What age did it start for you?
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Hi I'm new to this site i started perimenopause a month before my 40th birthday. i had no clue why i had put on so much weight in my late thirties.0
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I'm late to report here - but for completeness -I had early onset from 40 onwards - and hit it like a brick wall at 46. Still struggling now with the night sweats/chills. I am 50 and a half now. ( I sound like a kid, ooh, I am seven and a half, not just seven !!!) I do have a recipe for a menopause cake for which, I hate to say, I got in all the ingredients for, but never got around to making......if you put it into google you will get the link, I am sure......If not, let me know and I will post it when I can find it,,,,,I am not the most organised of people!
Don't worry, OP!! That has always been me, not the menopause!!0 -
I'm late to report here - but for completeness -I had early onset from 40 onwards - and hit it like a brick wall at 46. Still struggling now with the night sweats/chills. I am 50 and a half now. ( I sound like a kid, ooh, I am seven and a half, not just seven !!!) I do have a recipe for a menopause cake for which, I hate to say, I got in all the ingredients for, but never got around to making......if you put it into google you will get the link, I am sure......If not, let me know and I will post it when I can find it,,,,,I am not the most organised of people!
Don't worry, OP!! That has always been me, not the menopause!!
I googled it. Looks yummy! My smoothies are similar! They have lots of greens, berries, ginger, turmeric, soy milk, hemp hearts (omegas) and sometimes avocado.0 -
I think I was.... 47 or 48 when I first started noticing symptoms. (Now 52) They would come and go. Cycle that always was very predictable almost to the hour became unpredictable. Headaches, irritable, memory problems, stress. Then the last couple of years constant fatigue, sleep problems, extreme stress, yada yada. Recently started a low carb diet and amazingly most of my problems have disappeared and the weight is starting to come off. I believe I became very insulin resistant and hormones were extremely out of whack.0
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I think I was.... 47 or 48 when I first started noticing symptoms. (Now 52) They would come and go. Cycle that always was very predictable almost to the hour became unpredictable. Headaches, irritable, memory problems, stress. Then the last couple of years constant fatigue, sleep problems, extreme stress, yada yada. Recently started a low carb diet and amazingly most of my problems have disappeared and the weight is starting to come off. I believe I became very insulin resistant and hormones were extremely out of whack.
I believe you're spot on. There are numerous articles on pubmed documenting that many women become insulin resistant with menopause, and that carbohydrate metabolism CHANGES for many of us with menopause.0 -
I started in my mid 40s. I stopped eating meat and the symptoms eased. Didn't stop completely, tho. I'm now in my early 50s and 3 months with no period. Ovulation started being very painful around age 50. My hair has thinned in the past 3 months. I have been able to lose weight, as I'm fairly active.0
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I started in my mid 40s. I stopped eating meat and the symptoms eased. Didn't stop completely, tho. I'm now in my early 50s and 3 months with no period. Ovulation started being very painful around age 50. My hair has thinned in the past 3 months. I have been able to lose weight, as I'm fairly active.
I noticed my hot flashes were worse with meat. What a crazy time! Lower carb: better for mood, sleep, migraines.
Lots of vegetables: good for hot flashes and mood.
Lower meat: better for hot flashes.
all leads to: Lower carb vegetarian!
I'm kidding of course. But what a crazy time!0 -
I'll be 61 at the end of this month and have been going through menopause for 10 years. Still have night sweats and dizziness. Sadly, too, my hair is thinning which is a blow to the ego. Pray that this doesn't happen to all of u lovely ladies.0
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_VickiLynne_ wrote: »I'll be 61 at the end of this month and have been going through menopause for 10 years. Still have night sweats and dizziness. Sadly, too, my hair is thinning which is a blow to the ego. Pray that this doesn't happen to all of u lovely ladies.
