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 wonder if COVID has had an influence on this?

I got COVID almost immediately in March 2020, and had very irregular periods ever since. I had pronounced Long Covid for 14m, with fatigue and brain fog being the primary symptoms.

The effects were especially pronounced around menstruation and ovulation - and when I've had episodes since, they have been at the same times.

It’s not at all unusual or uncommon for women in their mid to late thirties to be experiencing symptoms of the start of peri.
I thought it was and so I went to the GP, got a second opinion, referred to gynaecologist- not one medical professional including the experts batted one eyelash that I had peri symptoms. All said it was perfectly normal for 37.

It is weird that Covid has such an impact on cycles. I also have Long Covid - the most common group is women in their mid 40s it definitely muddies the waters with symptoms overlapping.

What I will say is that HRT has really helped not only menopause symptoms but also long Covid symptoms. It reduces inflammation and gives me more energy. And helps me sleep. So if I had Long Covid and was going through the menopause without HRT I’d be barely functioning!

That's an interesting take on what I said. I'm just surprised that an expert in hormones thinks all peri or post menopausal women experience hot flushes, that mid 40s is too young for symptoms or that the loss of hormones will only effect our periods or gives us hot flushes

@MILLYmo0se yes that story of the consultant endo is either bullshit, the poster has misunderstood what they were saying or the consultant needs to retire as that is not the current understanding. I don’t know any of my colleagues who would say that.

I don’t see how thinking you might be perimenopausal is going to stop a woman seeking out other possible causes for a symptom that is troubling them. How can a public conversation about a particular area of health stop people from considering other health concerns? A troubling symptom is a troubling symptom and if it’s troubling enough a woman would still go to the GP.

According to the actual data, most women experience the actual menopause (not perimenopause that you stated) between 45-55, with the average age being 51. Early menopause is 40-45 and between 5-10% of women have their menopause in that age range; premature menopause is anything before 40 and it's about 1% of women.

Perimenopause goes on for anything up to 10 years before menopause (periods stopping). So it is very feasible for symptoms to start mildly from late 30s, with worsening symptoms from early 40s.

I think this covers it:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUG1NLACKbJ/?img_index=1&igsh=ODV2Zzg2aGhyOWgy