Perimenopause - anyone else?

[Covidbegone]

So I’m 40. My Mum started her menopause at 38, and I’ve been led to believe it’s a familial trait. My periods have become irregular and don’t get me started on the excess hair. The main thing I’ve noticed is that my mood swings are up and down beyond. Is this normal? I’m really struggling with them as one minute I’m on a complete high and being silly with my kids, the next I’m a blubbering mess, and realistically I know it’s over not much and probably annoying my friends with my whiney texts. Is this normal? Anyone else? Any advice? Not been to the dr yet, just feels like I’m ticking every perimenopausal box

My peri started at 40 with the crazy periods. I then started having hot flushes, insomnia, night sweats, and horrific, crushing anxiety which I had never had before in any way. Started HRT at 41 and have felt fabulous ever since. I'm 47 now.

i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113666670/perimenopause-lead-up-to-menopause-very-uncomfortable-and-poorly-understood

I think you can buy a test in Boots. I am sure I saw it next to the pregnancy section.

I mean a test for menopause.

Ah thanks EddyF, I may have a look for that. No idea you could test for it. Aquamarine1029 thanks 🙏 that’s made me feel a bit better about the mood swings. I would definitely class it as anxiety. Why do people not discuss this stuff? I feel like I’m going into it blindfolded.

For me, the peri was worse than the actual menopause. Mainly because I didn't have a clue what it was. Anxiety, mood swings, rage, tears, bloating, horrendous blood loss all started around the age of 38. I'd just stopped having babies when this all started, it's such fun being a woman.

Yes, that sounds like perimenopause. The rage and anxiety were terrible for me- still are sometimes.

I take 5htp supplements and I used to take St John's Wort with it at the start. This worked for me.

DayswithaY you have just made me feel a bit more normal. Thank you. Looks like I need to book in with my GP then. Wish me luck!

So why as women do we not talk about this? Blows my mind how unprepared I feel. And my mum bless her, sat me down in my 20’s to explain she had early onset to prepare me that my child baring window might be shorter than most. And I’m still not prepared

Started about the same time as you, all tour symptoms plus sleeplessness, night sweats, anxiety, The Rage, flooding....that’s fun look that one up.

Hrt really helped. It’s your oestrogen crashing, you need to replace it, especially as you are starting quite young.

Look at menopause matters website.

The worst bit for me was I was the first of my friends my age to go through it and older friends didn’t talk about it or had sailed through. So I’d get unhelpful advice about diet and exercise. I was a bit evilly pleased when my otherwise completely lovely friend who had suggested ‘lifestyle’ changes then crashed into menopause at 50 and apologised.

There’s no reliable test, it’s symptoms. Get to a gp as it could be something else.

Does anyone else have sore itchy boobs? Just turned 40 and I've had the awful flooding periods and cramps (which I never had before) for the last 2 years. Horrid bloating, tiredness, etc. But the sore itchy (like deep internal itch) boobs are new, and an ultrasound and mammogram turned up nothing.

Louise Newsom is a gp with an expertise in menopause. She is very informative. Has a Facebook page. She explains that because hormones are fluctuating so much tests can be unreliable for diagnosis.

Sorry I got her name wrong - it's Newson

My boobs usually get sore just before periods IamTomHanks

My boobs usually get sore just before periods IamTomHanks

That used to be the case for me, but now it's all the time.

Oh my goodness I had no idea all of these were perimenopause symptoms. I have been battling since birth of dd 8 years ago- I just thought it was extended post natal anxiety. Health visitor did tell me to have a blood test as it could be hormones but at gps they turned their nose up at her idea, did a blood test but I don't think they even checked for hormones. Now 8 years later I have only had two periods during 2020 so I am pretty sure I am about to have the menopause. My mum ended aged 50 but didn't start till 18. I started at 12 so it stands to reason I could stop at 45 (my current age). But I hope this means I am also coming to the end of feeling awful, I am on sertraline because I thought all the rages and everything were due to anxiety but perhaps not!

I’m 41 and have every symptom for the peri menopause. My GP has advised me to fill in a diary of symptoms and go back to her in 2 months. The night sweats and insomnia are killing me.

I’m 47 and in perimenopause although trying to find a gp to acknowledge this is is an absolute nightmare!
My moods are awful. I also have terrible anxiety which comes in waves. Awful periods, awful digestive issues, itchy skin, no libido. The list goes on. I feel like I am on an emotional and physical rollercoaster, I honestly don’t know from day to day how I am going to feel.
I am on some great Facebook support groups, Perimenopause Hub and U.K. Ladies Menopause Support Group, great advice on there.

Wool duvets for night sweats.

Mostly hrt though.

Perimenopausal at 34 with all the same symptoms. Went to docs as I wasn't sleeping, no memory, couldn't string a sentence together or find words, a sweaty crying mess. Was told there was nothing wrong with me. I struggled like this for 9 years. Had last period at 43. Now at 45 they are taking me seriously, because of no estrogen or reduced levels, I have the worst vaginal atrophy, in pain every day. I'm officially thru menopause now.

Anyone think they are perimenopausal, get yourself help and fast. Atrophy is one symptom you really don't want.

Vagifem for vaginal atrophy.

How do you convince a doctor to give you an appointment for this? I am 43 and have had the suddenly heavy periods closer together (every 3-3.5 weeks, I always used to be 28/29 days) which I’m convinced is peri. It doesn’t hugely bother me BUT both parents have osteoporosis, so would like HRT if it is.

Itching and night sweats in my early 40s turned out to be vitamin d and b12 deficiency. I'd suggest definitely investigating that before presuming it's the peri or assuming you have to power through it. Supplement injections for a few months and prescription high dose vit D made it all go away thankfully.

I'm older but the insomnia is the worst bit, I get hot flushes (awkward in a pandemic ) and had short but heavy periods until I had the mirena fitted and now I just spot for a couple of days

@Fortheweekend
My moods are awful. I also have terrible anxiety which comes in waves. Awful periods, awful digestive issues, itchy skin, no libido. The list goes on. I feel like I am on an emotional and physical rollercoaster, I honestly don’t know from day to day how I am going to feel
Oh this is me, I'm talking to gp today - wish me luck!

I'm 51 and think I'm now in actual menopause as haven't had a period for around 6-8 months (never track them so cant be sure). Peri symptoms were mainly hot flushes which I managed really successfully with maca root powder and then soya isoflavones. Both help with oestrogen production. I'm now at the stage where the flushes are horrid but just about manageable but the night sweats/insomnia are utterly awful.

I was going to try not to go down the HRT route, but right now I would try anything if it means I get some sleep. I have a phone consultation with my GP booked to discuss HRT and I won't be fobbed off.