I don’t usually write about women’s (or my) health but this was something I thought others could benefit from.
It has been so weird lately. My moods are all over the place with me crying during dog food commercials and choking up while explaining The Voice ‘battle rounds’ to my daughter. Pathetic, right? Then, there are the hot flashes. I’ll suddenly break into a sweat several times a day, regardless of where I am or what I’m doing. I’ve also had a hard time sleeping, headaches, weight gain, memory loss, etc. It basically seemed like I was going crazy and was constantly having PMS. I even hit several ‘breaking points’ over the past few weeks due to all the changes.
I was telling my mom about this and jokingly said that I must be going through menopause. Then, she dropped the bomb:
“You know, there is something like a pre-menopause you can get in your 30’s . . .”
What?! Are you serious?! I hurriedly hopped online to see if this was so. Yet again my mom was right.
35 Perimenopause Symptoms
So, between getting your first period (premenopause) and getting your last one (menopause), there’s a stage called perimenopause. According to WebMD, perimenopause is when “when the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen”. While this typically hits later in life, women, like me, are special enough to experience it in their 30s.
According to The Perimeopause Blog (yes, there’s actually an entire blog about it), there are about 35 symptoms associated with perimenopause . . . and I’m dealing with about 26 of them:
- Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
- Irregular heart beat
- Irritability
- Mood swings, sudden tears
- Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
- Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
- Loss of libido
- Dry vagina
- Crashing fatigue
- Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
- Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
- Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
- Disturbing memory lapses
- Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
- Itchy, crawly skin
- Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
- Increased tension in muscles
- Breast tenderness
- Headache change: increase or decrease
- Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
- Sudden bouts of bloat
- Depression
- Exacerbation of existing conditions
- Increase in allergies
- Weight gain
- Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
- Dizziness, vertigo, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
- Changes in body odor
- Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
- Tingling in the extremities
- Gum problems, increased bleeding
- Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
- Osteoporosis (after several years)
- Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
- Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, ‘whooshing,’ buzzing etc.
I just turned 35 years old a few months ago! That’s just wrong! (What is it with perimenopause and the number 35?) I’m doomed to decades of this awful perimenopause, and who know how many years of menopause after that. It’s all downhill from here, huh? And, while I’m heading toward the end of my cycle, my daughter is just starting hers. Ugh – why, oh why, is it so tough being female?!
Now What?
Now that I know what I have been experiencing, there’s a lot to be done. First off, I’ll need to go to the doctor to see if this self-diagnosis is right and if the falling estrogen levels are affecting anything else. It’s also important I do better at improving my diet and exercising every day.
So far, the following sources look promising on suggestions on how to lessen, or at least cope, with this:
- The Perimeopause Blog
- I’m Too Young For This! by Suzanne Somers
- 34 Menopause Symptoms – Perimenopause
34 comments
I didn’t realize there were so many symptoms beyond the well known hot flashes! Holy cow! I don’t have any of the symptoms yet, but I sure expect that they’d show up anytime now.
Wowza, that is a lot of symptoms!!! I hear it can be the pits for sure. I know my day will be coming one day!!
This is not a life stage that I’m looking forward to, frankly
I’ve heard the word used but didn’t realize what it was. Thanks for the info! So far so good for me, but maybe I avoided it by getting pregnant at 35… one could hope.
I’m only 32 and haven’t really thought about it yet. Good luck in your quest to learn more.
Luckily having my daughter so late in life has helped keep much of this at bay for me.
I knew there was early menopause but I didn’t know of perimenopause.
Wow. I have been suffering with a vast majority of these symptoms too, and have been actually scared that something really major was wrong with me. I have never had headaches hardly at all in my life, but lately I’ve had some pretty major migraines.
