To think I could be menopausal at 40?!

[sparrowscrack]

Any advice or opinions appreciated as this is all new to me.

I am 40 with two primary school age DC.

Over the past few years my cycle, which was always on the short side, has got even shorter most of the time and can be as little as 21 but occasionally up to 27/28 days. Last month after my period ended, I had a further week of daily spotting, which is highly unusual and something I have never had. I am now on day 31 of what should be my next cycle and nothing. No period, no real premenstrual symptoms.

Other things I have experienced over the past year are insomnia in the form of waking early and not being able to go back to sleep. I am waking up feeling hot at night but haven't had a hot flush and weather has been unusually warm.

Should I see my GP about last month's spotting and this month's missing period? I have a really strong family history of osteoporosis and am really worried to be menopausal at this age. DH had a vasectomy several years ago so it would take a miracle for me to be pregnant.

Any advice would be really appreciated, particularly whether it's worth bothering my GP about this. I can't think what they would even do?

Yes see your gp. But they won't do anything if you are still having periods. I'm 44 and definitely peri menopausal and have had to go private.

You can be blood tested for the menopause, and I think it shows if you're peri menopause too.
I'm 40, and have similar symptoms, with added ridiculous itching and being a bit rocky, emotionally. I always suffer before my period, but I'm finding myself crying at silly things and being raging angry quite quickly. I'm also a bit (as Rachel from friends says) 'erotically charged' at unusual times, as in it doesn't tie in with my usual cycle.
I had a test a few years ago, to rule it out. Turns out my gall bladder was about to dissolve from infection, which gave some surprisingly similar symptoms.
I don't think it's a waste, even if it's not the menopause, it might be something else that needs attention.

Thank you so much for your response. As I said this is completely new as I had presumed anything menopausal would be further down the road. Would my GP do blood tests or would there even be any point? Is HRT for when periods are done with? I guess I need to do some research. Honestly I would rather be pregnant at this stage than this!

buswankeress thank you for responding. I have also had that other symptom you mentioned but won't complain about that
That's interesting about your gallbladder, I hope you are ok now. I guess I do need to see them but I just have a sense that they will shrug and say it's one of those things. It would be good to know what's going on having never had spotting or such a late period before.

Had to go private for what, sensecheckplease?

I’m 38 and my cycles have been down to 25 days since January after 25 years of being 28 days on the dot. Typically a “cold” person but less so this year... I wondered if it could be the start of something but it’s not any hassle at the moment, apart from the shorter cycles.

Go to your GP and, if you’re not on any contraception, ask for the blood test that’ll tell you if your menopausal, peri-menopausal or not.
Your GP might try to tell you it’s not available or it’s not accurate. That’s a misinformed GP. Push for the blood test, it removes all the guess work by measuring your hormone levels.
Research HRT and other ways to help with menopause then if your results show you are peri or otherwise you know the route You want to take for Your menopause.
I can recommend the forum menopause matters, there’s lot of women on there (including doctors and nurses) providing great info.
I’m 47, menopausal and am on bio-identical HRT (oestrogen patch and progesterone tablet) because of what I learned on menopause matters and my other research. My HRT has changed my life.
Good luck.

burninggubbins you are describing exactly what I've been experiencing over the last couple of years.

borninastorm thank you that is really informative. I will go and ask about a blood test in that case. Is spotting part of becoming perimenopausal or could that be a whole other thing?

I'm the same my periods have gone to every 21 days and I'm 39. I had a few months where I was spotting in between my periods but that has stopped. I am also really moody the week before my period comes which I've never suffered with before. I spoke to my practise nurse at my smear test a few months ago and she said it's peri menopause. It can last for 10 years and as I don't use any form of hormonal contraception it's why I'm seeing more often. I can't have anything at all to help as I have a history of blood clots. It's a bit rubbish tbh.

I was like you from the age of 40, periods all over the place and hot flushes started when I was 44. I did see the gp who arranged a scan, nothing found. No period for a year just after 45 and I started HRT. Feel fab now.
Never bothered with any blood tests.

