Think I'm going through early menopause

[Alice00]

I'm 31 and for a about a year or so my periods have been on and off. I have mood swings, headaches, dry mouth and just recently suddenly get hot and having night sweats. I'm going to see a doctor but I am worried they'll put me on something to stop it as I am happy with the children I have and definitely don't want anymore. I was going to ask if I could be sterilised!
Is anyone else going through the same?

Forgot to add my belly blew up a bit every few weeks and just goes back down.

I'm exactly the same! Mood swings, periods come when they please - usually every 3 months or so, hot flushes, night sweats and bouts of anxiety. Went for blood tests and my hormone levels came back fine. Almost wanted it to be that just so I'd have an answer. Let me know how you get on at the doctors OP

That must of been disappointing, I know I would of been. I am eager to find out myself.

I went through an what's considered an early menopause (around 40). Firstly there can be a whole host or reasons for your symptoms, especially erratic periods. I got packed off for blood tests which turned out not to be reliable and if they come back with 'everything's fine' and you're not convinced then push to be referred or consider getting a private blood test done, your hormones can fluctuate far too much to get a definitive result. (I was told I wasn't going through the menopause and I was!) Secondly I was just packed off with a load of literature about HRT choices and given little advice but it's my understanding that now they would push for you to have HRT or go on the combined pill because of the later risk of osteoporosis if it does turn out o be an early menopause. But they can't make you do anything, it's your body.

Oh I see so seaandsand83 might be going through it too. I wouldn't want to risk getting osteoporosis I have aching bones as it is which feels like toothache so I'd do what I need to do to stay healthy.

I had an early menopause. I had my last period at 35 and I was confirmed as menopausal with blood tests age 36. Before that the blood tests didn't show anything up even though I started with symptoms like yours at 29.

Like a pp says though there can be other reasons for those symptoms so do get checked.

Also there's no such thing as a pill that can stop you going through menopause. Believe me if there was I'd have taken it. HRT reduces symptoms but it has no effect on when your ovarian reserve runs out.

I wasn't as happy about it as you because I did want another child but I'm happy now to be done with periods, mood swings etc.

Did you only get onto HRT when the blood test confirmed it ?

Your oestrogen/FSH blood tests need to be taken on day 3 of your period. Which can be tricky if you’re irregular.

Alice i was offered the pill to regulate my periods when I was having symptoms before it was confirmed by blood test. That was when I was around 31/32. That just got rid of all symptoms for a year or two. I felt fine.

I came off it because I wanted another baby and that's when everything got much worse and I was a mess. Rapid weight gain, awful mood swings, sweats day and night and awful anxiety which I've never had before or since. The constant grind of periods coupled with hoping to get pregnant and failing didn't help.

As soon as the blood test showed i was menopausal (on my 36th birthday - oh joy!) I was put back on the pill because it is essentially like strong HRT. As soon as I got back on the pill I started to feel so much better.

It massively helped with the mood swings, weight gain and night sweats. Also no more 15 day cycles of periods lasting 12 days .

It also protects bones etc.

The general advice is that any risks associated with hrt are outweighed by the risks of not having it when you are younger (unless there are really specific reasons for you not to take it) so I would push for diagnosis although I agree with the post above it can be hard to get a conclusive blood test until you are well into menopause. Have a read about perimenopause. It can last up to 10 years. It was 7 years for me.

I'm on HRT now and have been since April but I actually preferred the pill because I've started having night sweats again since I switched.

I have had my thyroid tested and it was normal

It may be low vitamin D, all your symptoms fit with it. It's actually a hormone