To think perimenopause is an overused buzzword?

Yep. How dare we put a name to something many women struggle with.

The symptoms are so weird and random
itchy ears, aching legs. It covers so many things you don’t realise. It’s why we talk now when it wasn’t before, I’m not sure people put the two together. It’s almost a “WTF, that’s controlled by hormones too?”

some people sail through, everyone’s is unique

When I was a child saying the word Pregnant was a bit out there. Things have moved on, we no longer use In The Family Way, using language is important. I think it's excellent to recognise that your hormones will go down the shitter at some point in your early 40s or before, and if you're one of the ones lucky enough not to notice it, then good for you.

For everyone else, talking about perimenopause helps people join the dots, refuse antidepressants ad advocate for themselves in the face of a woefully undereducated system, (the stats on this are depressing in themselves) and forwarned is forearmed.

Womens healthcare is slowly clawing itself up, talking about perimenopause, because it's a real thing, it doesn't just exist on tiktok or wherever you've seen it, and is distinct from menopause.

Why would you want to shut women up?

I have a sneaking suspicion that in some influencer quarters it's partially being used as a signifier that someone is not old enough for the actual menopause...

Menopause is the lack of a thing. It's when your period stopped. It takes a year to backwards diagnose it.

Perimenopause is what we used to use the term "menopause" to describe. Like "the change". But menopause is not a process. Perimenopause is. It's the process leading up to when your period stops. Which is menopause.

Women are ignored medically enough, just let them discover their symptoms and advocate for them selves when the time is right. I’d rather hear it daily the go back to generational ignorance and poor women being dismissed for awful symptoms.

That’s because they ARE two different things, not new replacing old.
Shiny Peri rage makes regular PMT look like a relaxing spa day massage. When you dry up on every single part of your body, anywhere there’s moisture from your eyes to your feet, then your periods skip a month…then start up again…then skip…you’re still in shiny peri. When your partner gives you the ick just from breathing and your periods skip another month, you’re still in peri…when your periods finally stop and don’t return at all, then you’re in plain old menopause (or possibly unexpectedly pregnant).

what- only people with your experience have a right to discuss their symptoms?

Do not underestimate. It’s a thing and everybody’s symptoms are delivered in a unique way so don’t judge. You may even get the symptoms you thought you’d escaped in the first 5-10 years. I had crippling anxiety from nowhere in my forties. I gave electric shocks to everyone. I think anyone who thinks it’s overhyped haven’t had chronic symptoms - yet!

I disagree, respectfully. I know of far too many people who have been of peri age and been to the docs only to get fobbed off with anti depressants or anti anxiety pills. It's shocking how many women are on a myriad of medication, when HRT would probably sort them out. Maybe doctors are different in different areas but my peers' experiences have been the complete opposite, interestingly.

In my own experience I had a lot of symptoms and felt just unlike myself, for months on end. My best friend kept telling me it was peri, and I scoffed at her. Eventually I accepted it 😅

I suppose it's useful to know that it can affect you in ways you otherwise wouldn't have realised, I'm in my late 30s and am more at risk for early menopause so I'm anticipating it happening fairly soon

Thing is that it is being talked about MATTERS. it MATTERS that women's issues are starting to be taken seriously. if you think it is funny or annoying then you clearly have not lived though decades of being ignored just because you are a woman. Lucky you.

YANBU. Attributing minor issues is a bit like when you think you’re in labour… late 40s and trust me when you are you know! Grim AF, no room for doubt and personally cannot wait for full menopause and an end to it. Fair play to those who get off lightly as wouldn’t wish full blown peri on anyone.

Opposite for me, it wasn't talked about at all really when I was in my 30s (now just turned 50) but in my late 30s my periods started being crazy and I had my first migraine. Continued to have migraines every few months until my late 40s, the kind of migraine when all you can do is stay in a dark room crying from the pain and vomiting every half an hour for about 24hrs. Missed days of work, time with children etc etc many GP trips didn't help but at about 48 a colleague casually suggested it could be related to perimenopause. I've been on HRT for 18mnths now and haven't had a single migraine since, gutted about the time I lost, so I'm all for more awareness.

I think it's concerning how much is attributed to perimenopause that could be other things needing investigation. I have had a couple of things attributed to perimenopause that were different medical issues entirely. I think putting everything down to perimenopause can be dangerous.

Having said that, I know hormones can affect us women greatly and there are definitely premenstrual symptoms I get. However, at the age of 50, I'm still regular as clockwork, so maybe I still have it coming?

It's the new dog-bashing. I think I've seen a daily negative thread about perimenopause recently.

I think perimenopausal is the new 'pre menstrual' ( do you remember that phrase?)..feeling yuck, grumpy etc.

We've always been ruled by our hormones.

Except now everyone seems to think it's fair game to ask about it... I got asked the other day by a work colleague how old I was when my periods stopped! Eugh some things are private.

women bashing- excellent

When they're sitting in a literal pool of their own sweat after 4 consecutive nights of barely sleeping, can't hold a pen because hands are shaking so much, forget their own job title when talking to a new colleague, and get rock-solid sore breasts and haywire periods, they can talk to me about perimenopause.

In my experience you don’t know you’re in it until it’s too late … not that you can do much lol …. I always put it down to getting older … then when it really hit me, turns out it wa an auto immune disease… and peri … as you get older things get more clunky / shit … blame it on whatever, it won’t change anything 🤣

Plus the fact that everyone's children are ND . I didn't really get any symptoms which I could say were due to the peri or menopause itself except the odd warm flush .

And not am

I am 45 am my friends have been 'experiencing' it for years now I don't think I have yet. Well my son just turned 4 so really I've just had a baby.

@Furning my periods started being irregular when I was in my early forties. Very erratic, heavy and sometimes months in-between. Was in peri menopause for 10 years!! So yes it does happen for some people earlier.... just depends on the woman.

I see it on here in reference to everything, but have never actually heard it used ‘in the wild’…!