Hi, I'm hoping some of you are still contributing to this thread, as it was exactly what I was looking for - I'm 57 and the websites I visit literally terrify me into believing there is something deathly wrong with me because they all mention 50 - 54 as the END of perimenopause. On recommendation, I just bought Mariella Fostrup's book on menopause, and she quotes in her introduction that '51' is the time when perimenopause ends, and that she had 'textbook' timing herself. I couldn't continue to read the book after that sentence because it was immediately apparent there would be nothing in it that applied to me. There is a troubling silence about late menopause, and it is a lonely place, for any woman like me who is still perimenopausal beyond her mid 50s.
I'd be very keen to speak to anyone in the same position as me, as I tend to hide it from my friends, who have all menopaused so gracefully and in the 'normal' time frame.
I was delighted at Christmas 2021 when I had what I thought was my last period, then, July - out of the blue, a period. And I don't recall the PMT really subsiding completely until I had another period this month - nothing unusual about the length or flow - Then this month, another, with the worst PMT I have ever had and the most tender breasts, which is awful because I have 32J size breasts, so they are heavy and difficult to lie on at the best of times; now they are my worst enemy, and what is most alarming is that non of my PMT seems to have subsided, 3 days after my period has ended. I don't mind saying I am an absolute mess and feel like I am on the verge of tears, constantly. I don't feel like going anywhere, I just want to be on my own all the time, and am constantly, 24/7 haunted by worry about how I feel both mentally and physically. I have absolutely no idea who to turn to. My GP is never, ever available - appointments now are with a practice nurse or a locum - and when I did see the GP last (just before lockdown) she said there was nothing to worry about - lots of women have late menopause, even into early 60s, and so I should perhaps take some antidepressants and look after my health and lifestyle better. She did blood tests which came back all ok apart from a bit low on iron, and I had a cervical smear which is fine. I declined the prescrpition for antidepressents.
I can't tell you how lovely it would be to know if there are any other women out there around my age, feeling and experiencing what I am, or would like to chat about what seems to be a never ending perimenopause.