Sorry it's been so rough for you. Have you found anything that helps with the dizziness?0 -
Hi everyone... I am 54 and a little late to find this party, but I started peri menopause in my early40 's. Because my mom developed a rare form of HRT induced breast cancer, my gyn didn't want to give me anything even short term. When I started the twice a month flooding menses I went the Murina route too but aside from that I just decided to power through. I still occasionally get hot flashes, oddly most often in the spring for some reason?? The worst for me would happen when I was blowing my hair dry after a shower.... I swear I was just soaked and needed another shower by the time I got my hair done and make up on
I have just started a little with the dizziness in the past few weeks and am noticing what I thought was thinning but my hairdresser says it is just because my hair has lightened to a "platinum blonde" 
Anyhoo... This is what has lead me find your group. Have you had any luck with meclazine for the dizzies? I am thinking about giving it a go. I am going to follow along if you all don't mind 0 -
Sandcastles61 wrote: »Hi everyone... I am 54 and a little late to find this party, but I started peri menopause in my early40 's. Because my mom developed a rare form of HRT induced breast cancer, my gyn didn't want to give me anything even short term. When I started the twice a month flooding menses I went the Murina route too but aside from that I just decided to power through. I still occasionally get hot flashes, oddly most often in the spring for some reason?? The worst for me would happen when I was blowing my hair dry after a shower.... I swear I was just soaked and needed another shower by the time I got my hair done and make up on I have just started a little with the dizziness in the past few weeks and am noticing what I thought was thinning but my hairdresser says it is just because my hair has lightened to a "platinum blonde" Anyhoo... This is what has lead me find your group. Have you had any luck with meclazine for the dizzies? I am thinking about giving it a go. I am going to follow along if you all don't mind
I haven't tried mechanize for the dizziness, but my doc gave me a script for it about 7 years ago when I started having nausea (morning sickness) with ovulation time. I only had to use it a few times.
If it helps with the dizziness PLEASE let me know.0 -
I'm not really sure when it all began. I noticed my periods weren't as regular as they used to be, but didn't care because my PMS was always an extremely reliable predictor of when I'd start, so I never made a real note of it.
Around the time I was 43, I started having periods that would taper and end. I'd go a full day with nary a drop. Then it would come back for a day, full flow and taper again. This happened every month.
Two years later, it all kicked in like crazy. Hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats (and day sweats, lol) and the ridiculously long PMS, plus my new non-period (a period with every symptom but blood.) I've been having some very bad pressure-type headaches. Nothing helps. Sometimes I just lie down in a dark or darkened room. I even tried caffeine - no help. I didn't make the link to the menopause until I read this stuff.
It's hard for me to figure out if I lose weight slower than other people because of this menopause business or because I lack a thyroid. The endo said it was normal to have a hard time losing without a thyroid. It hasn't bothered me because I couldn't lose at all before my thyroid surgery and hormone replacement, so I'm really very happy every day to be losing weight and don't take the ability to do it for granted.
But I wonder if it's all thyroid or maybe if menopause is playing into it. Anyway, I lose SLOWLY.
I don't know if any of that will help. But there you go.0 -
Around the time I was 43, I started having periods that would taper and end. I'd go a full day with nary a drop. Then it would come back for a day, full flow and taper again. This happened every month.
It's hard for me to figure out if I lose weight slower than other people because of this menopause business or because I lack a thyroid. The endo said it was normal to have a hard time losing without a thyroid. It hasn't bothered me because I couldn't lose at all before my thyroid surgery and hormone replacement, so I'm really very happy every day to be losing weight and don't take the ability to do it for granted.
But I wonder if it's all thyroid or maybe if menopause is playing into it. Anyway, I lose SLOWLY.
I'm 46, and I have the starting & stopping. Nothing else—yet.
I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and it took me a year & a half to lose 25 lbs. So be patient! I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
I've been at this for a long time, even before I took a break. It has forced me to be patient and I was really good about that, but now I feel this pressure to get all the fat off ASAP because I worry that the menopause will kick me back into not being able to lose again.editorgrrl wrote: »Around the time I was 43, I started having periods that would taper and end. I'd go a full day with nary a drop. Then it would come back for a day, full flow and taper again. This happened every month.
