Peri-menopause - what are the first signs?

[Oscha]

I’m only 34 but my periods are increasingly all over the place. I do get 12 a year, but sometimes my cycle is 26 days long, sometimes 39, and anything in between. My actual periods also seem to be getting shorter-last year they were mostly 5 days and now they’re mostly 3.

Pre-children my cycles were pretty regular at 30-31 days, with very long periods of about 10 days.

Does this sound like peri-menopause? I’m reluctant to go to the GP as I guess it’s not a problem if that’s what it is, but I suppose I’m a bit surprised because of my age.

If you’re not planning more children, then it isn’t a problem. Unless you start getting some negative symptoms from hormonal changes like mood swings or hot flushes etc.

Having said that, I’m not sure if it’s peri menopause and it could be different things.

You should go to your gp. It is early for peri menopause so you should be checked. However any unexplained changes to your usual cycle should be checked. It's most likely stress, diet etc but you should always get it checked.

I’ve come to that conclusion too. It’s probably nothing but it is a bit...weird.

If you miss many cycles completely before 40 see your GP for tests - this is classed as premature menopause, it's a condition, and needs treatment - HRT up to age 50 at least. (Unless the missed cycles are due to something else.)

That’s interesting, thank you. So far I haven’t missed any, they’ve just been enormously random, varying from 26 to 39 day cycles. I will keep tracking them though in case that starts happening.

Well it does sound like peri OP. I've just turned 44 and I've been having a symptoms for a while now. I guess my periods started being a bit erratic in my mid-30s - cycles got shorter initially - but now they can be long, short, heavy, light, I can bleed for 5 days or for weeks on end. My moods can be erratic, sometimes I feel really gloomy for no reason at all (never felt like that before). I spoke to the doctor about it in my 30s and was dismissed as being too young for peri, so I'd see your GP if I was you.

One of my weird symptoms is a bald patch, down below.

I have seen my GP two weeks ago and discussed my awful moods with him. He's prescribed me some AD to see if they help.

I have seen my GP two weeks ago and discussed my awful moods with him. He's prescribed me some AD to see if they help.

Yep another GP who reaches for the ADs to medicate women when they can't be bothered or are too ignorant to discuss peri meno.

NICE made it crystal clear 2 years ago ( yes 2 years for GPs to get up to speed) that unless a woman has a history of MH issues BEFORE peri symptoms, ADs are not the answer.

Look, being medicated with ADs for mood swings is not right unless your GP had carried out a thorough assessment of your MH and decided you are depressed. ADs are not sweeties to be given when women have 'moods'. If you have other symptoms that could be peri meno- and loss of pubic hair is one of them- then go back to your GP and discuss.