I feel too young for this

[Mumof1andacat]

I'm 38 and concerned I might be peri menopausal. Symptoms include weight gain, blotting, excessive sweating day and now at night, increase in bladder frequency, sleep disturbance ( average of 4 hrs sleep a night), some hair loss ( especially when I shower) mood wise I could give it all up tomorrow and live by myself if that makes sense, I have zero interest in socialising, work is an absolute slog every day when that is not like me at all. I don't have periods as I have the implant so I can't comment on changes to my cycle. Could all this be something else? I am feeling very lost and not myself.

I’m awake to reply for similar reasons, but I’m older than you and I’ve already gone down HRT route. I’m not medically qualified, but I’d suggest you get thyroid and iron levels checked first as there’s quite a bit of crossover with symptoms.
I do have two friends who self diagnosed at 40, now on HRT (private clinic, not supported by GP) so it could be possible, but honestly worth getting a set of bloods for checking general health first.

It really doesn’t feel good, especially when sleep cycle is so impacted. Hope you can get some answers and start to feel better soon.

fb.watch/iOHWcGdvxT/?mibextid=tejx2t
hopefully the short link helps,
its brief and certainly helped me realize how young a woman can be.

I'm very simalar, I had an internal scan due to having other issues (painful sex, diagnosed with a, UTI) I was told I had no eggs and had been through the menopause. I'm not in the UK and I don't know how valid this information is but I'm not sleeping well, have night sweats and my breasts are so hot at night. Family life is up and down. Mood is average but can get low moods which lasts for a few days. Hair has been thining for the past 3 or 4 years. Weight gain but mainly due to covid, I think. Gradually lost a bit again though. I'm on the pill so I don't know whether I have periods or not. I'm reluctant to come off it as I'm not 100% sure if the no eggs information is reliable and Google doesn't help me.

I'm 44.

Sounds like it. I'm currently listening to the Menopausing book by Davina McCall, and it's not that unusual to start peri before you're 40 - something like 1 in 100 women do. Do a bit of research and go to the GP armed with knowledge, and get the HRT / treatment you want and need

I'd rule some other things out first such as hypothyroidism. However if it's within the norm for periods to stop at 45, and peri can last for 4-10 years before this, it's possible to be in perimenopause from mid 30s onwards.

To clarify; it's normal for periods to cease (menopause) at 45-54.

Peri is the chaotic symptomatic bit that last for up to 10 years max prior to this.

I was early peri at 38, went on to have a baby at 40 but went very into severe meno after that

I was a similar age to you I had my last period at 43 so official 1 year later...for the 2 years before I'd had one a year, but would if been going through all the peri stuff late 30s. Thought I was going mad tbh and was given anxiety meds. Fortunately for you there so much more knowledge now, we are going back 15 years or so for me. Do you know your Mother's menopause history? I think if your Mum was early it's quite likely you will be to. As others have said get yourself checked out for thyroid etc (that's what I thought was the problem at the time)

Op I could have written this myself! I’m 44 but having everything you described. Worst bit for me is the up and down moods and when I do get a period (monthly but all over the place) I am flooding and in pain, making work a nightmare.

I lay awake at 4am thinking how shit it all is and when will it end!