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[Focus]

How do you measure from when this started?

When your PMT physical symptoms changed?

When your period changed? When the cycle became shorter?

When is the starting point? When do you start the clock ticking over from?

I've read and average of 2-5 years for perimenopause. But 2-5 years from when?

[Knockmany]

Hi, I'm sort of in the same boat. I am 47 and it is only really in the past year that it has dawned on me what all the symptoms may well be. However thinking back, I think symptoms started about 3 years ago. I don't think there is a definite starting point, its just something that gradually creeps up on you and then you start to add it all up, do some research, and figure out that you are peri menopausal. I would reckon it begins when you notice symptoms that are classic peri menopause symptoms. Will be interested to hear what others say!

[Hurdity]

Perimenopause has quite a precise medical definition because the term has been so loosely applied to be any time a woman starts to feel differently re her periods pms etc. Perimenopause starts when the menstrual cycle becomes variable and cycle length differs by more than 7 days. The last stage before this is known as the Late Reproductive Stage (?Phase) when ovulation still occurs but some hormones start to go awry and there are changes in flow and length of periods. Often during this stage periods become closer together. It will be very variable between different women - the exact course of the transition and also it won't happen suddenly. Many women find this last stage before peri-menopause very difficult in terms of bleeding and hormonal fluctuations and from what I've read some women do actually begin to experience menopausal symptoms at this point due to the oestrogen crashes just before the period.Also pms might be experienced more intensely at this point. It did for me - I started to get pre-menstrual migraines ( hadn't had migraines before) and also became very emotional and cried buckets - the slightest thing would set me off - but this was well before peri-menopause and while my periods were still regular.

You can't say how long your peri-menopauase will last as early peri-menopause can be very variable. Once the periods become few and far between then on average the time-course is more predicatable - according to studies - although of course there are always exceptions and stats are based on populations of women and averages!

There is a paper on this - STRAW - which I used to post a while back - if you want to read about it but it's quite technical and have given you an answer in a nutshell. I might try and bump the thread I started on it a few years ago.

Hope this helps.

Hurdity x

[Hurdity]

PS I bumped the thread on stages of reproductive ageing for you and it's in All Things Menopause....

Hurdity x

[Focus]

Thank you so much Hurdity, that's incredible appreciated.

So, on my timeline, we're counting from the 20 October 2017? So 2-5 years of this (on average) from the 20 October last year?

Maybe from a year before this May 2017, I stopped getting the sore, sensitive  and slightly swollen breasts I'd always had the week before my period, as part of my PMT

From May 2017, occasional clot and maybe a couple of episodes of flooding.

From August 2017, increasing heaviness and number, size and frequency of clots. Occasionally flooding at night. Still within the bounds of what I'd call normal though (although definitely not normal for me).

2 October, blood test for iron (very low when results came through). I think I'd been having heavy periods for a bit by then, but they were always very regular and always 4 days long.

11 October, given Tranexamic Acid by GP for period heaviness and size and number of clots.

19 October last 4 day period starts, 4 days was always my regular length. From then on, is not just horrible, but chaos.
20 October period so heavy and clotty took first course of Tranexamic acid.

2 November, started Cerelle on suggestion of GP
Didn't seem to help with the bleeding. Took most of one strip

12-19 November 8 day period very heavy, very clots, flooding period
26  November-7 December 4 day very heavy, very clots, flooding period stopped by referral to hospital and taking Norethisterone

1 December Loestrin 20 day 1
4 December normal 4 day period
Withdrawal bleed around Christmas

28 December Loestrin 20 strip 2, day 1

Then I just stopped taking notes as I thought things would be normal after that.

About the 10 January, maybe started a bit of spotting
About 15 January, return to heavy period with clots and a bit of flooding