Can we talk about perimenopause/menopause,for those of us who could fit what we know on a postage stamp...?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

How on earth I've got past my mid 40's without knowing anything,God only knows,but I can't be alone.

I'd like to know a bit more before more surprises happen.

Can we talk about what to expect,what our experiences are,what hrt is all about and its pros and cons -basically a bit of a heads up on the whole malarkey for those as uninformed as I appear to be?

Yes, I'd like to know too please.. Can I blame my constant irritation, grumpiness, lethargy, can't-be-arsedness, leave-me-aloneness on perimenopause?

With me it seems to be inability to get a nights sleep,and sudden bouts of being intensely hot that's causing issues at the moment.
I've vaguely heard hrt is bad.No idea of any more than that,such as when you might take it,why,and the positives.
I have no idea how long the menopause lasts,how long perimenopause lasts.

Just nothing,really.

And I'd rather learn from real life observation than some factual article on the internet,so I was hoping for some of that!

I had the hot flushes, lots of not sleeping at night, didn't particularly get bad tempered as I've heard other people can and was quite nervous of using HRT. Like you I had vaguely heard 'that it wasn't good for you'. However, trying to hold down a job on only 2-3 hours sleep every night made me reconsider. I found using HRT improved my life considerably. Sleep very well now, feel like I have a warmer normal body temperature than I used to overall, but no really bad hot flushes. Just tend to kick the bed covers off still.

I'm getting into awful tussles with the dog and the covers.
I'm shattered.
And I always slept so well -it suddenly and dramatically changed.
How early will hrt be considered,any idea?

No period in over a year
Hot flushes were bad, then I ran London marathon and they disappeared completely! Can feel them Returning now tho

Muscles ache more and take longer to recover from exercise. Some joint pains. Not sleeping!! A bit more short tempered but not massively

I'm kind of putting two and two together more -perhaps explains the appetite increase,steady weight gain,especially round my middle,and the real difficulty in losing even a pound or two.

Will they do hrt in the perimenopause (if this is what it is) and will it help stop increased appetite and resulting weight gain?

www.menopausematters.co.uk/index.php

Have a read on this site. I gave it little thought, until I had to stop taking the pill at 49 and was thrown headlong into the middle of it, and found this site informative. I was annoyed, because I thought I was probably over it, having had a few symptoms in my last 4 years.

I thought menopause was about hot flushes and periods stopping.

I got loads of periods, I had problems with aches, and urogenital problems. No flushes (yet?) I take a low dose hrt and things have improved, and I sleep better.

I think I may be starting the menopause. I'm 53 and haven't had a period for a couple of months. Now I have a really prominent rash on my face - not acne but lots of blotchiness and redness which seems unrelated to heat. Did anyone else get this and if, so, what's a good treatment? I've never worn lots of make up - just a tinted moisturiser, a bit of blusher and eyeshadow - so I'm not that good at 'covering up'.

Hot flushes were bad, then I ran London marathon and they disappeared completely! Can feel them Returning now tho

Garmingirl that's interesting!
Do you think there was some connection between the amount of marathon training that you were doing and the severity of the flushes?