UPMC Doctor Says Perimenopause Can Start at 35, Broadening Focus Beyond Hot Flashes
Updated
Updated · WGAL Susquehanna Valley Pa. · May 10
UPMC Doctor Says Perimenopause Can Start at 35, Broadening Focus Beyond Hot Flashes
2 articles · Updated · WGAL Susquehanna Valley Pa. · May 10
Perimenopause can begin between ages 35 and 45, UPMC obstetrician-gynecologist Sharee Livingston said, with symptoms ranging from brain fog and insomnia to heart palpitations, mood changes and irregular periods.
Diagnosis can be difficult because hormone levels fluctuate hour to hour, she said, so care should focus on symptoms while also ruling out other causes such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular problems or mental health conditions.
At 44, Ephrata resident Kristalene Bautista said she realized symptoms that started in her 30s were perimenopause; after testing, she found relief through bioidentical hormone therapy plus changes to diet, exercise and sleep.
Livingston said menopausal hormone therapy can be highly effective and that guidance has shifted, with patients now able to stay on treatment as long as symptoms warrant; she cited the late-2025 removal of a black box warning.
The discussion, tied to Women’s Health Month, underscored a broader push to treat menopause and perimenopause as natural life stages that women should discuss openly with trusted clinicians rather than navigate alone.
How is medical training adapting to stop perimenopause from being misdiagnosed as simply anxiety or depression?
With HRT's main warning gone, how will the system close the stark racial gap in menopause treatment access?
As menopause costs employers billions, what practical workplace policies can actually retain experienced female talent?