I always thought that menopause was something that happened to women in their 50s. I had never heard of the 'perimenopause' until a few months ago and even then i didn't think that began until a woman was 45 plus. I'm just 38 years old and in the perimenopause or possibly even premature menopause. I believe this started when i was 34 or 35. I keep reading posts from ladies on here who are around my age and going through this. I don't know anyone in person who is though, at least none of my female friends seem to be. I feel quite isolated and alone. i know that fertility is meant to decline quite rapidly after 35 but i didn't imagine that menopause would kick in so soon. I'm suffering from quite a few menopausal symptoms such as mood swings, low mood, panic attacks, palpitations, bloating, irregular periods, hair loss and vaginal dryness. I have to say that this is making my life a misery, probably not helping that iv'e been trying to conceive for over a year now without success despite being very fertile in the past. I don't understand this and i don't like it. Why is menopause happening to women under 40 ? It never used to years ago. Is it something that is in our food these days which is causing early menopause ? I read an article recently that said that toxins and chemicals in make-up and various kinds of packaging were to blame. I never imagined 'the change' would be as bad as this and i certainly never expected it in my mid 30s. I feel like a dried-up useless old hag. I took HRT for a few weeks a couple of months ago but have since come off it as i had a very bad panic attack which i thought may have been a side effect of the HRT. Also, it seemed rather ridiculous that at 38 i was having to take a medication that is meant for old women. Plus HRT is made out of horse urine. Having been mad about horses since i was alittle girl it really upset me that these poor mares were forced to stand in stalls all day long with buckets strapped to them to catch their urine. I has hoped to go through the dreaded menopause somewhere in my 50s, then i wouldn't have had to have taken HRT. Now it seems i have little choice but to take it. I'm angry and think something needs to be done about this premature menopause phenomenon. Surely there is something that scientists can do to stop it happening in young women in the prime of their life or at least find the cause of it. This SHOULD NOT be happening!