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I am 46 years old and within the past 9 months, have been missing periods for 2-3 months at a time. The only other noticeable symptom that I have had was one or two feelings of being hot, but nothing drastic. I had a hormonal assay test done and was told that it wasn't perimenopause and that I am fine.
However, I was told by friends who are nurse practitioners that hormonal assay tests are not always reliable indicators of this since hormonal levels fluctuate. Prior to the preceding 9 months, I have always had regular periods. Before anyone asks, there is no chance of pregnancy: my tubes were tied when I gave birth about 16 years ago and besides that, my husband has lost interest in sex so abstinence also tends to be a very effective form of birth control
Anybody who has/is experiencing "the change" want to share what it was like?
I never had any "symptoms"...but then, my periods were never "regular"....I started having periods at 14...and stopped completely at 54....I'm done....aside from still ongoing hot flashes (6 years now), I'm good to go. No more breast tenderness...no more periods...no cramps....no nothing! Until you have been without a period for 1 year...you are not in menopause. You could assume you're "peri-menapausal" for the entire duration of your menses.......there's no real way to know. You're in the age-group, tho!
I've experience irregular periods my whole life. But lately I have night sweats and this month, I had 2 spotting days then 3 days passing clots (flood bleeding) then days later normal period symptoms and flow... I wish I had your perimenopause symptoms!
I started perimenopause at about 45 but my periods came close together instead of further apart. strange...i was almost always bleeding. hot flashes, dry mucous membranes, misery. DH complained about my lack of libido so doctor put me on Premarin. Biggest mistake of my life. almost killed me/ 3 attacks of pancreatitis in 18 months, coma, life support, partial paralysis to this day at age 69. Don't take Premarin.
Back then -1994 doc said every woman should take HRT and should take it for the rest of her life. somebody got smart along the way and different recommendation today and I think different meds. Be careful. I never would have taken it except my husband was persistent...
...Back then -1994 doc said every woman should take HRT and should take it for the rest of her life...
The surgeon who did my ovariohysterectomy in 1992 (when I was 46 and suffering from very large fibroids) was so kind and gentle -- until the week after my surgery, when I told him I wasnt going to take Premarin. Then he threw a fit that would have made any 2-year-old proud. I had to hang the phone up on him because he wouldnt stop yelling at me about how I just had to take it long-term.
I never took it, even for one day. And I never had any menopausal symptoms. Maybe that happens when you have surgery rather than going through menopause naturally.
My sister, on the other hand, did take Premarin, for 15+ years, and ended up with breast cancer because of it.
The surgeon who did my ovariohysterectomy in 1992 (when I was 46 and suffering from very large fibroids) was so kind and gentle -- until the week after my surgery, when I told him I wasnt going to take Premarin. Then he threw a fit that would have made any 2-year-old proud. I had to hang the phone up on him because he wouldnt stop yelling at me about how I just had to take it long-term.
I never took it, even for one day. And I never had any menopausal symptoms. Maybe that happens when you have surgery rather than going through menopause naturally.
My sister, on the other hand, did take Premarin, for 15+ years, and ended up with breast cancer because of it.
You were smart and I'm sorry for your sister. Too many horror tales just like that for women on premarin.
my mother had hysterectomy and had no symptoms but some women do. it's a crap shoot.
I'm 43 and just started having peculiar cycles over the past 6 months or so. I guess that's the beginning.
I've had very heavy periods since my teen years (I take an iron supplement daily due to iron deficiency from my periods). Just over the past half year or so, however, the pattern's changed... very light flow for a day, it stops for about 12 hours, then the heavy flow arrives. Strange "pattern" for me...
And my skin has just about totally dried out, all of a sudden.
I can't wait for more signs of the "change" to begin. Whee.
I started having hot flashes a little over a year ago at 51. I stood it for as long as I could, about a month, and then realized I couldn't live (and continue to work!) while being so sleep deprived and miserable. I'm now on the Climara Pro patch; you change the patch once a week, and it has worked wonders. It's not cheap; I pay $100 for three packs of four patches, and that's with insurance!
The hot flashes were by the far the worst symptom, but painful sex was also right up there (KY became my friend very quickly, with zero natural lubrication happening!). It's funny how no one really talks about that, but there is a huge array of lubricant products at my local drug store, so I'm sure this isn't just happening to me! Then there was also the total loss of libido; it just disappeared. I'm sure the lack of sleep and hot flashes had something to do with that. "Get away from me; I'm too hot!"
I made the choice to go on HRT even with the increased risk of breast cancer, because my life wasn't worth living anyway. I'd rather have quality of life now than be unable to function and yet live longer.
I just went to my gynecologist yesterdat for my annual exam, and because I had a period on December 10th after not having one since August, and then I had more light bleeding that began on December 22nd, she did an ultrasound exam. I have a bicornuate uterus (one cervix, but two chambers - also called "horns"), and there is a fibroid at the end of each horn. Weird. They look almost the same. I'm going back for a more thorough investigation on January 27th. She thinks it's nothing, but as she said, "We can't just ignore it." Oh, and she also said the uterine lining was thicker than it should be if I'm on HRT. Hmm...
Sounds like peri-menopause... periods become irregular--lighter, missing or very heavy in the same year...
Me, I never had intense hot-flashes--just as you described..hotter at times but not drenching the bed linens or clothes with sweat as some women describe...
My worst "symptom" was insomnia..it felt as though little bugs were crawling under my skin, especially my legs...which I was told is caused by hormone shifts in some women...but this went away...felt I had a pretty easy time of it.
Took some black cohosh and some other herbal menopause support supplements. Your health food store can help you with that...seemed to help me ease on through this change. Feel GREAT now!
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Then there was also the total loss of libido; it just disappeared. I'm sure the lack of sleep and hot flashes had something to do with that. "Get away from me; I'm too hot!"
