Perimenopause is the period leading up to the menopause. You are a little young to be perimenopausal.
This is from a Channel 4 site:
"What is The Perimenopause?
Technically, the menopause (opens in a new window) refers to your last-ever period. Hot flushes, mood swings and other typical 'menopausal' symptoms are actually part of the perimenopause or 'menopause transition'. This can start up to 10 years before your period stops, but most women notice it starting between the ages of 45 and 47.
The average age for reaching the menopause is 52, but most women go through menopause at the same age as their mother, so ask your mum when she got hers. You can still get pregnant when you're perimenopausal so should carry on using contraception for two years after your last period if you are under 50, and for one year if you are over 50 (check with your GP if you are not sure).
Doctors say you've gone through the menopause when you haven't had a period for a year. Always see your GP if you experience bleeding after you've been through the menopause, as it can be a sign of cancer of the uterus.
First Signs of the Menopause
The changes are caused by falling levels of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which will eventually stop your ovaries releasing eggs. Changing hormone levels affect you in many different ways, and symptom (opens in a new window)s (opens in a new window) may come and go. One of the first signs is changing periods – your cycle may get shorter, or periods become heavier, lighter or less frequent. Some women also notice changes in mood, such as irritation or low mood and energy levels.
Hot Flushes
Around 75% of women will experience hot flushes. The exact cause is not known, but it's thought hormonal changes affect the temperature-controlling part of the brain. The average hot flush lasts for around three to five minutes. Intensity levels vary, but you may feel hot, go red in the face and start to sweat. If they happen at night, they can disrupt sleep.
Low Libido
Low oestrogen levels can also lower your libido and, because blood supply is reduced to the vagina, cause dryness and make sex uncomfortable. Low oestrogen levels can also affect the urinary system and some women find they become prone to urinary tract infections such as cystitis (opens in a new window), need to pee more often, or leak urine (opens in a new window) when they laugh or cough.
How to Increase Libido
Tests
The menopause test measures levels of a chemical called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in your blood, which are released when levels of oestrogen start to drop - a sign you are going through the menopause. You can buy an at-home test for around £15 from pharmacies, or try filling out the Green Scale (opens in a new window) questionnaire to assess your symptoms.
If you're under 45, see your doctor to discuss options for preventing osteoporosis (opens in a new window) (caused by depleted oestrogen levels). If you're under 40, you will be referred to a specialist gynaecologist to discuss your fertility options. The Daisy Network (opens in a new window), the premature menopause support group, is a good source of information if you think you need treatment.
If you're over 45, perimenopause and the menopause are normal stages of life and don't need treatment – only one in 10 women seeks medical advice about it, and around 25% don’t experience any symptoms. But if symptoms such as depression (opens in a new window), repeated UTIs (opens in a new window) or vaginal dryness are disrupting your life, see your GP."