To think perimenopause is an overused buzzword?

[Furning]

My friends and I are mid to late 30s. A lot of them are now claiming they’re perimenopausal, and if I mention I’m hot, or I've forgot something, or cant concentrate, they rush to tell me it’ll be perimenopause.

If they are struggling to lose weight, or forget what they’re saying, or anything at all negative happens, it’s because they’re perimenopausal.

I know some women might be in their 30s, but surely not most? Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with it?

I agree op, my younger sister is like this and thinks she is in perimenopause, attributing various random ‘symptoms’ to it! I am nearly 42 and don’t think I am yet, possibly the odd thing but it could be any number of things!

i just think it’s a fashionable thing these days and all the influencers and podcasters have found something to convince women they have to fork out for. Various supplements etc that they need for their perimenopause. I don’t think it’s helpful to constantly focus on this and I prefer to think I am young enough not to be in perimenopause quite yet! I may be delusional but I prefer that overall 😂

It's obviously a thing, but it's noticeable that there's much less talk about plain old menopause. It's all the new shiny perimenopause.

My understanding is that you’re in peri as soon as your oestrogen levels start to drop. So I think women in their late 30s are typically in peri.

I can see why it seems like a buzzword invented by TikTok when it’s on everyone’s lips all of a sudden. But I think there’s more to it than that. It’s taken a very long time for it to be recognised and it is still poorly understood. Just like endometriosis, menorrhagia and and an tonne of other women’s health issues.

I don’t think so. The NHS and BUPA say it’s usually between 45 and 55. The NHS also says the first sign tends to be irregular periods. No one mentions this particularly symptom though.

I had never heard the word until I came on MN . I genuinely cannot remember giving menopause much thought even when going through it,Perimenopause is very over used and it could actually cause someone to miss an important symptom for a serious illness.
Yes in hindsight I generally struggled mid to late 40s with MH ,heavy periods which all stopped late 40s etc but I never joined any dots together.

It's partly because it's more profitable for them - they target their stuff to sell at a wide age range now

Also, I think workplaces have seized on it as a reason to discriminate

So now they don't want to employ anyone of child bearing age which is 16 to - well 56 in my family 😱 but for most people I don't know, 48? Though the world seems to be thinking that this is impossible. No wonder abortions are high in that age group.

And now they don't want to employ perimenopausal women

And now they don't want to employ post menopausal women I presume - I don't know

I didn't think that women would embrace it so much. If you have a health problem, wouldn't you want it to be between you and your manager? I've said this before on here - people were furious.

So thank you, and I agree with you.

You’ll probably get some stick for saying it but you’re right. It’s almost the new undiagnosed ADHD.

I see it on here in reference to everything, but have never actually heard it used ‘in the wild’…!

@Furning my periods started being irregular when I was in my early forties. Very erratic, heavy and sometimes months in-between. Was in peri menopause for 10 years!! So yes it does happen for some people earlier.... just depends on the woman.

I am 45 am my friends have been 'experiencing' it for years now I don't think I have yet. Well my son just turned 4 so really I've just had a baby.

And not am

Plus the fact that everyone's children are ND . I didn't really get any symptoms which I could say were due to the peri or menopause itself except the odd warm flush .

In my experience you don’t know you’re in it until it’s too late … not that you can do much lol …. I always put it down to getting older … then when it really hit me, turns out it wa an auto immune disease… and peri … as you get older things get more clunky / shit … blame it on whatever, it won’t change anything 🤣

When they're sitting in a literal pool of their own sweat after 4 consecutive nights of barely sleeping, can't hold a pen because hands are shaking so much, forget their own job title when talking to a new colleague, and get rock-solid sore breasts and haywire periods, they can talk to me about perimenopause.

women bashing- excellent

I think perimenopausal is the new 'pre menstrual' ( do you remember that phrase?)..feeling yuck, grumpy etc.

We've always been ruled by our hormones.

Except now everyone seems to think it's fair game to ask about it... I got asked the other day by a work colleague how old I was when my periods stopped! Eugh some things are private.

It's the new dog-bashing. I think I've seen a daily negative thread about perimenopause recently.

I think it's concerning how much is attributed to perimenopause that could be other things needing investigation. I have had a couple of things attributed to perimenopause that were different medical issues entirely. I think putting everything down to perimenopause can be dangerous.

Having said that, I know hormones can affect us women greatly and there are definitely premenstrual symptoms I get. However, at the age of 50, I'm still regular as clockwork, so maybe I still have it coming?

Opposite for me, it wasn't talked about at all really when I was in my 30s (now just turned 50) but in my late 30s my periods started being crazy and I had my first migraine. Continued to have migraines every few months until my late 40s, the kind of migraine when all you can do is stay in a dark room crying from the pain and vomiting every half an hour for about 24hrs. Missed days of work, time with children etc etc many GP trips didn't help but at about 48 a colleague casually suggested it could be related to perimenopause. I've been on HRT for 18mnths now and haven't had a single migraine since, gutted about the time I lost, so I'm all for more awareness.

YANBU. Attributing minor issues is a bit like when you think you’re in labour… late 40s and trust me when you are you know! Grim AF, no room for doubt and personally cannot wait for full menopause and an end to it. Fair play to those who get off lightly as wouldn’t wish full blown peri on anyone.

Thing is that it is being talked about MATTERS. it MATTERS that women's issues are starting to be taken seriously. if you think it is funny or annoying then you clearly have not lived though decades of being ignored just because you are a woman. Lucky you.

I suppose it's useful to know that it can affect you in ways you otherwise wouldn't have realised, I'm in my late 30s and am more at risk for early menopause so I'm anticipating it happening fairly soon

I disagree, respectfully. I know of far too many people who have been of peri age and been to the docs only to get fobbed off with anti depressants or anti anxiety pills. It's shocking how many women are on a myriad of medication, when HRT would probably sort them out. Maybe doctors are different in different areas but my peers' experiences have been the complete opposite, interestingly.

In my own experience I had a lot of symptoms and felt just unlike myself, for months on end. My best friend kept telling me it was peri, and I scoffed at her. Eventually I accepted it 😅

Do not underestimate. It’s a thing and everybody’s symptoms are delivered in a unique way so don’t judge. You may even get the symptoms you thought you’d escaped in the first 5-10 years. I had crippling anxiety from nowhere in my forties. I gave electric shocks to everyone. I think anyone who thinks it’s overhyped haven’t had chronic symptoms - yet!

what- only people with your experience have a right to discuss their symptoms?