To think perimenopause is an overused buzzword?

I didn’t realise itchy skin and heat intolerance to heat were down to dropping estrogen until this thread. That’s exactly why it’s helpful to talk about these things.

Yes, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. And hearing other women say it’s not that bad, just get on with it, is really upsetting.

The highest number of suicides in women occurs during the peri years.

But yeah, I’m sure they just got on with it.

I think you are confusing two points here.

Yes it is unusual to be perimenopausal in your 30s and you are within your rights to be annoyed by people using it as a reason. If you are having excessive tiredness, anxiety, depression and a myriad of other symptoms in your 30s then you need blood tests to rule out lots of other medical issues too.

However, general discussion about perimenopause is a GOOD THING. Women need to read/hear that it's not just irregular periods and hot flushes. It can also be insomnia, brain fog, anxiety, itchy skin, repeated UTIs, joint pain. If you're aware of that and start to experience those symptoms, you might reach the Ah-ha moment sooner than I did.

Thank you. It's miserable isn't it?!

I wish women who get it easy could just be grateful rather than dismissing other women's experiences.

I think it's helpful that we are discussing menopause more openly now, including perimenopause. I am only 39 but I haven't been on hormonal contraception for many years so I know my cycle has been pretty much exactly 29 days for a long long time yet lo and behold, this past 18 months or so it's been reducing down to sometimes as little as 25 days between periods. Clearly something is happening...

But that's just because more people used to use the terms wrongly, and now they've learnt to use them correctly. The definition of menopause is having had no periods for a year. Perimenopause is the run-up to that happening - which can be a decade.

And it's crap. Joint pain for me, and everything smelling so much stronger than it used to (a mildly nasty smell almost makes me vomit). Phantom smells - especially smoke. Sitting and sobbing during my period - which never used to affect me emotionally at all. And being so bloody cold all the time.

I know exactly what you have been through, sorry to hear of your experience too.

I was in peri but doctors ignored me. Night sweats where I drenched my sheets, increased anxiety, hot flushes etc.

The statistics (have you got some?) will be skewed as women aren’t listened to by many in the medical profession (and just another example of this - a couple of specialists who have saw my dc recently for a medical issue said they have a tongue tie, which is why I couldn’t breastfeed. I’d mentioned this as a possibility to numerous HVs, drs etc when DC was a baby and I was swatted away as an anxious mum).

I know a few women in my social circle alone who were/are perimenopausal in late 30s.

Maybe less ignorance and more awareness would be helpful.

I think it’s wonderful that more people are talking about or becoming aware of perimenopause!!

I started getting symptoms in my late 30s, but have only recently found a Dr who said I was perimenopausal - over 10 freaking years!! So many doctors seem unwilling to listen, or just dismiss all of the wonderful (!) symptoms as due to anxiety or stress.

And for those people saying it’s a buzzword along with neurodiversity, did you know that the drop in oestrogen often results in much more severe perimenopausal symptoms in women with ADHD, etc?

There’s a reason the suicide rate for females is highest in the age range of peri.

It also interesting when you begin looking into funding (ha ha, obviously I mean the lack of!) of research into peri, it’s appalling.

So I guess my point is, the more people are talking about it, the better!!!

Very very few women in their 30s are perimenopausal. Like a tiny minority.

That's because menopause used to be used incorrectly to describe the process which is actually perimenopause. Menopause is one day! Then you're post menopausal.

In your early 30’s it is rare, in your mid 40’s it definitely real.

Pun intended? 😂

@FurningYou sound like you need to get new friends. I’m sure you’d all benefit from the change!

No people, including doctors with attitudes like yours are the reason i lost nearly a decade of my life to this misery.
You may be getting an easy ride through menopause other women aren't and you need to just step away from conversations with them and be grateful, and hopeful that it will remain so straightforward for you.

Why are there so many anti women threads today?

lol! One of the most stupid things I have read.

You keep saying the same thing over and over- and yes women on their 30’s are in peri- poor things. People with your level of ignorance are not helping/ why the hell would you imply that they are not? This makes no sense to me why a woman wants to disable other women.

I had an oestrogen level of 54pmol/l which is excessively low with regular periods. This was at 42, I'd had what in hindsight were classic perimenopause symptoms (heat intolerance, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, relentless weightgain, reduced exercise tolerance, poor sleep) since 33 when it all started very suddenly. But my symptoms had been dismissed as "too young periods too regular, go and work on your marriage". Still don't think my periods have completely stopped now at 45 but hard to tell as i have a mirena coil as part of my HRT.

I'm under two endocrinologists (local and regional centre), and an nhs and private gynaecologists (hopefully go back fully nhs soon - it's been a battle). They all agree it's perimenopause, and they have a fair bit more medical training and experience than you do.

You will also know that some of the things you did suffer with when you were younger were probably down to hormone fluctuations too.

Nothing like a race to the bottom by bringing everyone around you down.

If it was a mans issue you would get hrt handed to you free of charge without a consultation ffs

@vincettenoirwell said. I’m in it and it’s bloody horrible. I’m not myself and it’s a never ending cycle of trying to get HRT right while managing kids and elderly parents. It’s really hard and as you say another woman’s health issue that is now at least visible.