I just turned 35 in December 18th… Prior to that for at least 4 months I had a host of unexplainable symptoms that eventually landed me in a chair at a shrinks office!!! It started with headaches… Body aches all over … Tingling, night sweats, ringing in ears …. I’ve been to every specialist and been to the ER quite a few times for panic attacks…. I just stumbled upon this article and OMG… I think I have been/am going through peri menopause..
theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/nov/19/healthandwellbeing.health
Check out this story!!! This was/is me to a T!! However I am still on ZOLOFT (antidepressants) I am just so surprised to read someone who went through an identical situation as I and there is an answer to why I’ve been having all these symptoms.
It’s definitely a pain to deal with. Since I’ve turned 36, the symptoms are now off and on. I fear the day I actually face menopause itself as I’m a mess sometimes! So nice to to know others are experiencing these and that we’re not just crazy 😛
Hi! Curious to know if you were ever properly diagnosed with this?
No, not yet. We’ve had some craziness with insurance, paperwork, etc. but I hope to check it out soon. Sorry I can’t be of more help w/ this.
I’m not 35 just yet, very close, but I have been feeling like this lately too. I’m glad I”m not crazy and I thought it was too early as well. At this rate I’m going to need a second job for wigs. 🙁
I just turned 40 last year, and I’m pretty sure that I’m heading that way with many of those symptoms plaguing me. My mom went through menopause pretty early and I don’t doubt that I will too. That being said, it honestly doesn’t bother me, I’m done having kids and I can do without the monthly troubles 😉
Hopefully it will stay that way for you!!! I’ve personally been through the wringer. I’m 53 now and have been going through this for a least 8 years. I’ve had almost all the symptoms at one time or another. Beware of taking pills to solve these problems try acupuncture and oriental medicine first to see if they can offer some risk free alternatives!!!!
Oh, dear. That’s a long time — you poor thing! Good idea to try other alternatives before hitting the meds. Those always have crazy side effects. My symptoms fade in and out but they’re not as bad as when I first turned 35…
I had no idea there were so many symptoms. Not looking forward to this at all.
I have some of them and this explains a lot.
I’m 35 and I have all but two of those symptoms. I’ve actually had quite a few of them since 2006, and I joked with my mother that I thought I was going through menopause. My mother had only just begun to display a few symptoms herself, so she didn’t know what to tell me. Well, around about 2012, just as I got married, I began to develop so many more of those listed symptoms. I will be addressing this with my doctor! I don’t have kids, and at this point it doesn’t look as though I will be having any. I’m not saying that for sympathy, because I don’t want any biological kids, I prefer to adopt. It’s just that now I may have an honest response to those nosy Nancy types, as to why we haven’t had kids yet. Anyhow, I digress. You aren’t alone, but unfortunately, I don’t know what to tell you.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I guess it’s just one of those things we need to deal with as women. Hopefully we’ll make it to actual menopause with our sanity still intact 😛
I’m 42 and I first started to experience full-on perimenopausal symptoms last year. It began with the worst-ever cycle that kicked in AS I WAS TRAVELING TO DISNEY WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME. That was a miserable flight. I felt like my ovaries were rupturing. So, yeah, kind of hoping that it’s over soon enough…even though I know I have probably a good decade of this to deal with.
Oy, that is not nice! I noticed that the symptoms come and go for me, so hopefully you’ll get some breaks too! Were you at least able to enjoy WDW a little? Or do you need a do-over like our trip to Italy?
Things settled down after the first two days, so the trip wasn’t ruined…but the flight experience was excruciating. I’d never felt pain like that before. When we returned from our trip, the random hot flashes set in (which is how I knew what was happening). On the plus side, this does mean that eventually I can stop tithing monthly to Proctor & Gamble. 😉
Ugh, I can’t imagine the discomfort you experienced during the flight! BTW, love your description of monthly feminine needs 😛
Hello. I have mostly all the symptoms. Ive noticed my period has been kind of weird lately. And ive been dealing with depression for 6 yrs .i was 29 and hot flashes here and there and i beleieve i have tinnitus And many many more symptoms. Im finally taking antidepressants. I thought i was going crazy but i am now 35yrs old. Started noticing my period flow changing the last 2 yrs. Need to bring this up to my dr. When she precribe me antidepressants she actually told me i probably going through perimenopause!!
