To ask what was the first sign you had that you were entering menopause?

[OldFan]

Just wondered really as I think I might be getting it IDK.

Periods lighter and horrendous anxiety that I had no idea was linked to peri. Also lethargy.

I guess I'm perimenopausal - everything was normal until I missed periods after each COVID vaccination. After the booster I missed 3 periods and went to the GP to discuss HRT but she said give it another month and sure enough it kicked back in. However I am putting on weight for the first time in my life, my hair is falling out more than usual and I am approaching the age where my mother started her menopause with uncontrollable bleeding, so basically my days are numbered.

Anxiety, poor concentration, aching joints, weaker pelvic floor, increased appetite, decreased energy levels and motivation. Didn’t realise they were symptoms until starting HRT.

Sudden alcohol intolerance when I was 42. Went overnight from enjoying a glass of wine with dinner to getting a headache just from the smell of someone else’s drink. Week-long migraines every month. Greasy hair, heart palpitations, total exhaustion, sore and swollen joints. I’m on HRT which I guess must be helping in some ways (my cholesterol levels have come way down) but I still feel crap a lot of the time. I’m 46 now.

It’s only looking back that I realise my awful heavy periods and emotional mood swings were dire signs of Peri starting about 4 years ago. I was overseas and did have all the bloods but Dr confirmed with my symptoms it was peri. I started bawling in her office.

My periods were regular until last Christmas so I’m definitely approaching menopause. Not having periods has made me realise how awful they are and how debilitating they can be.

Ive had some night sweats and shocking tiredness and even been told that I’ve not been very nice. Urges to pee are a new one which I don’t like but I’m hopeful that the end is nigh.

what a time we have as women.

Brain fog and inability to learn anything new.

Oh and yes to the constant feeling of imminent doom.

I had brain fog, achey joints and bad sleep initially then started HRT.

Periods were regular as clockwork until 49. Now my cycles are getting longer and longer and PMT is longer and worse. I've just had my first period in 56 days and feel purged after being incandescent with rage for the last 4 weeks.

On the plus side, I give a lot fewer fucks about anything!

This poster wasn’t being rude- chill out. She’s not shaming anyone or saying that it’s all in the mind.

hows the menopausal rage going?

Periods started to get lighter and shorter. They had always been regular, quite painful and sometimes heavy.

Sleep disturbance and bad skin ( I've always had good skin ) followed by horrendous anxiety and ridiculously long heavy periods

It's peri-menopause.

My menstrual cycle shortened by a few days each month, a couple of hot flushes then periods suddenly stopped at 49. A last hurrah 10 months later and that was it. On the positive side, migraines became less frequent and much less debilitating. Horrible hormonal acne cleared up. I consider myself very lucky.

I don’t know what’s going on with me. I don’t have periods (Mirena coil), I don’t have hot flushes. But I often get -

a feeling of impending doom

complete intolerance of rudeness or stupidity

can’t lose weight

itchy back when I go to bed

often feel dizzy or lightheaded

no motivation- I have a lovely job working with children, but now I just feel meh and can’t be arsed

look forward to not having see or speak to anyone

prefer cup of tea and chocolate hobnob to sex

no longer leave the house unless I absolutely have to

but I don’t feel unhappy or depressed 😂

I’m 50 next week

For me it was the ridiculous dry eyes.

Wanting to kill everyone I knew

A few heavy erratic periods over a year or so, night sweats occasionally, a bit of brain fog occasionally. Never had a hot flush. Never felt the need to visit the GP. Never took medication. I'm now well over it given that was all at least 10 years ago! Not everyone's menopause is problematic or unmanageable.... I feel the widespread of doling out HRT might be counterproductive. At some point you will need to stop taking it and the symptoms will then kick in big time (or maybe I'm mistaken in that?)

Brain fog and my memory, which was always good, is now terrible. Hot flushes and I never feel cold now. Winter is great but summer is unbearable. Oh, and constant tiredness.

I'm 46 and I've had worsening anxiety since last year. I didn't realize it could be peri-menopause related until so many people posted about it on this thread.
It's horrific - I'm catastrophizing about everything - I know the things are extremely unlikely to happen but I sometimes cannot get up off the sofa because I'm scared I'm going to do something which will mean I end up getting sued or I sit in a panic about whether I will be investigated by the tax office and end up with a 100 k fine (all my taxes are in order). Terrified I'm going to damage neighbours' property somehow or my floor will fall through into their flat - that kind of thing.
The first thing I noticed a couple of years ago was being horny the whole time - that went off for a while but came back again last summer with a vengeance and has now tailed off again.
Also hair thinning and heavier, more frequent periods. Plus my period related migraines are back for the first time in 20 years

I'm peri menopause. Period stopped completely 4 months ago. Have had two hot flushes. Terrible brain fog. Plus side, I used to get very nervous and anxious, complete opposite, couldn't give two fucks now.......that may of course change. Very dry skin and hair texture doesn't feel the same.

Soaking the sheets with night sweats
Unbridled rage sbout everything
Dry eyes, dry itchy ears, dry vagina
(and therefore little enjoyment in sex)

There are blood tests but they're wildly unreliable becajuse our hormones are up and down. The real reason for them, as a PP said, is to rule out anything else.

Hot flushes, felt low, anxiety, itchy skin. Been on HRT since May last year. Changed my life. Wished I took it sooner. Take a patch, mirena coil.

Anxiety.
Imposter syndrome at work, in a career that I'd been in for 30 years and excelled at. Still felt useless.
Then heavy blood loss.
I'm on the other side now and never been happier.

I'm only 43 so not entirely sure it's peri but for the last 9 months or so I've had increasingly poor sleep (waking through night or early waking), major irritability lasting part of the month, periods a bit more erratic and much heavier, restless legs at night, drier skin, random joint pain. Reluctant to go to GP as I have a feeling he might be dismissive due to my age.

It's peri-menopause, and you are in no way too young. Arm yourself with the NICE guidelines, see your GP, or better yet, go private. HRT is extremely important for bone and heart health, especially if you are on the younger side when symptoms begin.