It's hard for me to figure out if I lose weight slower than other people because of this menopause business or because I lack a thyroid. The endo said it was normal to have a hard time losing without a thyroid. It hasn't bothered me because I couldn't lose at all before my thyroid surgery and hormone replacement, so I'm really very happy every day to be losing weight and don't take the ability to do it for granted.
But I wonder if it's all thyroid or maybe if menopause is playing into it. Anyway, I lose SLOWLY.
I'm 46, and I have the starting & stopping. Nothing else—yet.
I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and it took me a year & a half to lose 25 lbs. So be patient! I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
So many older women talk about how difficult it is to lose after menopause.
I spent my whole life struggling and finally, when I'm middle-aged, they fixed me and I can lose. I don't want to go back to that now, when it's all turning around.
I hope that doesn't sound to maudlin. I don't mean it that way.
I'm hanging in there. You hang in, too!
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I spent my whole life struggling and finally, when I'm middle-aged, they fixed me and I can lose. I don't want to go back to that now, when it's all turning around.
I'm still angry & sad it took me so long to be properly diagnosed and treated, but mostly I'm just grateful I'm finally "fixed."
Thyroid disease taught me how hormones can affect the entire body & mind. So I think I'm better prepared than some to weather perimenopause and menopause.0 -
I'm 50 and have been having just one period a year for about 4 years now. I don't have any symptoms like hot flashes or mood swings...yet.0
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Hello Ladies. I started around 38. I will be 44 in a few weeks. My entire life i was a 28 day girl. Then...not so much. I get horrible PMS for about 48 hours before my period so it is a good predictor. My Husband lets me know. LOL. I get mood swings, hot flashes, irregular erratic flow, nasty cramping on day 2, incredible itchiness, insomnia,....yadda yadda yadda. I do feel better since i started working out regularly. I have not really paid too much attention to how food affects my symptoms so I will be keeping an eye on that. My family is well known for early menopause onset....it just takes forever to get through. I have been snarkily assured my my mom and the aunts that Meno-hell should be done by the time I am 58-60. On the bright side my husband has assured me he won't divorce me for being cranky and soaking the sheets. LOL. I lucked out on that one. I have to say the worst part for me is the itchiness...........I could live with out that.0
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Peri menopause started when I was 40. Lots of night sweats. That's when I started eating a serving of soy everyday. My periods, which were never regular became predictable because of the plant estrogen in the soy. I believe it made me less aggressive. I did not end my menses until I was 57-1/2. I also found that if I ate "clean" and restricted the sugar and flour, my symptoms were much more tolerable. I always exercised and I know that's a big plus for stability in the mood swings and weight.0
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Bikerchickmomma wrote: »Peri menopause started when I was 40. Lots of night sweats. That's when I started eating a serving of soy everyday. My periods, which were never regular became predictable because of the plant estrogen in the soy. I believe it made me less aggressive. I did not end my menses until I was 57-1/2. I also found that if I ate "clean" and restricted the sugar and flour, my symptoms were much more tolerable. I always exercised and I know that's a big plus for stability in the mood swings and weight.
I'm on the tail end of things now and my own experience is similar. I started with dizziness about 8 years ago, then general warmth, night sweats, hot flashes, increased migraines...edginess etc... adding more phytoestrogens, more soy, less refined sugar and flour has been my saving grace. Ever time I deviate, I know...0 -
I was on the pill continuously for about a decade until I had a hysterectomy. When I was switched to estrogen-only hormones, I had an emotional meltdown, which evaporated when progesterone was added back in. So that's my version of surgically induced menopause. I hate being at the mercy of what the medical profession thinks I need, but my body has never had the chance to adapt gradually.0
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I started having ridiculously heavy periods at about 46 or 47, had a very stressful job at 48 when I lost a ton of hair, so not sure if that was a symptom. Started having lighter periods at about 50, tried Progesterone only, gave me headaches, and migraines, so stopped that finally. Hadn't had a period in 3 months at now 51. The doctor said it would likely be this year. Just this month started with the night sweats and hot flashes - thought I dodged that one - too bad. No mood swings or dizziness though. Exercise keeps me pretty steady.0
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I am not new to MFP but back again because I have backslided big time. The reason .... Menopause hit me like a ton of bricks last spring. I am 57 years old and my doctor thought I was going to be in the Guinness World Book of Records. I had my periods regularly up until last spring. My blood pressure/cholestral went up, blood sugar was 10 points higher than normal for me but not over 100 yet, and I gained 20 pounds virtually over night! I went to the doctor and confirmed it. Had a rocky road with the blood pressure and am now back to normal on my stats. So I am starting this week to really work on getting back into shape and getting rid of this Meno-Pot Belly!0
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Where are the older gals? Get on here and help us chickies out!
