So I have written about something many women quietly experience – the moment when burnout does not quite feel like burnout anymore. If you missed it, you can read it here: "The Subtle Changes of Your Forties: When Burnout Might Actually Be Perimenopause".
Taking the Next Step
After recognising that some of the changes I was experiencing could be linked to perimenopause, I decided to do something about it. So I went for a consultation with Dr. Premitha Damodaran, a menopause specialist at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
I went in with a list of symptoms: mood swings, sleep disruptions, brain fog, cholesterol shifts, etc., but I also went in with a quiet question: is this really what I think it is?
A Consultation That Looked at the Whole Picture
What I appreciated most about the session was how the consultation itself was not rushed. Instead, it felt like a thoughtful conversation.
She asked about different aspects of my health, not just one isolated symptom. We spoke about my cholesterol levels; menstrual cycle – how regular or irregular it has been; and weight changes. She also asked about my Mirena IUD and why I chose to have it.
But the conversation did not stop there. Beyond that, she explored things that are often easy to dismiss, such as my sleep patterns, mood changes, memory, and even whether I had any joint pain or bowel changes. These things are usually ignored or dismissed, but they are actually part of the bigger picture.
Our body does not work in isolation. Everything is connected. Hence, it makes total sense to also look at all these different aspects of health.
Understanding What My Body Is Already Doing
One of the most reassuring parts of the consultation was realising that my body is not "falling apart". Without going into too much detail, what I wanted to say is that the narrative was changed from "something is wrong" to "something needs to be balanced".
Starting with the Foundation: Sleep
Interestingly, we are not trying to fix everything at once. The first focus is sleep. She explained that improving sleep can influence many other areas such as energy levels, mood, and even the ability to stay consistent with lifestyle habits.
Start with the foundation, and let the rest build from there.
We also spoke about exercise. Not as something I need to force immediately, but as something to build into gradually, especially weight training, once my sleep and energy improve.
There is a time to push, and there is a time to restore. Not as a pressure to immediately "do more", but as a next step when my body is ready. This perspective stayed with me.
Rather than trying to fix everything at once, we start with something that supports the body more holistically. And sometimes, restoration needs to come first.
Walking Away Feeling Supported
If my previous article was about awareness, this experience was about reassurance.
There is something deeply comforting about being heard, understood, and guided with clarity. It reminded me that navigating perimenopause does not have to be confusing or isolating. With the right support, it becomes something we can understand, manage, and even learn from.
I am still at the beginning of this journey. There will likely be adjustments along the way, like new observations, new questions, and perhaps new insights.
But for now, I feel more grounded. Not because everything is solved, but because I understand a little more about what my body is going through. And I truly believe that understanding is the most important first step.
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