to wonder what your first signs of the Perimenopause were

[Sprinklefairydust]

Wondering what your own personal signs of the perimenopause were please? And what age. Am 40 and am noticing some irregularity to cycle, terrible mood swings, pmt for half the month, slight migraines. Just feel so low

At I think 40 or maybe 41, I didn't have a period between the very start of August and early November, then everything was normal and the same happened the following August and it's happened a few times since then. I didn't have one between mid December and last week. I'm noticing I get PMT type symptoms when I'm not due on, more like when I should be ovulating, and the PMT is horrendous. Also get extremely tired around expected ovulation time.

I'm 49 and have had little so far - some irregularity with periods, stopped for a few months but always started again. I did have a spell of really bad pmt type symptoms - rage, mostly! - but that has eased off. I take supplements and st johns wort.
Memory getting worse.
Ok thats quite a few symptoms, but no night sweats or hot flushes at all which I suppose is what I associate the most.

Same age and wondering similar (after a year of TTC our second)

I have a lot of stress on too, which could be the cause

My first noticeable symptom was a hot flush. My skin went red and I felt like my head was going to set alight. Then my periods went wonky and I'm getting a lot of night sweats. Concentration has gone to shit.

It's great fun this being a woman business, isn't it?

At 40,41 I'd be seeing a dr to rule out other things. Women really shouldn't put everything down to the menopause

I'm 48. Recently my regular and light periods have changed. For over 30 years, I have had a 28 day cycle. Now it can be 20 -25 days and my periods are a little bit heavier. So I'm pretty certain this is peri menopause

In hindsight it was weight gain and anxiety at 38. It wasn’t until hot flushes, night sweats and continued weight gain at 39 that I put two and two together and went to the doctors and got the firm answer.

Hard to say, because I also had underactive thyroid and eventually Fibro.

I would say periods got heavier and irregular - closer together, longer, further apart- occasionally light. All over the place really.

Raging hot feet at night. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think I might be starting peri-menopause. PMS symptoms definitely more extreme than they used to be, and go on for longer. Am also finding that in the 10 days before my period I'm either struggling to sleep or getting night sweats. My slightly sensitive stomach around my period is even worse now. And the most recent one which has only happened a couple of times is that my cycle is getting shorter. So far the symptoms are all noticeable but not debilitating but I'm due a check in with my doctor re some medications I take in April so am going to ask whether it's worth doing bloods if it's possible with the medications I take.

Thanks all. I guess it could be years of this before I'd know.. must be a gradual decline in hormones though, so makes sense that the symptoms might be drawn out

Horrendous mood swings, like PMT constantly, started about age 45. I thought I was getting clinically depressed again (have a history) but it was just perimenopause and sorted by going on the minipill, thankfully!

I'm 55, not really started yet - but periods are getting more time between them - and my sense of smell - OMG - I know when my period is coming because in the 3 days before it starts my sense of smell is incredible!

My periods became more regular but this may have been due to having the coil fitted! I had several 'night flushes' when every pore on my body seemed to open and pour with sweat - that was 4 years ago but haven't had many since then. Body temperature is less regulated, I get really tired but don't sleep well. My memory is shocking - I have to write everything down or I forget it! Other than that I've been pretty lucky but I exercise every day for at least an hour, keep active, I'm not really overweight (BMI 26 but I'm muscular) try to eat healthily and taking a concoction of vitamins to help me

At 44 I went to the doctor as I was having memory blanks
Quickly followed by insomnia and fatigue
Now two years later my moods are all over the place and I have about 50 other symptoms including aching joints and being boiling all the time.

Oh I forgot (obviously) vaginal pain! Burning during sex. Horrible, I didn't realise vaginal atrophy could be one of the first signs

I am wondering about this too but am only 39. My 3 day periods are suddenly lasting one day, I am hot at night and have headaches. Going to make an appointment with my GP though just to get their view

This is interesting, so many different experiences. Not suprising I suppose.

I'm 50 and my periods have been as regular as clockwork until Christmas. I've then had a few months of 'has it started or not? Oh yes now it's definitely started'.

I often get very hot at night, but last night I was freezing. I'm knackered all the time - but that's been going on for years. Partly because I'm fat and have Type 2 Diabetes I expect.

I've always been anxious so that hasn't changed. I think my memory has got worse.
What a laugh....

I had exactly the same as you OP in my early 40s. My periods were getting really heavy as well. I had put off having the Mirena for a couple of years but couldn't cope with the periods any longer so had the IUD and it helped so much, it was brilliant, my periods disappeared as did a lot of of the PMT-type symptoms.

I carried on like this for another few years and at 46 I was having night sweats, anxiety, brain fog and insomnia problems so asked the GP if I could try estrogen patches and they have also since made me feel so much better, when I can get them!

Memory loss at 40 was the first one - went really bad overnight. Shorter, lighter periods followed at 43. Crippling anxiety, depression, mood swings at 44. HRT at 45 - GP called it a pre-emotive strike.

Mine started in mid 30's so didn't realise what was going on at first and my cycle never changed.
The drop in mood, the massive ups and downs. My short term memory is shot. Long term memory is ok but takes ages to get info out.
I started forgetting words, so would end up having to describe whatever is is my brain was trying to think of.
Everything became a massive effort.
The hot flushes.
Anxiety/panic attacks.
Sudden inability to make a bloody decision or get shit done. (Causing more fucking anxiety!)
Hair loss.
The worst is getting fobbed off. Told it's depression etc. Too young.

I missed out the insomnia.

My periods just stopped shortly after my 50th birthday . Didn’t notice any other issues in the lead up to this but do recall waking up in the early hours for a few months before . Started HRT around two months later as had a week of hot flushes . Once I started obviously the flushes went and I didn’t wake up in the early hours again . Wonder if I was flushing at night causing me to wake .

I was 54. Anxiety. What a shocker that was after never being anxious thinking about what to have for lunch set me off. Happily that’s gone new. 😁

I had blood tests to check and confirm it when I was 43, my periods were as regular as clockwork but I was incredibly tired, by 11am I was shattered, my hair was falling out plus had very low mood and zero sex drive.

Really crap short term memory and forgetting words like pussyhat
Massively heavy periods, then a few missing ones (yippeeee) then longer and heavier ones.
Insomnia, night sweats and very very hot feet!
Anxiety and palpitations.

Did I mention the poor short term memory.