I'm 48, and have been having periods every 2 weeks roughly, then nothing for a couple of months. Also experiencing hot flushes. I went to the doctor (NHS) and he's put me on HRT.

Thanks munchyseeds and it's good to hear you feel great now. I guess it just makes me feel a bit sad (completely irrationally) to be putting my fertile years behind me. It makes no sense I know but it feels like I turned 40 then straight into this! Am probably feeling sorry for myself so perhaps I'm premenstrual after all

Go see your gp. I’m same age as you and periods have been all over the place (very long and heavy) since coming off the pill. He said he didn’t think it was menopause as no other menopause symptoms but had bloods done to check for anemia and if menopausal and is referring me for an internal scan which should be in next 3 weeks. If you don’t ask you won’t get.

Thanks nancybelle I will go and see my GP. I guess I can at least see what they suggest.

I had similar symptoms two years ago, when I was 38. Cycle was always 28/29 days and changed to anything between 21-35 days, some were incredibly heavy and some really light. Started to get strange sleeping times - sometimes insomnia, sometimes extreme exhaustion. Blood test for menopause came back negative.

Was sent for an ultrasound and come back that I had a 8cm ovarian cyst which had to be removed.

That's really interesting to hear slashlover and I could be jumping to conclusions about heading towards menopause. I hope you are ok now. On that basis I will definitely follow this up, just to be sure there's nothing else going on. Thanks for taking the time to comment I appreciate it.

Can I jump in the thread as being thinking about posting for ages ... I’m only 41 and the itching dear god the itching..., I had sti check / thrush cream / Steroid cream and even worm tablets just in case. Now sex painful .. I’m out of ideas so been given estrogen cream but still dying a death here. Is this normal ?? Still having periods but long history of infertility & general fuckedupness. If anyone can suggest anything I would be internally grateful ( I meant to write eternally but had a drink ) cracked me up ( as had a drink )so leaving it !

Jump away attilla! I don't have any advice but hope someone comes along soon with a great suggestion. Could it be an allergy or sensitivity like to something like your laundry detergent?

I went to see mine. As the pill I had been using and not had anything for years suddenly they started up again. And my last period I was on for nearly 3 weeks.

She checked me over. Internal. She didn’t find anything. She is sending me for a scan just to be on the safe side. But she said it is probably peri menopause.

Simple blood test confirmed it for me when I was 38, like you, I assumed it to be something that would happen much further down the line. Obviously, it could be something else like slashlover but you won't know until you've been checked out by a doctor so yes, it is worth bothering your GP about.

I was lucky and never suffered from itching but did find I had to change a lot of skin and hair products because of until then unprecedented acne breakouts in the beginning and I developed a slight dairy intolerance so changed a few things in my diet.

This is all such an eye opener. It seems to be common for this type of thing to begin sooner than I would have thought. And yet I have a couple of friends my age who are trying to conceive their first dc right now, I'm glad I didn't leave it too late although I guess I would probably still be fertile just less so.

Do you know when your own mother went through menopause? Very often (though not always), mothers and daughters will be a similar age.

Attila I stopped using soap and replaced with water / E45 type cream cleanser.

And lube.

I started with premenopausal symptoms at 41 and was fully post-menopause by 43 so it's definitely possible. My GP took blood tests to assess my hormone levels and prescribed HRT (my choice) even though I was still having periods at that point, so a previous posters experience seems a bit surprising and warrants a challenge to the GP.

My doctor refused to do a test for me two years ago, aged 47, said there's no point. They will test when periods have stopped for a year, but surely then you know anyway? It was the depression that was my issue, they called it 'low mood' and offered no support at all.

Two years on, mood still very up and down, I paid for my own counselling support for about 8m before I couldn't really keep affording it. Though I have moved house and in a different NHS area where I have self referred and been given CBT which is hopeless.

Still having periods, kind of random now. Get PMT sypmtoms sometimes then no period. Sometimes I get one that only lasts a day, sometimes have spotting for weeks, then every now and then a horribly heavy one.
No idea if I need to do anything. Still have a sex drive (am single though).