How old were you when you entered peri menopause?

[Chefpig]

I'm having all the symptoms and anxiety and depression is immense. Hard to cope with really. Im 42. Everyone is telling me it's too early in my life to enter peri menopause. Is it though? My body is telling me otherwise.

This year so 40. I'll be 41 in october

It is quite young.

Average age of menopause is 51 with the range going from 45-55. Peri can last a few years. If your periods stop before 45 it's considered early menopause and HRT is advised even if you have no symptoms , to protect your bone density.

Have you seen your GP to discuss HRT to manage your symptoms?

I was about 50 when my periods changed and periods stopped completely by 52/53.

Did your mum have an earlier menopause? It tends to be hereditary (age of menopause.)
My mum and gran were both over 50.

I would go speak to your GP. It's early but possible.

40 and I am still there. 54 this year. 😭

42. It's a little early but not outrageously so.

In hindsight possibly the first indications at 49, but nothing really obvious until 51. Which is rather later than average.

There's a huge range possible, so other people's ages aren't really going to be helpful to you. Have a look at the NICE guidelines and then see your GP.

35, though didn’t realise until 43.

44

44 but think it started very low level a couple of years prior - missing periods, more sweaty, dry hair, aches and pains and weight gain etc

I was 44. But looking back I had some symptoms at 43. Stupidly waited 8 years before I got HRT.

I was a bit ignorant about menopause back then, but the changes were so dramatic (mood, sleep, aches and pains, headaches and migraines) and I also was in a very stable time of life with no problems or anxieties, that I just felt it was hormonal. Luckily my GP was good, the NICE guidelines had just been revised and there was no question of me not getting to try HRT.

I don't think 42 is too early at all. Many people are surprised I started HRT 'so early' but many people are ignorant.

I didn't have periods because I had been on the Mirena Coil for 15 years, so periods were never a way to tell.
I used to think that hot flushes were the be all and end all but I never had those. A few night sweats but nothing dramatic

Peri lasts 10 years approx, and 52 wouldnt be an unusual age for menopause, so I don’t think it is too early. Also, apparently women are experiencing menopause earlier partly because they are starting their periods at a younger age and the two are linked - so if your mother started periods at 14 and menopause at 54 you could expect to start menopause at 52 if you were 12 when you had your first period.

Not yet, I'm 50.

You enter perimenopause around 10 years before your periods stop. The hormones go up and down, so you might be completely fine some days but have days where you feel awful - increasing as you get closer to your last period.

My mum had her last period at 52, so I imagine I'll be about the same. My periods started going a bit wonky at 43 (I'm now nearly 45), plus noticeable skin aging and starting to have problems with digestive sensitivities and tinnitus, so I'd say I'm probably right in line with expectations.

I started having noticeable symptoms age 37/38. I was very aware of the symptoms as my mum had gone through a very difficult menopause, but it took me several years to convince my GP. Started HRT early 40s, now 49 and still going through it, though the HRT definitely helps.
I think a lot of women have signs and symptoms earlier than they realise and put it down to other reasons - parenting, work, other health, etc.

I was 37. Formal diagnosis at 39 by the infertility dept at the local hospital.

41

I was 44 when I cottoned on that something was changing. The signs were changes to my cycle, vaginal dryness, forgetfulness and a broken internal thermostat meaning I was hot all the time. HRT sorted me out thank goodness.

Peri doesn't last 10 years for everyone.

I'm not sure where this info is coming from but it's not correct. There can be a gradual reduction in fertility from late 30s onwards but that's not considered peri menopause. In fact peri menopause is a relatively new term that has only been around for around 20 years at most.

Some women can experience symptoms for 10 years but not all.
I didn't have any till over 50. Roughly 3 years and that was mainly an irregular cycle, becoming shorter.

There is no absolute connection between early puberty and early menopause. In fact the opposite is considered more likely. Early periods and later menopause.

In this large population study of 336 788 women in Norway, median age at menopause was close to 51 years, and age at menopause was almost independent of age at menarche. Accordingly, women with early menarche had, on average, a reproductive period that was several years longer than women with late menarche.

I thought I was perimenopausal but turns out my ferritin was really low (9). A few weeks on iron supplements and the symptoms have gone. So although I dont think it's too early for you, if you've not had recent bloods done it might be worth checking iron, ferritin, b vitamins and thyroid

I was 42.

@JinglingSpringbells thats interesting thanks for updating

Probably 28ish. I was post menopausal sometime between 44 & 46