So who would knows about perimenopause and menopause then .. and how come we aren't taught / don't discuss in advance

[Twiglett]

OK I'm 40 so possibly in reach of the perimenopause which I understand can start 10 years before the menopause

I've had a bug that is also giving me hot sweats, I've also been raging more than normal

I've ordered a book that has been recommended to me but I know nothing

(much as I knew nothing about my cycle 'til I read Toni Weschler's book)

I think the whole thing of getting old is weird. I was saying this last night to the group of friends that we spent New Year's Eve with. The females amongst us went to school together and we've all known eachother's husbands for years. I was the last one to meet mine - 21 years ago!

We still laugh about the same stupid things.

Last night we were joined by one of the 20 year old daughters and her boyfriend. I asked what she was doing with a load of old fogies like us and she replied 'Because you're all funny and you're not into going out and getting blind drunk just for the sake of it.'

So I suppose your attitude probably stays the same throughout your life - you just have to put up with getting a bit creaky as the years go by.

Spoiler thread - my mum said that it's not good emotionally when your periods stop, because there's no emotional 'release'. Anyone else heard this? Anyway, I have decided that this is bolleaux. No contraception? Bring it on!

My experience is that it's a transition rather than an 'event' as such, and that the changes can be rather subtle, so there's time to get used to it, if you see what I mean?

One other thing I've noticed is that my sleeping patterns have changed - I seem to need less sleep and wake earlier, and I can get LOADS done in those extra hours (though I do wish it was light earlier!).

I do have some random and deeply irrational anxieties from time to time, though, but they do pass! And I do find myself wondering who I am becoming now the fertile years are behind me.

This all sounds a little more upbeat now. And I much prefer the sound of a book called 'th silent passage'. We might never notice it.

getting older is weird

bloody hell I watched Point Break last night (yes I know it was New Year's Eve) and do you know it was made 17 years ago .. 17

scrub that final para, crone. I'm feeling the soil again

A couple of weeks before I went for endometrial ablation I happened to mention it to the Occupational Health woman at work. She looked at me in a caring and concerned way and said something like... 'One word of warning... be prepared to grieve for your lost fertility... it takes people by surprise, sometimes.'

Food for thought, I suppose, but in my case it was BOLLEAUX with a capital 'B'.

No periods? BLOODY BRILLIANT!

No contraception, wow, now THERE'S an upside imo!

Oh damn, I am waking earlier too, the writing is on the wall,clearly Don't worry www, I didn't think you were berating me, just aware that I was being more upbeat than I really felt!

We need lots of words like transition, silent, phase, that kind of thing- much better.

Funnily enough in my case I can't stop using contraception as endometrial ablation wouldn't do anything to prevent ectopic pregnancy.

I have had the symptoms in the list for a couple of years (am 37) - I stumbled upon the list a while ago, but my doctor doesn't seem to accept that the perimenopause exists. I even pointed out to him that the symptoms started when my periods came back with my periods after bfg dd3.

One thing to beware of - I fell pregnant with dd3 on day 6 of my cycle and am pg again after conceiving after day 18

On the bright side, at least the perimenopause symptoms have gone

I rather like the thought of becoming someone who is no longer defined by the capacity to conceive. It took me by surprise, rather, that quite a lot of who I consider myself to be has been defined by this over the years, and it's rather freeing to look beyond it.

Please could someone post the list again, I can't see it. Thank you dear.

webcrone I think I love you.

Pollyanna, congratulations! (on the pregnancy, not the perimenopausal symptoms)

Here it is again...

Perimenopause symptoms

sorry 40+ that's the scary article

this is the list of perimenopause symptoms

Oh thank you, sorry, I had read that, I thought there was a tick list somewhere! There is on the power surge site, just reading it now.

that list is just so awful. Just as we were breaking through the cloud

Shouldn't we all be watching Jam and Jerusalem?

Thanks, Twig!

I hadn't realised that my occasional rapid heartbeat could be a symptom.

Found this What an interesting and slightly terrifying thread!

MI, you should write about this. I've hardly ever read anything about tihs aimed at my age group.

argh, meant to change my name for that.

JJ, hurrah, how nice to see you again Albeit in this context, of course.

You weren't having a 'confused and disorientated' moment, were you?