d had an accident. Now I put bath towels on top of the bed, but I still have to change the sheets every morning,” she said.
Listen to the full conversation on the podcast below:
READ NEXT: Paying for peace: The everyday conveniences Feel Good listeners now gladly pay for
