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Menopause

What are the first symptoms of the menopause/perimenopause?

16 replies

coffeecake · 04/09/2012 10:17

Hi I am 36 and have the funny feeling I have perimenopausal symptoms.

I may be totally wrong and it may just be changes due to my age that I am noticing, but someone once told me that when you start your first period late in life (in my case on my 15th birthday) then you are very likely to have an early menopause and it stuck to my mind.
My mum started the menopause at a normal age (50) but then again she had a first ever period when she was 11.
This is what I have noticed recently (and it seemed to have happenned overnight).
Boobs facing south as well as bum.
Although I've lost a bit of weight, impossible to shift fat from tummy/bum.
Thinning hair (which I posted about on another thread).
Thin and fine body/facial hair although noticed a few more hairs on my chin (I always more or less are a few thin hairs there anyway as i am quite a hairy person Blush but lately there seem to be more).
My period seem to be regular but 3 period ago I noticed that it came on normally, then stopped after 3 days (as normal) and then I seemed to get more mild period pain and then started bleeding very lightly again for another day or so.
Again this time around, period started, stopped after 3 days, but then on the 5th day had another light strand of blood until it stopped completely.
Would any of these be perimenopausal symptoms at all?

OP posts:
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coffeecake · 04/09/2012 10:23

Sorry mistyped the title I meant to say menopause/perimenopause

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PlentyOfPubeGardens · 04/09/2012 10:25

Hi, I think the southerly boobs and bum are probably just age+gravity but all the other things you mention could be perimenopausal symptoms, especially the slightly wonky periods.

One of my earliest symptoms was hot flushes just before my period but not everybody gets hot flushes at all. There is a blood test your gp can do if you want to know for sure.

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cupcake78 · 04/09/2012 10:31

I'm 34 and my periods/pmt are changing. It's natural for things to adjust with age and your cycle will be one of those things.

Period regularity is one thing that you mention and if your concerned then a trip to the gp might be worth it. It can be caused by so many things

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coffeecake · 04/09/2012 10:34

Yes thank you I have booked an appointment for next wednesday and will ask for blood tests.
I wouldn't have bothered going if it wasn't for the dramatic thinning of my hair which is worrying me. I know it could be thyroid too so getting it checked out.

I had hot flushes the other day but very faint ones about 11 days after my period, but I also get them when I'm anxious as I have occasional anxiety issues.
I remember getting hot flushes about 3 years ago after going through a very stressful event. And then nothing until the other day.

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dementedma · 14/09/2012 22:31

My gp has refused do to blood tests and says as long as I am having periods it can't be perimenopause. I am 48, have hot flushes and night sweats,am irritable and impatient,gained loads of weight round my middle...what do you think?

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MissBoPeep · 14/09/2012 22:36

The point is demented that if it is- which is likely at your age- there is no need to do tests etc unless you want to try HRT .

Your GP sounds confused BTW- peri is the wind down to meno and can last 10 years. meno is when your periods stop- peri is when they start becoming erratic and you have oher symptoms.

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ElectricSoftParade · 14/09/2012 22:51

Coffeecake and Dementedma I am now 43 and for two years I was experiencing hot flushes and odd periods. My periods would either come for a couple of weeks at a time or not at all for approx 6 months at the longest.

I kept asking my GP for a blood test (really, for my own peace of mind) but kept being told I was too young. After the 6 month lapse he gave me the blood test and I was told I was menopausal. I was pleased when I was told I was menopausal because it explained why I was feeling like I was. I decided to take HRT and have been so much better on it. My main worries are: 1) When I need to stop (been told 50) will I feel as shite as I did? Think the answer is yes and I am dreading it and 2) will it increase my chances for breast cancer? My sister died at 55 after having breast cancer. I have been reassured (?) the risk is extremely small before 50.

I think I am going to investigate more natural methods of managing the meno but in the meantime I will continue with the HRT because I felt so dreadful. I would just like to say this is MY experience and I am very aware not all women feel this way. I hope this has helped but I am not sure it has... wavery Smile

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crazynanna · 14/09/2012 22:59

I have been in the Peri for a few years now...self realised no medical diagnosis.

My symptoms were:

Periods gawn mad. Heavy,clotty,frequent then missing in action...then back with vengence.

PMT from hell....many,many Incredible Hulk moments.
Flushes.
Funny BO
Thinning hair.
Tiredness
Weird,often filthy dreams Wink Geronimo gigured in the a lot
Disappearing waistline.
Forgetfulness...gave Argos my doctor's address instead of mine for a delivery Hmm
Spots
Libido left home and stuck me a v sign

Yes....just another stage of Goddess...apparently Hmm

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crazynanna · 14/09/2012 23:00

that would be figured of course...not gigured

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barleywood · 14/09/2012 23:05

Everyone is different but sharing individual stories might aid understanding. In hindsight I think I started perimenopause at 41 or 42. Cue the weight gain, especially around the middle. None of my clothes suited me anymore. I had to wear completely different styles.

I did visit an osteopath for what I thought were unrelated symptons and trawled through a local health shop for all the usual suspects....evening primrose, St John's Wort etc

The good news is that all the symptoms passed and 10 years on I now feel better than ever.

I am lighter than I have been in a very long time, almost the same as when I got married (in my twenties). I climbed Kilimanjaro this year and I feel fitter than I have been for a long time.

At the time of the weight gain a friend said that it would pass...and it did. Not that the weight loss was easy...but nor was it difficult.

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mustangsally65 · 01/02/2016 06:42

I'm just 51, perimeno shocking symptoms can't get over the HELL I've been living in. Started about 5 years ago hot flushes before period . Raging lunatic everyday forced me to go on hrt when I'd rather not. Been on Evorel 3 months feel sick, tired, depressed bloated, fat, lost , migraines worsened, raging not as bad just pre mens &hot flushes not as bad . Gonna give it a couple more months see if any better but I hate it all I'd be happy to die sorry.

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mustangsally65 · 01/02/2016 06:46

Oh did I mention period pain like labour pain? Yep that as well , never had pain before it gets worse each month , I've gotta have faith in this hrs as I feel there's nothing else I've tried loads of natural stuff I eat really healthy don't smoke or drink , oh I've never had face spots before now either .

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Joy69 · 03/04/2016 18:36

Has anyone started itching. I am perimenopausal & had the scary flooding periods ( thought I was going to die in the work loo 😨)My thermostat has gone, one minute I'm flushing, the next freezing. Now no period although still have the cramps.
The most recent is crazy itchy skin. Thought I'd got something until I asked an older friend 😕
One positive as crazynanna mentioned is that my dreams are fantastic! Would be even better if I wasn't single & could put them into action 😂

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CointreauVersial · 03/04/2016 18:43

OP, that's really interesting what you say about periods starting late being linked to early menopause.

I didn't start my periods until I was 15 1/2 and I had gone through the menopause by the age of 46.

In my case, the main symptoms of peri-menopause were horrendously heavy irregular periods, weight gain and mood swings. It look me a few years to realise what was happening because it was so much earlier than I expected.

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lljkk · 03/04/2016 19:22

I think it's a big myth about late menarche => early menopause.
Most of this thread is 4+ yrs old.

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CointreauVersial · 03/04/2016 22:22

Ah, so it is. Angry Interesting, though....

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