perimenopause,do you have any symptoms?

[brimfull]

apparently it can start 6-10 yrs before menopause.The symptoms are * mood changes

• changes in sexual desire
• difficulty in concentrating
• headaches
• night sweats
• hot flashes
• vaginal dryness
• sleep disturbances
• joint and muscle aches
• extreme sweating
• frequent urination
• similar symptoms as experienced with premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

I have noticed my memory going and occassional insomnia,amongst other things.

If you do do you do anything to combat them?

I am 35 and I have hot flashes,
joint and muscle aches
sleep disturbances (dh works nights so maybe to be expected)
difficulty in concentration
headaches (but have always had these)
extreme sweating
and (she says quietly) vaginal dryness
Cripes, I never thought of the perimenopause.
But when I went for a coil last week the doctor did say that if I had had it fitted after the age of 40 it stays in until after the menopause.

YEh sounds like perimenopause.I'm going to try and increase my soya intake.Apparently flaxseed is good and may try tofu.

Why isn't it an increase of fine wine and chocolate that helps symptons?!

Usually mid 40s I think although I'm 45 and haven't had anything at all. The average age for the menopause in general in the UK, world wide and even 50 years ago has been about 50 / 51.

Sadly chocolate and wine may be some of the worst things for it.... Give up sugar and white flour and eating more greens and that's supposed to help. Same with helping PMT.

I get several symptoms of menopause of the list but not all the time. My mum started her menopause at 40 and my sister at 39. I had a blood test which didn't show I was perimenopausal but my GP told me women can dip in and out of the menopause over 10 years before it really kicks in.

She also told me that if you're fat you produce more oestrogen and suffer less. I told her I didn't know whether to lay down in the car park at the thought of doing this for another 10 years plus or go home and eat another slice of cake.

I gave up sugar and bad carbs a few yrs ago ,am strangely very regular these days at 45,more so than in my 30's.

Do these symptoms go when you are the other side of the menopause. It always paints such a dire picture when you read websites but doesn't say if it all passes.

Interested in the sugar/carbs diet thing as a month or so ago I gave up my fave food bread for a few weeks and cut back on carbs and not only felt instantly slimmer but for first time in ages had a 28-day cycle. Anyone else got any thoughts on this? Am approaching 40 in the next few years and am terrified am perimenopausal as want one more child (have 3yo dd) and was wondering about diet helping conception.

SNORT@weebleswobble

oh happyhappy joy joy

so that's the rest of my life til I 'm a dried up wizened old hag with bad sleeping, dementia and mood swings is it? At what point do I grow a moustache?

I have been experiencing slightly erratic, and sometimes heavier periods, for the last 18 months (sometimes every 3 weeks) and more recently, night sweats, which are just horrible.

I've always been prone to headaches anyway so I can't say whether that's a symptom or not. And I've had difficulty in concentrating since I had my first child!

Afaik, most symptoms if not all should disappear once you have reached the menopause itself, although I think my mum continued to have hot flushes for some time after.

I am nearly 44 btw.

Newkid, it's entirely possible to get pregnant even when going through the perimenopause. It's only impossible to get pregnant when you have reached the menopause (which means you have had your last period ever - or rather a whole year has passed since your last ever period)

I had my second when I was 40!

Mercy, thanks. I know about that and also have many friends who have conceived in late 30s/early 40s and that gives me great hope but it took 3 years to conceive dd (had her when I was 34) so I'm not a naturally quick conceiver and as time is of the essence am a bit worried about it as it is taking equally long ttc no 2 and I suspect I have some cycle probs (short LP) etc that I know can be exacerbated as menopause approaches.

I think I am. I am 37, periods have gone down to 24-25 days, hot flashes, sleep problems, IBS type symptoms (can also be a sign apparently) headaches, dizziness etc etc.

I found a site which said it can go on for 10 years before you start the memopause proper. My mum was 50 when she had hers so I've got a while to go.

I have given up most interesting food and still feel crap

Get it checked out!

I have symptoms like this at various times of the month.

My mother didn't menopause till she was 53, her mother at 52 and my dad's mum at 53.

I wouldn't mind menopause right now (I'm 36)!

But really if you think you are, it's a fairly simple blood test to confirm.

Whnever I've improved my diet like that my cycle goes more regularly to 28 days. PMT is less too and I'm sure menopause is easier too.

I'm afraid perimenopausal symptoms are nothing like as bad as post. It's normally in your 50s the real trouble starts.

Also read in my library book "The change before the change" that our shape changes not only do we put on weight in our middle (well known fact) but we also lose fat from the hips bum area.So in effect our shape changes from pear or hourglass to apple type.Obviously not everyone is affected.
I was wondering why my arse was disappearing.