Hello lovely ladies,
I've been lurking on and off for a while (a bit like my period these days
![Grin ;D](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/grin.gif)
) and felt it was finally time to introduce myself.
I'm fast approaching 50, just a couple of months to go and reckon I've probably been perimenopausal for the last 3 years or so. I cannot tell you how helpful it has been to come on here and read all your various experiences and symptoms and being able to have that penny dropping moment when you realise that there's a reason why you are feeling a certain way.
Anyhow, that is partly why I've come out to post here now...I'm sure it's not just me, but does anyone else just get really down at Christmas? Today, in particular, I just feel like crying. I'm not sure if this is exasperated by the fact that my period (or Aunt Irma as she is known in this house, thank you IT Crowd!) has not shown up for 2 months now and I'm just being 'hormonal'.
On the whole I would consider myself a fairly positive person, but every so often I just trip myself up like this out of the blue. I have a good life, with no major stresses, I have a lot to be thankful for, so it feels wrong for me to be like this when there are others out there struggling with far worse problems.
On the bright side, from today the days are getting longer again.
![Smiley :)](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/smiley.gif)