I’m new to considering perimenopause and feeling really low about it. I’m 46 years old with two primary school children. Felt like an 80 year old for a few years and started avoiding going out as either I have a migraine, feel too tired or my back hurts. Past the few months I have started to sleep really badly, waking at 4am. I think I’ve got osteoarthritis in my toe and thumb joints. Also sweaty stinky armpits for the first time in my life, bad sense of smell and much worse eye sight. I’m just feel sad that I don’t feel young anymore and judging from the behaviour/activity of mums at school, I’m in worse physical shape. I’m about to start HRT. Is it normal for perimenopause to feel this bad? I’m quite fit and healthy and walk everyday. So it’s probably all peri-related. I have seen GPs.