[ The symptoms don't go away when the periods stop. (Sorry to say.) [/quote]
What???? They better freakin' go away! I refuse to be old and moody.
Tell us the good things about Men-no-pause (to look at me any more).
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Sandcastles61 wrote: »The worst for me would happen when I was blowing my hair dry after a shower.... I swear I was just soaked and needed another shower by the time I got my hair done and make up on
I thought that was just me that happens to! I have found that if I wait about 30 minutes before drying my hair that I don't end up drenched in sweat. Not sure if it is the heat/humidity in the bathroom post shower or what.
Also, I had thinning hair in the past few years. Switched hairdressers, stopped bleaching my hair, I now do color instead, and started using the salon products called Healium. And I am growing all sorts of new hair. Which makes my hairdresser happy and annoyed all at the same time, because she is trying to get these new sprouts to get with the hairstyle program!
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Peri-pause started 37/38, extreme tiredness, stressed and hot flushes were my default symptoms looking back . Had to go on the first diet in my life by 39 ! It's been a good ten years before my doctor has confirmed I am now in menopause (12months without a bleed) so I guess I was 48 by then.
Struggled with my weight over this time and this time around (3rd) the weight is coming off by the micro-grams; it is SO slow. Never before been such a poor rate - maybe 2lbs over a month ?
Have really hit the metabolism buffers which is why I'm here
On the positives I only need my haircut every six months and shaving legs & arms has become a weekly task
I like the carb/insulin resistance idea so will be pursuing that one this time around.....................0 -
This time around (3rd) the weight is coming off by the micro-grams; it is SO slow. Never before been such a poor rate - maybe 2lbs over a month?
A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight. So (depending on your size) you're probably doing way better than you think.0 -
Perimenopause began for me in my early forties, when I noticed my periods would vary in days between cycle and the bleeding would drag on. I had night sweats, depression, confusion. I noticed that regular exercise (which I had not been consistent with at the time) would totally alleviate the symptoms.
I am now 46 and this spring it was like a perimenopause switch just flicked on. I'm crying in the grocery store...scared the crap out of my husband. The week before my period I get so tense and emotional. Exactly one week before my period I am famished then it goes away. The night before my period I usually have a headache that really feels like I am having a stroke. I still have my period every 28 days.
Whereas in my early 40s, doing a half hour exercise 3 days a week would keep symptoms away, I have to now be on the elliptical 45 min to an hour a day. And I am losing very slowly, if at all...0 -
Hi. New to group. Interesting reading. I'm 46, get extremely heavy periods, dizziness and an occasional night sweat. Cannot seem to lose weight and feel a bit distracted/lack of concentration. Think it's about time I went for a check up!0
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I just turned 50 and the hot flashes and night sweats are becoming severe. My obgyn gave me samples of realizen it's a flower pollen and suppose to reduce flashes up to 67%. It can take up to
Three months to work. Apparently woman in Europe have used this for the past 15 years. In the meanwhile all I have to say is yuck!!! I feel gross. My period is irregular it's bean three months since the last. Weight gain,mood swings., dry skin and hair. This is not fun would rather have my period.0 -
carole4000 wrote: »Hi. New to group. Interesting reading. I'm 46, get extremely heavy periods, dizziness and an occasional night sweat. Cannot seem to lose weight and feel a bit distracted/lack of concentration. Think it's about time I went for a check up!
Glad to have a compatriot for the dizziness. This has been and continues to be my most vexing symptom.0
