I'm 41, I'm gorgeous... am I menopausal?

[FloralBunting]

Well, the first one is true, and the question is genuine.

I'm persistently waking up at night drenched in sweat. My periods are operating on a timetable like Southern Rail; 17 days, 32 days, I never know when it will arrive, how short or long it will be and if it will be a few spots or a soaker.

I suppose I should make an appointment to see the GP in a few months time, but I don't really know what happens then. Do they do any tests to confirm things, or is it just a case of "Yes, sounds like menopause, on your way love."...

Age has nothing to do with it. If your cycles have become persistently irregular then you are most likely peri-menopausal esp if over 45. Under 45 doc might investigate other symptoms to rule out other causes. It would be better to take oestrogen during the second half of the cycle than SSRIs if it is pms and periods are still regular or one of the newer CCP types which contain body-identical oestrogen (that I might have mentioend on previous page). Qlaira or Zoely. They still contain synthetic prog though but Qlaira has one of the new generation ones that is supposed to have fewer side effects....Oestrogen dose varies throughout the month but only tablet free days so less of a hormone crash than in your natural cycle - in fact hardly time for one.

I am annoyed with myself @Bellaciao for omitting to mention my night sweats, palpitations, brain fog and aches. I just was boiling hot & in the thick of last days before period rage and kept banging on about that aspect which made her think it was PMS. Although, it could be. Having not been on the pill for years I realised the pill (and the hellish mirena coil) were all terrible for me so I was in fairness saying I haven't got a good history with hormones. Having looked into that it would seem that I haven't got a good history with Progesterone rather than oestrogen but can you get just oestrogen? That's what I think I need... She said she would speak to another doctor at the practice who was a bit more genned up on peri meno etc - I'm reluctant to go on SSRIs, having been on them a long time ago I was shaky and peculiar, so I can' tsee how being on them half the time would get beyond that initital jittery stage but I guess it's worth a try. I do feel pretty low and anxious and shit about life when i'm in the luteal phase ... booo. Bloody cycles keeping us hostage! to all of you