I skipped "Peri" and went right into Menopause at 42. Hummm...have you had your thyroid levels checked?

Huh. I wonder if that's what my mom was going through then? It took her 15 years of ignoring symptoms to get diagnosed---I'm not putting up with it! Got my appt. on the 16th. Wish me luck!

There are time when I am convinced I am in perimenopause - my grandmother went thru menopause in her mid to early 50's, and my mother went thru surgical menopause at about the same time. I have had almost all of the symptoms at some point in the last few years (I am 37), but I am also told I'm "too young." So not officially diagnosed.
*Sigh*

I started showing all those signs and having HOT flashes around your age. I'm 40 now and my doctor still says I'm too young. MY AUNT FANNIE!! I've got the signs. My thyroid is fine. It's begun. Just like mom and grandma described. Relax and enjoy it. We're still hot, it just comes in flashes now! Hehehe. Nice to meet you.

There was a great thread on this a while back (not sure if was this tribe or another though).

I'm 43 (44 in March) and I've been goin through the peri part for about a year now (GODS! I hate forever periods!) I don't spot between periods - heck, I'm lucky if I get time off BETWEEN periods. Mostly just one long event with maybe two or threee days off MAYBE...

There are some herbal and over the counter stuff that helps w/ some symptoms. But otherwise, we're pretty much suffering...

I started having long, really copious periods and extended PMS when I was in my mid-40s, so that I was without some kind of nasty period-related symptom or other for only about a week out of the month, and my doctor put me on a low-dose birth control pill. I took Yasmin, and later, Yaz for maybe seven years, and it totally regulated my periods, got rid of the bloating and sore breasts, moods, and cramps. Didn't do anything for the spaciness or cluster headaches though.

I just went off it for 7 months to see if I could still get a regular period, and didn't have one until this month, and it was a gusher. The doctor tested my levels and said they were totally normal but I was also in Perimenopause for sure, so I'm back on Yaz again.

I'm 52 and have experienced hair falling though I had tons to start out with and missing periods. I heard that if you go 12 months without you're done. I go maybe 3-6 months then here it comes; it starts out a little heavier than normal which gives me an excuse to stay home for the first time in my life for that reason. :) In the in-between times I kinda sorta pretend I'm pregnant cause it would thrill me. Otherwise, I'm fine and feeling more sexual than when I was married! However, I really do attibute that to the dance -- I'm thinking all the hip and abdominal work gets/keeps the juices flowing. LOL

I believe I was about 33 when I started.... but wasn't diagnosed until I was 35ish.. I'm 38 now and still going through it.

Find a doctor that does not poo poo your concerns, get your thyriod checked and then get hormone levels checked. If you are in perimenopause, hormone levels will be hard to gauge as they will be all over the place anyway but FSH will show if you are actually IN menopause. I dont think a history of depression has anything to do with it but I'm not a doctor... also I have found that peri women have a tendency to have a magnesium deficiency which can be the cause of the aching (as well as a decrease in progesterone)... taking a magnesium supplement can help (get that level checked too) and if you dont want to get on birth control to help with the sympotoms there is always the over the counter stuff... estrogen supplements and progesterone cream

I began having those symptoms when I was about your age and all I got from the doctors was "You're too young, don't worry about it." Now I'm 41 and I've got new doctors who are saying, "You're too young. We need to do some tests to find out what's going on. Maybe you are." Good luck, best wishes, and Namaste! ~V

Hey everyone, it's so reassuring that it's pretty 'normal' to feel like this at this stage of our life. My hormones checked out as 'normal' so according to the lab tests I'm not perimenopausal but I'm going with my gut. I think alot of us can feel things change far before somewhat imperfect parameters indicate they are, so I'm going to concentrate on eating better, practicing better sleep hygeine and cutting way back on sugar and caffeine. There are also supplements that can help with hormonal symptoms (calcium, magnesium, etc.) that I just started to take so next month will be the big test if that theory works. I did get some bad news from an orthopedist I saw about my left knee--it's so bad we're talking replacement in less than five years. Aaaaarrrrgh! It was quite shocking to see it on X-Ray---my knees look like they belong to two different people. One to an almost forty year old, the other to an 80 year old! It won't keep me from dancing, and who knows...replacement might be the best thing to do. In the meantime I'm going to get SynthVisc injections, starting the 30th. After the series I'm going to physical therapy (at my request). So, there's my update!

Careful ladies... I thought I was all done, had symptoms, missing periods, spotty and was all ways like clockwork unless preggers. Did the off on thing for about 2 years, started taking dhea so that my workouts would be more productive muscle-wise and after about a year of taking it religiosly my period stopped completely. Had been coming either every other month or every two months. then it was gone for about 6 months. By the time i figured out that I wasn't just getting ginormous I was 4 months preggers with number 5.

Found out later that dhea is something naturopaths prescribe for infertility!!! lol.

He's a cutie though. My dark haired daughter thought it was funny to walk around with my blond son holding my baby and ppl would think that they were a couple w/a baby! She was 17 and he was 15 but tall. he he!

I'm just 65,but started menopause in the mid-40's --- it was all over by 45 or so. NOW, I'm beginning to deal with post-menopausal annoyances, like low libido, dryness, achey joints of knees, etc. I went online and got some info, which confirmed that my hormones are 'imbalanced', so off I go tomorrow to talk with my physician about some replacement therapy. It wouldn't be so bad if I were single and didn't give a riff anymore BUT I met and married Love of My Life at 62, and want to keep the homefires burning, heh,heh. Shameless grandma that I am. Sounds like you are a bit young, but I thought 44 was young. There are some great webistes, with information and tips for help. I think that if I didn't bellydance, making myself feel good and sharing the sisterhood, that I would be feeling my 'post-menopausal' stuff worse than I do! Keep on dancing, babe!

Suzy - You are NOT too young. Unfortunately, the thing about people who suffer from depression being earlier may be true. I have been on antidepressants for years and my first symptoms showed up at 35. I am now 41 and I am in full swing with the insanity. Last month, my period was 26 days apart. This month, 33 days and counting with no sign of it. Migraines, moodiness, the part about forgetting everything is making me crazy. I was always hyper-organized and had a great memory. Now I can't remember something long enough to say it. It really makes you feel crazy. Heart palpitations, tiredness, you name it. It is absolutely possible to start younger. My grandmother was through the whole thing and FINISHED totally by 40 so I am hoping that I am almost over it. The other thing that is definitely true is that for those of us who are lighter (weigh less, smaller bones), we definitely can have a tendency to finish earlier as estrogen is made primarily in fat stores. If you have less fat stores, you tend to have less estrogen. Therefore, you start later (I was 15 before I got my first period) and finish earlier. So do NOT feel like you're nuts. It sounds like you too are in perimenopause. Congratulations. LOL

I think I was about 38. Now I going thru the big "M". You are not too young. Have them test you anyway and get a silva test done.

What a great discussion! I am 39 and am going thru perimenopause - Mostly copious periods with horrible cramps and achiness lasting for up to four days into my cycle... A little (more) of the crazies too. :) Thanks everyone for your words of wisedom!