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’ve never heard of this connection, that’s really interesting, thanks!

Ah come on now! If I’m being impatient then it’s hardly my fault. It will be the perimenopause.

I think we used to just talk about menopause, which is when your periods stop. But now we know there is around a decade before that when your hormones rollercoaster up and down before they go poof. I dont know anyone using it as a buzz word, but then I'm not on social media. I found out I could be in perimenopause after I had a hot flush which felt like it travelled from my head to my toes and left me soaked in sweat. I was waking in the morning soaking wet, and having horrible itchy skin. I went to the doctor who put me on a low dose of HRT and the hot flashes stopped. I was 40 when this started. I know women who didnt have any symptoms until their 50s. Its just one of those things where people have a wide variety of experiences.

Absolutely. But they’re not in their 40s.

Average age of menopause is 51, and peri starts up to 10 years before that. In my early 40s, ten years ago, I developed horrific anxiety to the point where I didn’t leave the house for 3 years. I also had horrendous long, heavy periods. Not one doctor ever suggested it could be menopause related. When I was 44 I had a full hysterectomy and went into menopause overnight. The anxiety disappeared instantly, it was miraculous.

Even though ‘Perimenopause’ is overused as an excuse for everything, I think it’s positive that women are far more educated about menopause now. I only wish I’d known that my problems were hormonal. I wasn’t losing my mind, or weak.

Hello @Furning , symptoms of perimenopause can start in the 30s. HTH

The average age of menopause is between 45 and 55. Perimenopause can occur for a number of years before this, up to a decade. A decent number of women will be in perimenopause by late 30s.

Like anything related to women's health it is more than likely not fully understood.

I’m not sure how anyone can be ignorant of it at this point.

From https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21608-perimenopause

Totally agree with you - we're (me and friends)all a bit older but I am still fucking sick of talking about it tbh.

In general, I am glad it's being taken more seriously when it needs to be. In my day to day life? Can we please have a social occasion without constant banging on about "peri-brain" being the cause of everything that ever happens to us?!

How ironic that you’re saying ‘how can anyone be ignorant’ 😂🙄

Those of us who have had to fight tooth and nail with ignorant and poorly informed NHS GPs would beg to differ.

A classic case of "this hasn't happened to me so it cant be real". There's lots of things that haven't happened to me, but I can understand they happened to other people. I think I am getting brain fog, but I dont want to acknowledge it because it terrifies me. I've always been a thinker, and to have these moments in my early 40s where it feels like I have to wait for my brain to reboot is really scary. I pray its perimenopause!

It would be exceptional if they all were though.

It wouldn't. So many PP have shared info with you now on how some women will start in mid 30s and some in late 50s. There's a range. What part of that is confusing?

I think there is sometimes a shift in your hormones and period patterns when you are in your 30s but that doesn’t mean you are in perimenopause. It seems today that everything has to have a label. You can’t have a heavy period, forget a name or feel hot without people labelling you peri menopausal. Anyone who likes a tidy and clean house is now OCD and someone who is struggling with multitasking is suddenly claiming they are ADHD. It can get a bit ridiculous.

OP must be a GP, what with their faux-baffled dismissal and rude ignorance about peri 😂 Also, do they know that baseless rage leaking out all over innocent women can be a symptom of peri...? Lol. Just saying 😉

The Victorians couldnt even look at a table leg without having a fit of the vapours about it's suggestive nature. In the 1960s girls were deeply ashamed about doing PE on their period in case anyone knew. Rape was hushed up. Unbelievable now, in 2026.

But times move on, OP. Those darn pesky women living in their own bodies (and armed with all the information and other people's openness and experiences online) are ACTUALLY ALLOWED to publicly discuss peri now. ( I know, disgusting, right?) Next they'll be wanting equal rights, abortions, the end of FGM, god it just never ends....

I suggest you shut up and go live your life. Other women's medical experiences are fortunately nothing to do with you (unless you really are a GP, in which case it's never too late for a career change, have you considered working for Reform or moving to America and finding the tradwives to hang out with or something?) 😂😂 Laughable. Beneath contempt.

Why do you think fertility drops off a cliff in your mid30s? Oh, yes, that will be linked to hormonal changes. What do hormonal changes lead to? Oh, yes, that will be perimenopause. Women being aware of how early things can change and being able to discuss them is a good thing. Don't dismiss it just because you are fortunate enough not to be being impacted by the earliest signs.

The average age for menopause in the UK is 51.

It’s clearly your so called friends that are annoying you and hopefully not women who are struggling with the symptoms of perimenopause.

But you do seem very ignorant and blasé about it.

Why are you posting this? No one is arguing there isn’t the rare woman who’s perimenopausal in her 30s. But most of my mid-late 30s friends? It would be an extraordinary coincidence.

Some will. Most won’t.

You sound quite angry. My friends tell me you are therefore perimenopausal.

I mean, a clinic probably knows more that you tbh.

Do you even know the definitions of menopause and perimenopause?

I was regular as clockwork to 54, then slightly irregular for a year, then just after my 55th birthday they stopped. It’s been a year next month so I’m going to get a check up at my pilates studio (they have a women’s clinic) abot then.

Apart from the above and some very short hot flushes over the same time period (they feel quite un-natural so I notice them) there’s been nothing. In terms of symptoms ‘peri-menopause’ means nothing to me, and although I’m willing to believe that this is menopause, I thought it would be much worse.

I don’t know if ‘peri’ is overused, as I only have my own experience to go by.