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[Pirellibelli]

Hello - I'm 50 and I think I'm perimenopause. I haven't had a period for about 70 days, and this is quite common now. I have been like this for the past 12-18 months, along with occasional sweats, bad sleep, anxiety, self-doubt and low confidence. Also quite depressed, a bit nowty and quick tempered. A bit of tummy/period type pain, not bad, just making itself felt. Am I perimenopause? When am I actually going to go through the menopause? It's very confusing and I don't have my mum so I've no-one to ask. Sorry if my question is stupid.

[nearly50]

Hi Pirellibelli and welcome,

no question is stupid, don't think many people know much about perimenopause before it hits. I certainly didn't have a clue. Sounds like you're definitely perimenopausal and when you haven't had a period in over 60 days, you're deemed to be in late perimenopause. If you're interested in looking at the different stages, there's a document here which I find interesting (and reassuring)

https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-document-library/straw10.pdf'sfvrsn=2

As for how long it'll last, who knows really. I've read that it can take 2.5 - 3.5 years from the first 60 day gap and I also read 5-8 years from the first time there was a 7 day difference between cycles. We're all different though, and for some women they just stop.

I've found keeping a diary helpful to work out what's going on, and have recently started taking my basal body temperature in the morning to try to give myself more information. You'll find lots of support on here too

[nearly50]

Sorry, me again just thought maybe it would be a good idea to make a doctor's appointment and talk through your symptoms, while getting a blood test to see how your vitamin D, thyroid and ferritin levels and doing? I haven't taken HRT, but that might be something you want to talk to them about too.

[Pirellibelli]

Thank you for your response! Unfortunately my GP is very much of the "it's a natural process, go away and get on with it" brigade. Which is what I've tried to do. I'm back there on Tuesday so I'll see what she has to say then.

[Hurdity]

Hi Pirellibelli (hilarious name - and I'm sure you don't look like that!!!)

 

Your doc needs putting in a corner and forced to read this website! What absolute rubbish and how very dare she? I wonder how old she is and how near/far from menopause she is? If I was vindictive I would wish her a difficult menopause so that she stopped saying that to women. 

Nearly50 has given you a great link - and as she says, you are peri-menopausal. Forget about the "natural process" thing - I mean what about thyroid disease, diabetes, or many other problems - they are all natural.

We can expect to live on average more than 30 years after menopause and maybe a third of our life. There can be long-term consequences of such oestrogen deficiency - some of which are not generally acknowledged as due to this and just accepted as part of ageing ( osteoporosis, cardio-vascular disease, vaginal atrophy and genito-urinary problems).

I would urge you to think about quality of life and what you hope to do over the next 30+ years if you are one of the unlucky women whose symptoms do not improve - or even just over the next 10 years so that you can live life to the full.

Why not consider HRT? At your age ( not even at the average age of menopause) the benefits are thought to outweigh the risks if you are experiencing unpleasant symptoms  there is no medical contra-indication to HRT and you are otherwise healthy.

Please ask to see another GP who is sympathetic towards and understands menopausal women and who will prescribe HRT should you decide you want it. They have no right to tell you this!!! Do not be fobbed off with anti-depressants which should not be given for hormonally induced menopausal symptoms that you are experiencing.

If you are experiencing pelvic pain and you haven't had a period for 12-18 months then if this persists you should definitely ask for this to be investigated. Now and again and especially in younger women such as yourself, another period occurs more than 12 months after the last one - the ovaries having a last fling! I expect you would know if the pain was due to this being imminent?

Apart from this, the best thing you can do for yourself is to make sure you adopt as healthy a lifestyle as you can re healthy diet, more exercise, reduce/maintain optimal body weight, limit alcohol, stop smoking, reduce stress, get out in the fresh air/sunshine etc

Hope this helps and do let us know how you get on at the docs.

Hurdity x