Is This Perimenopause?
✈️When Flying Anxiety Has Nothing to Do With Flying
At the end of June, I boarded a flight feeling…off.
I had a medium latte before boarding (I rarely drink caffeine due to it increasing my heart rate and my genetic labwork showing I’m a slow processor), but other than that nothing out of the ordinary had happened in the 24 hours prior.
Midway through the flight, my heart started racing, my palms were sweaty and a wave of panic washed over me.
Now I’ve flown plenty of times in my life, and I happen to have some airplane trauma in my family (aka family members who died in a private plane crash many decades ago). Nonetheless, I’ve shifted my mind to focus on the benefits of flying and kept my mindset positive.
But this flight was different. The panic came out of nowhere—and it caught me off guard.
That’s when it hit me: this wasn’t about flying at all. This was perimenopause in disguise.
this was the start of perimenopause in disguise.
I’m in my late 30s, and I am a functional medicine practitioner. If anyone were going to be able to push off menopause, you’d think it would be me.
So, why was I showing these early signs so seemingly…early?
To understand this, we have to first be on the same page about perimenopause and why it’s actually not showing up early for me at all.
Perimenopause is a decade + long process
To the best of our knowledge perimenopause is a 10+ year process.
Think of it like reverse puberty that happens in 3 phases.
Let’s zoom out—because what happened to me mid-flight might sound random, but it’s actually part of a much bigger picture.
🌱 Early Perimenopause (often mid–late 30s to early 40s)
Cycle changes are subtle: cycles may shorten by a few days, but periods are still regular overall.
Progesterone starts to decline first due to fewer consistent ovulations.
Estrogen is still relatively stable, but may spike higher at times, leading to symptoms like breast tenderness, heavier bleeding, or mood swings. In this stage, most women have relative estrogen dominance.
Symptoms that can show up:
Increased PMS
Sleep disturbances (especially mid-cycle or luteal phase)
New or worsening anxiety (like my little panic attack)
More pronounced stress response
Occasional night sweats or hot flashes
🌸 Mid Perimenopause (usually early to mid 40s)
Cycles become more irregular: skipping ovulation more frequently, cycle length can vary.
Estrogen levels fluctuate dramatically — some months very high, other months very low.
Progesterone remains consistently low (because of skipped ovulation).
Symptoms that can show up:
Heavier or lighter periods, unpredictable bleeding
Heightened anxiety, panic attacks, irritability
Worsening sleep disruption, early morning waking
Hot flashes and night sweats more frequent
Weight changes, especially around the midsection
Brain fog or trouble focusing
🍂 Late Perimenopause (usually mid–late 40s, leading up to menopause)
Longer stretches without a period: cycles may skip for 60+ days at a time.
Estrogen drops lower overall, though spikes can still occur.
Progesterone is essentially absent (ovulation rarely occurs).
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) rises as the body tries to stimulate the ovaries.
Symptoms that can show up:
Hot flashes/night sweats become more regular or severe
Vaginal dryness, lower libido
Skin, hair, and joint changes due to lower estrogen
More pronounced mood swings, depression, or anxiety
Sleep disturbances persist
Metabolism slows, body composition shifts
This stage ends at menopause: 12 consecutive months without a period.
🌟 Back to My Mid-Flight Panic Attack
So what did I do after this panic attack? I reached for the tools I know help stabilize my hormones and my stress response:
Mid-flight I immediately did a self-hypnosis and meditation
I ate a high protein snack
After the flight, I did an inventory of my recent habits: had I been eating blood sugar and hormone balancing meals? Had I kept up with daily cortisol lowering physical activity? Was I sleeping well? Was I hydrating well? Was I supplementing to match my body’s needs?
And here’s what I realized: I’d been cutting some corners.
It’s a part of life where sometimes we’re on it, sticking to every little habit that we know we should be doing.
And, times where we let some things slide.
Turns out, I had let some things slide and this is a more sensitive time in my life where hormones are very susceptible and sensitive to my habits.
Here’s the plan I’m following now (and you can, too):
Audit my habits with my gut + hormone framework
Track my cycle and symptoms
Reset my stress response with journaling + meditation
Build nourishing meals to support hormones
Adjust workouts to be cortisol-friendly
Redo my HTMA + bloodwork to match supplements
👉 If you’re ready for practical strategies that make those “out-of-nowhere” symptoms feel manageable—and even transformable—now’s your moment. The Balanced Hormone Blueprint DIY Program is the foundation I wish every woman had to prepare for the gentlest perimenopause possible.
Why the Balanced Hormone Blueprint Works (With Real Stories)
Carrie (PCOS): After 6 months of following the Blueprint, her periods normalized, hair grew stronger, and her confidence soared.
Victoria (Hashimoto’s): With Marisa’s clear, actionable guidance, she regained energy, lifted brain fog, and her doctor even lowered her meds.
Erin: Started with a hormone imbalance snapshot—high estrogen and cortisol dysregulation. Within a few months, those markers were gone.
If you’re tired of random symptoms, confusion, or quick fixes, this program gives you the tools for systemic change. In perimenopause, when your body is more sensitive to everything, that foundation makes all the difference.
You need to stop just managing symptoms—you need to learn the tools to support your body now and in the decade ahead.
Perimenopause isn’t a sentence to more anxiety, weight gain or feeling like your body is outta control if you’re prepared and catch the early warning signs.
You just need to set yourself up for a smoother transition.
XO
Marisa
P.S. There’s no perfect time to get started, so whether you’re in the beginning, middle or end of perimenopause the Balanced Hormone Blueprint can support you!