Really? I’m glad you got it checked out then. My symptoms have mostly subsided but they do come and go. Also, I hope you are able to manage your depression okay. I’ve had it for the past 29 years or so and it’s definitely more challenging to deal w/ as I get older.
I can very much relate to these symptoms. I am 35 and have never had an irregular period. The last two months, my period has been one week shorter than it’s ever been and I have been having “hot flashes” for a couple years which I shrugged off as just a sign I run hot. However, today, right as my period started, I experienced an intense panicky situation. Out of nowhere, I got an intense headache, broke out in a sweat, felt extremely irritable to noise, experienced nausea and have been unable to shake the weird feeling. Waiting for a call-back from my Dr. And in the meantime doing some research. I have found that I have almost all of these symptoms and just find it strange that all the sudden my cycle has changed and that I seemed to have something similar to a panic attack, yet I am not currently stressed out about anything. Will update later on professional advice/diagnosis/results. And thanks everyone for their experiences
So strange. Yes, please let us know! I’d love to hear what the doctor says about this! I never went for a diagnosis from the doctor but my symptoms weren’t so bad that I felt I needed to. But, I keep regretting the decision and wonder if the symptoms will come back with a vengeance or not.
I’m currently going through this too. 1 year and 8 months ago I came off birth control to give my body a break and I got thrown into panic attacks that occurred on and off around my period (which I didn’t associate with it at the time), followed by tingling and numbness extremities, chest pains, very light periods that were brown more than anything. Then 1 year later I got a slightly heavier period accompanied by extreme anxiety. I was perceived anxiety meds which I couldn’t tolerate. I was telling doctors it was hormonal but my hormone results were within range. I’ve been so down since it all started. I was a very happy person before this happened. I’ve had all the symptoms on the list practically. I had a month of zapping headaches which scared me so much. It’s been a terrible time and I didn’t know women went through such a thing. I thought it was just a few hot flashes and sweating that would happen. I envy the people who sail through this thing. The anxiety and depression are by far the worst things. I can’t imagine going through this for anther 10 years. It’s hard being a woman. Just when you think you have things sorted peri comes along 🙁
Hi Dee. I’m so sorry that I missed your comment until just now! Wow, you’ve been through a lot! It really is crazy how much changes in hormones can affect us. You’d think doctors would recognize the signs but many are easy to medicate without really researching the issue. Did you ever end up specifically asking to be tested for peri? Just so you know, my symptoms have mostly subsided since I first wrote this article. Since then, some symptoms come and go but it’s not as bad as when I first got them at age 35. Maybe that will give you hope of not having to deal with the current issues chronically until you finally start menopause.
Hi TerriAnn,
I know this article was written a few years ago, but I was wondering if you have already been to your doctor to see if you suspicion of perimenapause was correct. I turn 35 in less than a month and I have been having several of the symptoms you posted.
Hi Stephanie. No, I did not end up going the doctor at that time. Symptoms weren’t so bad that I felt I needed to and they started to subside not too long after posting this. But, I have talked to a lot of women since then and this is definitely a real condition! If you can schedule a visit, it doesn’t hurt to ask your doctor if you are having issues though. Please let me know how things turn out for you!
I’m 34 and I have never had children nor sexual relationships meaning I’m sexually a virgin. I’ve heard that virgins can go through perimenapaise earlier than women who have had children. In times due I’ll probably have to perimenapause nutritional supplements by the time I’m 36 or 37 years because it change every year. I’ve menstruated since 11 years old. Menapause nutrition supplement by 40 probably. I had periods two weeks apart which means its a sign of possible early perimenapause, and sometimes periods skip a month or two.
Really? I never heard about sexual activity affecting one’s cycle. Looks like I have something new to research. 🙂 Have you been regular the entire time before now? I was never regular but the doctor said not to worry unless I went three months without my period. That said, my cycles didn’t change that much when I experienced these symptoms. Thanks so much for sharing your insights!
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