Menopause age?

[Badwifey]

I'm mid 30s and starting to think I may be in wind down...

My periods much heavier. Last two periods I'd say I've gone through 2 packs of pads each time. Pms seems to last week's now. Moodiness, crying, sore breasts you name it. Oh and exhaustion.

I'm wondering what the average age here is on mumsnet for beginning menopause and when did your symptoms start.

Btw I am booked in for blood tests with the doc this week due to the exhaustion so hopefully the results will she'd some light.

it's all explained here....

menopausedoctor.co.uk/early-menopause/ Dr Louise Newson

I started perimenopause at about 44.

Thanks for the info queenofthenights. I know it's quite young but it is possible. I have a lot of the early symptoms which I'm also aware could be symptoms of something else.

Thanks Dramalama, can you tell me how it started?

My meno symptoms started at 41...

I’m 45 and started a couple of years ago. The tests don’t often show up if you are menopausal in the early stages due to fluctuating hormones. The first time I went to the doctor they didn’t do anything as the tests didn’t show anything. I went back several months later and saw a different doctor who made a decision based on my symptoms that I was most likely menopausal and gave me HRT. I feel so much better now which is great.

I was 37/38 when I started my menopause. If in doubt a simple blood test will be able to tell.

Oh and my early symptoms were

Sweating
Unable to cool down. Not exactly hot flushes but close
Itching
Irregular periods either early if very very late with either very heavy or very light bleeding
Over emotional
Joint pain.
Migraines - almost constantly

Since I started HRT the symptoms are still there but so much less and are much more manageable.

I started with terribly heavy periods/flooding that went on for weeks at a time - one lasted 7 weeks. I was 56 then. I'm 59 now, and my last period was last October. I'm still tired a lot, have headaches often, and the occasional night sweat or hot flush.

I was 33 when I started

I thought menopause was mainly your periods stopping, so I went thorough menopause at 52 which is average.

If you are having periods and are in your 30s why would you assume menopause?

I’ve just hit 40 and have all the symptoms. Gutted as we are trying for a baby.

Perimenopause, that is.

Badwifey, how old was your mum when she went through it? My mum was mid 40s and sister early 40s.

That would be unusually young, OP. It could be fibroids or something else. It's worth seeing your GP though.

FWIW I'm 42 and in the last 6 months or so have noticed my cycles changing - the literal phase is getting shorter and they are a bit less regular.

the symptoms of menopause are your periods stopping

if you are still having periods you are NOT going through menopause

you MAY be in perimenopause but you can still get pregnant.

twistella, thanks for the biology lesson! I'm not stupid. Yes I still have periods and I never said anything about pregnancy. If you read my op I said I think I may be in wind down.

I'm not sure how old my mum was. I think she was in her 50s. It's not something we've ever sp9ken about!

Aw Uggy that's shit. I hope you still have time. Best of luck.

Hopefully I'll get some answers soon. I'm so fed up being exhausted all the time. And the heavy periods are ruining my life at the minute but I'll probably just have to learn to live with them.

I don't think your periods are supposed to be the same all your life, or the same until you start perimenopause & then everything is due to perimenop. We do get worn out more easily as we get older. Just look at elite athletes; some careers athletes have to retire by age 35. There are treatments for heavy periods you can look into.

Badwifey sorry for feeling so bad, I diagnosed with early meno a year ago at 41 with almost regular periods but severe symptoms. I took almost immediately hrt and back to normal. If you suffer and your quality of life is affected, just ask for help.

I'm 43 in a couple of days and have not had period due 23 days ago. I have never missed a period unless pregnant, periods would be every 24 days and last 8 days. Last period was 12 days. Recently started getting pain in wrists and ankles, tire easily so assume i am menopausal

@Badwifey Heavy periods are possible for all kinds of reasons: fibroids, hormonal imbalance etc. The first signs of menopause is irregular cycles. if you do not have these, it's unlikely to be peri meno.

Mid 30s is very early and would be a medical condition- premature menopause.

They are irregular. I've had two periods last month. I never know when they are coming. I used to note when I was ovulating and two weeks later I would get my period. Now though I'm finding it quite hard to spot ovulation as I have PMS by then and it's driving me mad!!

The comment about pregnancy was for uggywuggy

You are extremely unlikely to be going through anything like menopause OP. Hopefully your gp can reassure you.

if you are having blood tests, the only way they can test your FSH is between days 2-5 of a cycle, Hard if your periods are a ll over the place I know, but the tests will be unreliable otherwise.

i had a surprise pregnancy at 42 and menopause followed straight after