Perimenopause Stage 3: Survival Kit For The Hottest Phase — Prepare Now

If you've skipped your period for 6, 9, or even 11 months and you're still waiting to hit that magical 12-month mark that makes it “official,” you're in what I call stage 3. And while the guidelines don’t formally recognize this phase, it’s one of the most intense, confusing, and overlooked stages of all.

In this episode of Hello Hormones, I explain why this critical time—what I lovingly call “the final countdown”—deserves a label of its own. You’ll learn what your hormones are doing (or not doing), the symptoms that show up hard during this time, what labs to ask for, and how to know if it’s time to consider hormone therapy or other interventions.

Whether you’ve gone 9 months with no period and feel like you're in hormonal limbo, or you’re just trying to understand the perimenopausal timeline more clearly, this episode is your roadmap.

in this episode, i cover:

• Why stage 3 of perimenopause should exist—even if it’s not official
  
  

• What happens between skipping a period for 60 days (stage 2) and hitting 12 full months (postmenopause)
  
  

• What hormone symptoms ramp up during this “final countdown” phase
  
  

• What’s happening with estradiol, progesterone, FSH, and your cycle (even if it’s completely MIA)
  
  

• Why many women feel their worst during this stage if they haven’t had support or intervention
  
  

• The real risks of waiting too long for hormone therapy or support
  
  

• What labs to ask your practitioner for (FSH, A1C, cholesterol, thyroid, vitamin D, and more)
  
  

• How to advocate for your health—even if you don’t bleed due to IUDs or hysterectomy
  
  

• Why now is the time to double down on your foundational habits: nutrition, sleep, movement, stress, and support
  
  

• My perspective on starting hormone therapy before hitting the 12-month mark

FREE GUIDES:

 

Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

 

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}