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Menopause

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Original poster

What age did you enter perimenopause?

104 replies

GreenLunchBox · 07/10/2021 20:13

Just that really. Im 44 and feel fine at the moment. I didn't really know anything about the condition before and assumed at around 50 periods start to go a bit haywire, you might experience a few hot flushes then your periods hopefully stop (ha!). But now I know peri can go on for years, so can I please ask when did you enter it?

OP posts:
Youcancallmeval · 07/10/2021 20:16
  1. I went to the doctor with anxiety and palpitations. Few questions led him to think I was perimenopausal, which was a huge shock, even though my mum's was v early. Night sweats started a year or so later, they were a bastard.
WhatDidISayAlan · 07/10/2021 20:20

Memory loss abd brain fog started around 42, and everything else kicked in at 45.

Idontlike · 07/10/2021 20:20

Around 42

BlackAlys · 07/10/2021 20:21

46

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 20:22
  1. It's been 4 years now and I'm still in peri but the symptoms have got much, much worse, brain fog especially.
FrancescaContini · 07/10/2021 20:24

43, 44
Anxiety
Night sweats
Periods became unpredictable around 47
Now I get hot flushes and feeling vague…also easily bloated

anon51 · 07/10/2021 20:24

35! Went to the doctors as I hadn't had a period in 3 months, among other symptoms, they did a blood test. Results came back as premature ovarian failure. I started HRT 3 months ago.

AndWhatNext · 07/10/2021 20:25

I'm 46 and recently figured out I've been perimenopausal for around 3/4 years.

I also thought menopause was hot flushes and periods stopping.

Looking back the poor sleep, anxiety, night sweats were just because of life.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 07/10/2021 20:25

37ish

SalsaLove · 07/10/2021 20:27
  1. It was so confusing and worrying. I got brain fog first. Eight years later I’m through menopause but my body aches every day and not much let up on the brain fog, I feel concerned about my job.
DramaAlpaca · 07/10/2021 20:27

I think I was 44 when my periods started going haywire. I got a Mirena put in when I was 46 and that stopped the periods completely. I never had another one, so I don't know exactly when I became postmenopausal, but I had the Mirena taken out when I was 54 and no periods arrived, so I'm definitely out the other side. All in all, I probably was perimenopausal for 7 or 8 years.

I got off quite lightly really. No flushes, just felt like I was operating at a higher temperature. Brain fog was annoying, but that's improved now. In fact, at 57, I'm feeling really good.

BeyondMyWits · 07/10/2021 20:28

Fifty bloody seven... just started peri symptoms... longer gap between periods, joint aches, hot flushes, night sweats...

I know an average means some are younger, some older, but 57... I want rid of periods now please....

TheCategoryIs · 07/10/2021 20:29

I think that every woman in their 40s can be called perimenopausal, in the literal sense that it precedes menopause, the average age of which is 51. It's often hard to judge from blood tests as hormones fluctuate so much. It's more just seeing if you have any potential symptoms, since oftentimes doctors misdiagnose. Some women will barely notice and others will really suffer

RedBonnet · 07/10/2021 20:32

38, massive libido jump, palpitations, fainting, very low blood sugar, high blood pressure, heavy periods, baby brain came back. Meno was at 50 and suddenly no more pms, headaches, low blood sugar or bloating, bliss

Workinghardeveryday · 07/10/2021 20:32

What do you consider to ge brain fog?

Aprilx · 07/10/2021 20:33

I noticed my periods changing when I was around the age of 45. Mainly my cycle got longer, but there was the odd time when I had two closer together than normal. My periods were much lighter until they finally stopped altogether when I was about 48 or 49.

Other than hot flushes, that was about all there is to it for me. I know that a lot of women experience much worse, but it is possible for it to be fairly easy too.

arrangeyourface · 07/10/2021 20:34
  1. My periods had become increasingly irregular but it was the hot flushes, depression and brain fog. I went to the GP but they said i was too young and sent me away. I eventually went back last year during covid and the new GP was fantastic and prescribed HRT straight away.
ErrolTheDragon · 07/10/2021 20:35

I wasn't really aware of peri tbh. The odd hot flush or night sweat - really not too often.

I had PCOS and was on the pill (Marvelon) till I was over 50 (the gp didn't notice my age when I went back for prescriptions for a while) - my periods had never been regular or frequent when not on the pill so they just fizzled out really.

CoffeeRunner · 07/10/2021 20:36

I'm guessing I am probably there now - 46.

Although I also have long Covid, newly diagnosed Crohn's & chronic fatigue so it's fairly hard to differentiate.

RedBonnet · 07/10/2021 20:37

Oh yeah and the aches, indescribable. If I wore different shoes my feet would be agony, once filled the car up and my hand was in agony for a week from gripping the pump. GP had no answer, didn't even associate it with the peri. But I think it's something to do with the effect hormones have on ligaments.

Only downside of meno is zero libido which GP refuses to treat (they can't apparently, and it's all in my head anyway), and the sudden loss of skin elasticity, hence the sagging mentioned on another thread

ErrolTheDragon · 07/10/2021 20:38

I did have a bit of 'lowness' but that was largely a result of hypothyroidism - it's very common in women from this sort of age on so definitely something to get checked.sorted with thyroxine.

missnevermind · 07/10/2021 20:41

This is worrying me at the moment. I have the implant. I Havnt had a period since I got pregnant with my 10 year old. But my implant should have been replaced more than 12 months ago and I forgot. I was 50 in April and now I have realised that my implant has run out I don't know what my body is going to do.

DotBall · 07/10/2021 20:41

41

MirandaWest · 07/10/2021 20:43

I’m 46 and I think have been perimenopausal for about 3 years. My first symptom was anxiety being much stronger than normal and being unable to cope with it. Hadn’t taken anti depressants for the previous 10 years or so.
I have a mirena coil so no periods so that wasn’t a sign.
In the past year or so brain fog, weight going on my stomach more than it used to and especially night sweats where I’d wake up every night drenched led me to get in touch with the doctor a few months ago and have been prescribed oestrogen gel.
This has helped especially with the night sweats and I think brain fog has reduced. Still too much weight around the middle though…

garlicandsapphires · 07/10/2021 20:48

Does anyone know if there’s a correlation between starting periods early and early menopause?