When did you first start getting symptoms

[anon9492059495]

Just wondering what age people were when they first noticed issues. I'm 35 but have PCOS, PMDD and ADHD. Often have similar symptoms which are due to hormone balances and stress etc. keen to know when it kicked in for everyone so I can be pre warned as I have a feeling it's going to be hell on earth for me with these issues!

Worth asking your mum what age they reached menopause as there’s a genetic element to it, and peri can be for up to 10 year prior. Average age for menopause is 51 so many women in their forties will have some symptoms, maybe younger if early menopause runs in your family. I’m 48 and gradual symptoms over the last 2 years, not on HRT yet, still having fairly regular periods…..

I started with a few minor symptoms at 42, I’m now 53 and still have symptoms .

44/45 (about a year ago!).

I have/had PMDD, but it was well controlled in my 30s with fluoxetine.

Menopause symptoms were subtle at first - growing anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, insomnia that got gradually worse over about a year until they were debilitating.

I’ve been on HRT for 2 months and just starting to feel a bit better.

I should say perimenopause symptoms, really. I was still getting regular periods but my cycle has got shorter and shorter and periods horrific flooding.

Early forties.

Very early forties here. Moodiness, terrible PMT, dryness, tired and aching joints.

About 46/47, a year of intense symptoms at 48, all settled down, no periods for 16 months, and fine now at 49.

Age 36, the same as my mother

I started ages 42 with irregular periods and then the symptoms continued to ramp up until I was aged 49 when my periods stopped entirely!

I think, in hindsight, I had some symptoms at 37.......missed periods, sorta dry/brown blood barely liquid enough to dislodge, sorta like a dehydrated period, I had x1 mega hot flush, went on for hours, I was on hols so it was hot and I ld had some alcohol.

I subsequently needed to walk a lot more due to work changes, and these symptoms changed. Back to normal bloody periods, perhaps slightly fluctuating days wise but I wasn't noting the exact dates down. Never had another mammoth hot flush.

Roll on now I m approaching 44, I ve had erratic periods, none for 3 or 4 months, then 3 in 9 weeks. Intense anxiety before the period and the most recent one more or less flooded out first thing on two consecutive mornings and not much in between... Sorry TMI.

My hair has thinned, and I feel my facial skin has thinned, a little. I m pale from the frequent periods.... Or just in general.

Facial /chin hair increased but I am laze ring it.

I have some aches. Not sure if they are normal or more pronounced.

Sleeping is not great, am giving up alcohol for a while to see if that helps. I feel dehydrated.

That's all I can think of.

Hopefully I ll be done and dusted by 47.

Periods were absent for 2 years after first child and when returned at 38 were odd - v heavy. I also developed insomnia and had aching joints and level of constant fatigue (diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome and later asthma.) looking back I think it was early peri as I also had what I now know to be some histamine issues, mainly gut related.

Felt amazing with a brief pregnancy that ended in miscarriage so wondered if was peri. Then had second child at 41 and my health issues all resolved for about 10 months. Then they all came back with avengence! Plus awful thermostat issues and aching feet

Periods were reasonably regular throughout (perhaps varied by 3 days difference) though became barely there right up to the point of me begging for hrt at 44.

I have hypothyroidism too which I don't think helps - had a lot of issues managing it after both children.

Now on 125 patches, x2 Utrogestan and just started testosterone at 46.

I think regular exercise and low stress helps a lot as I really struggled to exercise with small kids and life and work was stressful trying to cope with symptoms

Oh yes, chin hairs from late 30s!

These have gone on oestrogen and I've more hair growth on my head. Dunno if May return with testosterone

At 32 periods starting skipping, ended at 37. Any other symptoms would have been mixed up with being a new mum so what was due to that and what was perimenopause i dont know. Periods stopped at 37

Tiniest slips to cycle around 33 onwards, the odd grey hair etc. Still fabulous at 47, at 48, wallop, downhill all the way hard and fast.

I would have written a similar post OoOoOoO only I'd say tiny changes to cycle around 37. All good til 42, then downhill fast at 43!!! Agree with the WALLOP bit :D Have been on HRT 7 months now and things are getting better although still feel a bit 'grey' and frumpy on occasion although thinking my dose may need to be upped.

Is an increase in facial hair in late 30s always peri?

No pcos but increased facial hair/thickness/colour of it in past year

I think so, your oestrogen is dropping, so the balance against testosterone dips, and the unbalanced testosterone triggers stronger, darker, coarser hair...... I think.

Philips Lumea works.

I'm 45. Skin dry in patches on face, chin hairs. Mood swings. Brain fog. Tired all the time. Itchy ears and vulva which I have recently learned might be linked to low oestrogen. Went to GP to suggest this and she said if my periods are still regular, it's not menopause. I don't believe her.

I think earliest signs for me were when I was around 40. My libido disappeared, my skin and hair became much drier and I started to look a lot older. PMT rage was also becoming more severe. Then my periods started to become less regular when I was about 42/43 and I began to get stiffness in my hands and fingers. Also started getting Raynaud’s around this time- no idea if that can be linked to perimenopause but I wouldn’t be surprised, given the many and varied effects that depleting oestrogen seems to have!

By the time I turned 45 last year, these symptoms were joined by hot flushes, brain fog, digestive issues, fatigue and a general sense of doom and profound anxiety. Started HRT at the beginning of this year and feeling significantly better. Still look fucking ancient but I’m a bit more cheerful at least!

And did she give you any help or advice as to what might be causing these things if not dropping hormones?!
Check the NICE guidelines, afaik the general rule is if you are 45 and having menopausal symtoms (of which there are many besides irregular hormones!) and theres no other explanation peri menopause should be taken as the reason and hrt offered.

About 48

Thanks so much everyone this is really useful. I probably should ask my mum, but we don't really talk about that stuff so I'd struggle to know how to bring it up 😅