Is this the start?

[DoingTheBestICan]

I am 47 and for the last four months or so have started getting a hot sweaty feeling that comes from nowhere. It seems to concentrate around my lower face before moving upwards. The feeling only lasts for a minute or two.
I am really struggling to sleep, as in I cannot get to sleep and when I do eventually nod off I am awake an hour or so later. And again get horribly hot and sweaty.
I have not had a period since May 5th, I started logging them on an app a while ago and have noticed that some months I am a week late and others a week early.
I have nothing to compare to as my Mum had a hysterectomy at 38 due to fibroids.
I actually made an appt to see a GP around Feb and he completely dismissed me and said anyone over 40 was classed as peri.
Do you think I have started the menopause or it's just something else going on?

Sounds like it to me.

Yup. Peri means your hormones are starting to change. Welcome to menopause.

There are lots of threads on here about menopause that could help you.

I got acupuncture to regulate, lighten and shorten my periods and to stop that hot feeling at night that meant my bf was under a 13.5 tog duvet and I was under a sheet trying not to touch him with my burning body!

Really helped me. I get it for lots of things GPs can’t fix it want me to take meds for as I don’t want to take meds if I can fix stuff for £50 a session without artificial hormones etc. It’s a luxury but I think it’s better for me as I have other things wrong.

Thanks for replies, I am interested in trying natural remedies first. I will look into acupuncture.
I think I may go for a consultation with a menopause specialist as well to discuss how I can get through this stage.

Start taking magnesium each evening. That helps with sleep. Also a good vitamin D supplement and sunshine as it is linked to hormone balance.
You will probably find that alcohol brings on the hot flushes and makes sleep worse.

I very rarely drink alcohol, although I do drink coffee

Google the professional body for acupuncture U.K. (there’s only one, I forget the name) and find someone local by putting your postcode in. Do research online for each one to see if any are interested in women’s reproductive systems, as anyone who knows about hormones and babies should know about menopause. They should have done post grad stuff in this subject and have a good track record. If you don’t get the desired results try a few sessions with another one.
As in all things, you get one good hairdresser one bad one, one good joiner one bad one, one good gp one bad one when both are qualified to the same level. You may get the ideal one first time but if after a few sessions you are not much improved shop around.
It’s the only thing that helped me without fake hormones being put into my body to try and make my young again which I was scared of as too much at my time of life could lead to something going wrong!