From personal experience: Have you or a relative or friend been affected by perimenopause to a very dramatic extent?

Mental and hormonal are tied together. I think it could be perimenopause adding to stress. I know a lot of women who start getting PMS for the first time in their lives in their 40’s. They also have a harder time making decisions, and get more anxious than they have been in their life or at least more than they were for a long time.

For myself, I just can’t believe the stressful situation I am in in my mid 40’s. I resent it. I probably could benefit from some therapy. I definitely have an edge about me. Short tempered, afraid, a little paralyzed with the fear, sleep pattern disruption.

Has she tried therapy? I wouldn’t go reaching for antidepressants right away, but that’s me. The herbal stuff I think is garbage.

She can go get her hormones checked by an endocrinologist or GYN who specializes in menopause. Is her period whacky? Any hot flashes? I haven’t had any of that, just periods closer together and a little shorter in duration.

If I’ve gone thorough menopause, and I’m sure I have, there wasn’t even a bump in the road.

@Dutchess_III THAT is luck!

I am often lucky!

I haven’t had a period since December, so far no flashes, no real change at all.

I think most of my stress is because I am going through a very stressful situation by any objective standard, but a friend had told me about 6 months ago that some of my indecision might be peri menopausal, and I think it’s possible it’s adding to the mix maybe?

I’m going through perimenopause now but so far I’ve been very lucky and haven’t experienced any major problems. I have times when I’m less focused, more tired, suddenly hot and my skin and hair has changed a little but none of these changes have been dramatic or unbearable. My libido is absolutely fine. Many of these things could be stress related rather than menopausal. I do think my temper is shorter at times. Not dramatically so and I’ve always had a short fuse, but I have had times when I’m moodier, more emotional and even less patient. Thankfully that’s not consistent.

My stepmother was horrible when she went through menopause. I’m not sure if that was her personality or her symptoms though. She was often totally irrational and unbearable to live with. She was never an easy woman to be around and something of a drama queen so perhaps it was as much to do with her being her.

I’m hoping like @Dutchess_III I sail through this with barely any problems.