Menopause checklist- how many do you tick off?

[Cornishbelle]

I've just turned 44, and my periods are more regular than ever (have pcos and so now have around a 4 week rather than 5 week plus cycle). However, despite my gp informing me I am too young for menopause symptoms to be affecting me, I have a significant list of symptoms. Please can anyone confirm how many of the following they have/had? Any tips or advice gratefully received, unfortunately no female relatives I can ask and my friends have not admitted to any symptoms yet:

Age 38 went through flooding and longer cycles now lighter but more frequent with occasional flooding

Severe pms mood changes bloating

Permanent tinnitus

Insomnia struggle to get to sleep wake at least twice then awake from 430

Mood changes angry/depressed/irritable

Non existent libido aside from 1 or 2 days per month when is sky high

Excessive sweating and body odour 1 week of cycle

Feeling intolerance to heat and cold

Joint pain and feeling if inflammation

Feel really wobbly- need to lose 3 Stine and weight gradually increasing despite best efforts

Tiredness

Jumbled words

Memory recall problems (names etc)

Pins and needles

Clumsy

I'm postmenopausal now but I had a good few of those thongs going on during perimenopause. They are absolutely classic symptoms.

I first noticed I was perimenopausal at 44, when my cycle started becoming irregular.

Your GP is quite definitely wrong to say you are too young. Can you go back and see another GP? You might benefit from HRT.

Severe pms mood changes bloating
I dunno about "severe", but bloating before age 25 I had yes, not after.

Insomnia struggle to get to sleep wake at least twice then awake from 430
I Struggled to fall asleep since I was a toddler, Having babies caused me to learn to wake up quickly & I never unlearnt that.

I've always had light periods.

I used to hate the heat & now I can handle heat but dislike the cold. My 81yo dad hates both now.

I Never had below things:

Permanent tinnitus
Mood changes angry/depressed/irritable
Non existent libido aside from 1 or 2 days per month when is sky high
Excessive sweating and body odour 1 week of cycle
Joint pain and feeling if inflammation
Feel really wobbly- need to lose 3 Stine and weight gradually increasing despite best efforts
Tiredness
Jumbled words
Memory recall problems (names etc)
Pins and needles
Clumsy

I'm 43 and I have:
long cycles
light periods
itchy vulva at certain points in cycle
tinnitus in one ear but tbh I don't think that's hormonal!
insomnia (hardly slept at all for about 6 months last year)
night sweats and BO
brain fog some days
tiredness

It's all just delightful. Absolutely dreading what the next few years could bring!

I had 12 of those. I got HRT at 48 and now only have two

Your GP is just so wrong.
And the younger you are, the more important hrt is for bone health.
I'm 42 and went on hrt at 40. I took the bmj guidelines to the GP but thankfully it wasn't a big struggle.

I’m 42 and have most of those and have done for a few years. I know I’m in perimenopause just haven’t bothered going to the gp yet as it’s currently manageable and also I feel like I’ll be fobbed off that I’m too young

I’m exactly the same age as you and nearly all of those are happening to me.
Not particularly moody but most of the others.
Some weeks I think I’ve got a brain tumour I’m struggling so much with words and memory. The joints have me convinced I’ve got arthritis!

Those are classic peri menopause symptoms. You might be too young for menopause but you’re not too young to be in peri.

I had the fatigue, terrible joint pain, rage, cold sweats, pins and needles / dizzy, awful periods and awful memory loss. Been on hrt for 9 months and most of the symptoms have either gone or massively reduced (periods are still awful, but i’m ignoring that for now)

If you want to try HRT I'd suggest you see another GP or ask your own, again.

You aren't too young.

The age of menopause (periods stopping for good) is from 45 to 55.
Changes can begin years before the final period.

If you come up against a brick wall there are plenty of private doctors, either GPs or consultants, who are more informed and who would take you seriously.
Most GPs are poorly educated on menopause.

There was a survey posted on X last week (by Dr Newson) which said that 60% of GPs felt confident enough about menopause prescribing.

Almost a quarter had prescribed antidepressants (instead of HRT) and only 22% said the NICE guidance was 'easy to follow'.

That doesn't show much confidence, does it?