Perimenopause stories
These are real perimenopause stories taken from a few of the hundreds of women I have worked with.
Their names have been changed for privacy.
Samantha's perimenopause story: a high achievers breakdown
"I genuinely thought I was having some sort of breakdown," 43-year-old Samantha told me during our first consultation. "I've built my entire identity around being competent and reliable. Suddenly I couldn't trust my own body or mind."
Samantha worked long hours as an HR manager at a law firm, often staying late to help colleagues with their problems. She prided herself on being reliable and unflappable.
"The migraines were... well, they were utterly debilitating. I'd have to excuse myself to the loo and just try not to vomit. Then there was this rage - completely disproportionate anger that would hit me like a freight train. I'd find myself snapping at senior partners. That's career suicide in my world."
What really worried Samantha was the anxiety. "Three am became my nemesis. I'd lie there with my heart absolutely hammering, convinced I'd made some catastrophic error at work. I'm not typically an anxious person - I thrive under pressure. But this felt completely beyond my control."
Her periods had become unpredictable and heavy. "The flooding was mortifying. I'm in a boardroom full of men discussing redundancies, and I have to interrupt because I'm literally bleeding through everything."
Living alone in London, far from family in Australia, Samantha felt isolated with her symptoms. "All my friends back home are married with kids. I couldn't exactly call them and say 'I think my hormones are making me crazy.' I felt like such a failure - here I am, successful on paper, but I can't even manage my own body."
After working together for 3 months with simple diet changes and herbal medicine, Samantha's migraines were almost non-existent, her periods were lighter and more manageable, she was handling stress a lot easier and she'd learned to recognise the pattern of her symptoms in relation to her cycle.
"Understanding that this was perimenopause and not me 'losing it' was huge. I'm sleeping better, the anxiety has settled, and I feel like myself again - just a wiser version who knows when to take things a bit easier."
Mona: Supermum hits the wall
"Honestly, I used to think I was invincible," Mona laughed, though her exhaustion was obvious. At 45, this successful hairdresser and single mother of three had always been everyone's rock - until perimenopause knocked her sideways.
"I mean, I run the salon, I've got three kids, been flying solo since the divorce. I thought I was killing it. Then boom - suddenly I'm falling apart at the seams."
The first sign something was wrong was her sleep. "I'd crash into bed absolutely knackered, then wide awake at stupid o'clock stressing about everything: the kids, the business, whether I've paid the bloody electricity bill. It was doing my head in."
The fatigue was crushing Mona. "I'm standing there cutting someone's hair and I'm literally swaying. My girls at work kept asking if I was alright. I had to sit down mid-cut one day - so embarrassing."
What really scared Mona was the rage. "I've always been pretty chilled with the kids and clients, but suddenly I'm going off like a firecracker. My son left his bag on the floor and I absolutely lost it at him. He looked at me like I'd grown two heads."
Her periods became a nightmare. "They were like a crime scene. Couldn't work those days, which meant losing money."
The weight gain was the final straw. "I've always been fit and active, but suddenly I was putting on weight around my middle no matter what I did. My clothes didn't fit, I felt unattractive, and dating felt impossible. I was convinced I was just getting old and this was my life now."
Living on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Mona had a strong network of mum friends, but she was reluctant to share what she was going through. "Everyone sees me as the strong one, the one who has it all together. I didn't want them to know I was struggling."
After six months of working together using diet changes, flower essences and some herbal medicine, Mona's energy levels improved dramatically, and she learned to manage her symptoms around her cycle.
"The biggest thing was realising this wasn't permanent and I wasn't 'broken.' I've got my confidence back, I'm sleeping better, and my kids have their mum back. I even started dating again - something I never thought would happen."
Hannah's story: the invisible symptoms
"Everyone kept saying it was just stress," Hannah said quietly, choosing her words carefully. At 48, this thoughtful mother was experiencing symptoms that seemed to appear from thin air.
"It began with this odd sensation under my skin - like tiny insects crawling around. Sounds mad when I say it out loud. I'd scratch until I drew blood, but there was no rash, or bites, or anything to see."
The heart palpitations came next. "I'd be sitting there watching TV at night, and my heart would suddenly start pounding. I made me really worried about my heart, actually. We went through every cardiac test imaginable - stress tests, ECGs. All perfectly normal."
Hannah's mood began shifting in unexpected ways. "I found myself becoming quite... well, bitter, I suppose. About how much I do for everyone - my husband, the stepkids. Suddenly I felt like the invisible woman, just there to manage everyone else's needs. It wasn't like me at all."
Sleep became a battle. "I'd lie there churning over old grievances, things that happened years ago. Ancient arguments would replay in my mind. My partner ended up in the spare room because I was tossing and turning so much. My GP could only offer antidepressants."
The hot flushes were intense but unpredictable. "They'd hit like a wave - this incredible heat that would leave me absolutely drenched. But they were so sporadic I started questioning whether they were genuine hot flushes at all."
Hannah felt like she was going crazy. "I had all these symptoms that seemed unrelated, even what felt like a constant urinary tract infection, and every specialist I saw found nothing wrong. I was worried that my family would assume I was being a hypochondriac. I began to wonder if it was all in my head."
After several months of natural treatment, Hannah's symptoms became much more manageable.
"The itching stopped, my sleep improved, my urinary symptoms are gone, and I feel like myself again. Most importantly, I don't feel like I'm going crazy anymore. My family understands now that this is real, and we're all adjusting to this new phase together."
Working with Simone
The consultation process
Step 1: Initial consultation
Start with an intake questionnaire and a comprehensive one-on-one consultation with Simone Jeffries.
During this appointment, Simone will take a detailed health history to understand your specific health challenges and goals.
Step 2: Customised plan
Simone will provide a personalised health plan for you based on your first consultation. You will then be able to order customised herbal remedies and supplements. The detailed health plan will also include food and lifestyle tips.
Step 3: Ongoing support
Simone provides regular follow up consultations to monitor your progress and make changes to your prescription and protocol as needed. Follow up ensures your health plan remains current, for you to achieve the best possible results.
