Is 37 too young for perimenopause?

[Moreburpees]

What age did others start perimenopause?
I’ve been wondering if I’m perimenopausal or if I’m just losing the plot recently?! I’ve started over the last year getting migraines that last 2-3 days, regularly 2-4 times a month. My chin is covered in acne and I’ve never suffered from acne before. I’m can’t remember anything and keep forgetting things, I used to be able to go to bed at 9pm every night and sleep right through until 5, now I can’t fall asleep or wake in the night frequently, I’ve started with this constant anxious knot in my stomach and it seems to be there all the time, I’ve become tearful from being so overwhelmed all the time, permanently exhausted yet can’t settle.
I’ve started getting these urges to do things and I have to do them immediately for example I was out sawing down a tree at 7am this morning - the kids thought I’d lost the plot!
I keep getting this wave of heat come over me, even when it’s not overly hot. My hair is thinning, and my skin has become greasy when usually it’s dry.
Does this sounds like perimenopause to anyone? I feel like I’m going crazy at the moment and can’t work out what else could be wrong with me!

no, my mum went through menopause at 31.

I started mine around that age, 36/37, so it’s definitely possible. But equally could be something else. It would be worth seeing your GP to discuss and potentially rule out other causes.

I'm 38 and have been having the same kind of symptoms – I was just diagnosed with POI (premature ovarian insufficiency). Turns out I'm already post-menopausal, but had no idea because my coil stopped my periods years ago.

Go to your doctor and get them to run some blood tests, particularly for oestrogen and FSH levels.

I had to have a hysterectomy in December last year and even though they left my ovaries so I would go into menopause! I am now in full blown perimenopausal state 🤣 and omg it's cruel! I've been given everol conti patches which seems to be helping.
Having said all this though I felt very similar this time last year so it is possible to go through menopause early. I have a friend who's 35 and is showing some very similar symptoms.
Happy to help and advice x

Thank you. I thought I was years off going through the menopause, I didn’t realise it was quite common to start going through it in your thirties! The symptoms have all come on slowly over the last year but seem to be getting worse. It’s reassuring to hear that others have had similar symptoms, as I have been starting to feel like i’m losing my mind a little!
Does anyone have any advice on natural products/supplements that have helped reduce symptoms. I was taking a lot of cocodamol to help with the headaches but I’m trying to stop that as I know they aren’t very good for you.

I have sent a request to the doctor for blood tests, which is being reviewed so hopefully I can get my hormone levels checked. I would love to know your experiences with the GP, were they helpful at all?

diet, my migraines were off the scale, then I reduced dairy and eventually cut it out, now I have 1 2 a year.

obviously may not be same for everyone but a food diary may highlight triggers that could be avoided. 2-3 days you need to be looking back.

I am 43 and have had a very very similar experience to you. Same kinds of symptoms as you started when I was 38, I initially thought it was to do with having had COVID that year. I have hashimoto's disease which flared at the same time, and I had PMDD too, with extremely heavy periods that caused debilitating anaemia. I use Oestrogel now, have done for last 18 months, and it's helped with most of the physical symptoms you're having. I've not been able to move the needle a huge amount on my low mood and anxiety, but it is much better than it was when I was your age.

Agree with PP above - get a full blood panel done, check everything

If you consider that perimenopause can last 10 years, it's not impossible that one could start it in late 30s. Good luck and hope you find some relief x

Oh and supplements - I found a little relief from ashwaganda, a good b-complex and lions mane. I still take the lions mane now as I like it so much. But nothing helped like HRT!

The blood tests aren’t useful for perimenopause but might highlight something else like thyroid problems. Symptoms are the best for menopause. I started about then, and took qlaira a contraceptive that’s often used to help with perimenopause symptoms Flooding in my case as well as everything else then moved on to HRT when I was 40. Which really helped. I’m off it all now apart from still got a coil in, I’m 56.

I was peri around 34 and post menopausal by 40.

That’s young though

Yes I think it’s quite young, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t. If the “average” age of peri is say 45 then there will still be a lot who start it younger. I think I was around 43, now I’m 52 and actually fully menopausal, my periods having stopped at 50

I started HRT last night at the age of 46. The doctor was happy to prescribe it, but said I was on the younger side as the average age is 51! I was surprised as so many of my friends have been on HRT for a while.

I think you are nearer the average, I started HRT at 37. Many of my friends are now starting to experience symptoms around 44-50.

I was absolutely convinced I was experiencing perimenopause at 43 despite have regular 28 day cycles. I was exhausted, miserable, anxious and not sleeping well, out of breath and either freezing cold or too hot.

My GP did some tests and I had some privately. What it showed was that I definitely wasn’t in Perimenopause at all ( high AMH, FSH tested every month always around 6, high antral follicle count and oestrogen and LH levels absolutely fine) . I actually got quite irritated and begged for HRT as I was convinced. It turned out to be severely low ferritin - this got missed as the gp kept saying I wasn’t anaemic but it was the ferritin that was really really low. I paid for a private iron infusion and then was on iron supplements and after about 3-4 months I felt like a different person. The GP told me to be extremely careful with contraception as I’m nowhere near menopause and apparently a lot of women in mid to late forties get caught out and get pregnant