Perimenopause. There. I said it.

[Betty]

You were warned by the title. That's all I'm sayin'.

So here I am, 41. I am 41 right? (see I had to actually check because I sometimes lose my mind... a little.) Anyway, my periods are regular then irregular and right now, I'm on the late and irregular side. And so emotional. How many times have I cried today? 6? 7? and why? Let's see... just a few minutes ago it was because I'm watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and crying over the Mom talking about her daughter getting married. My daughter is a senior in high school and not getting married but now seemed like a good time to cry about it.

Seriously. It's been like that all damn day. Can we stop please? I feel like it's neverending intermittent PMS until I actually start.

And I was too hot at night and couldn't sleep so I moved the bedroom around and put the bed under the window. That was too cold thought because of a draft going right under the covers. I eventually gave up and moved it around again. And now I'm back to being too hot.

Throw in bouts of insomnia from time to time.

I can deal with it all, I know. But I'm really growing tired of crying over random, stupid stuff.

I can't be the only one. What are your experiences with this?

[Not Afraid]

I'll be 50 in April and I am as regular as ever and rarely get PMS. I'm no help whatsoever. My hormones just give me breast cancer.

[Morrigoon]

Betty: add excessive exhaustion to that symptom list and I'll be sending you out for a First Response kit :P ;)

[alphabassettgrrl]

Night sweats, some irregularity, and my hormones are doing something strange. I'd add insomnia, except I've kind of always been there. I'm 41, too. It's about the right time to start the early stages.

[Betty]

Betty: add excessive exhaustion to that symptom list and I'll be sending you out for a First Response kit :P ;)

My husband got the ol' snippety snip after Robert was born. Let's hope things haven't grown back somehow after 13 years.

[Betty]

I suppose I should make a doctor appointment and get a checkup and all that. Make sure there isn't something else going on. Bah!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The doc may have some remedies for you, too. Good luck!

[alphabassettgrrl]

I take an herbal blend that I get from Whole Foods that seems to help. I think the brand is Solaray, and it's just called "female blend" or something like that. Has black cohosh in it, which helps to balance things.

[lindyhop]

I skipped the emotional stuff, thankfully, but going from excessively hot to excessively cold is crazy making.

[cirquelover]

I'd like to add my thinning hair to the mix. Of course my doc says I'm too young to be having this problem, I am 45. I hope your doc is more sympathetic. Oh, I also get breakouts like I'm a teenager again. The joys of aging right!

[alphabassettgrrl]

45 is not too young to be starting perimenopause. Late 30s is actually not too early. Not common, but it can happen. Trust your own assessment.

[Alex]

My hair is thinning and anything over 60 degrees is too warm for sleeping comfortably and can never sleep with any bedding on top of me. I only sleep 6 hours a night. My boobs are sore for no reason.

If I start crying I think I'll have a diagnosis.

[Betty]

I'd like to add my thinning hair to the mix. Of course my doc says I'm too young to be having this problem, I am 45. I hope your doc is more sympathetic. Oh, I also get breakouts like I'm a teenager again. The joys of aging right!

Yep - thinning hair and breakouts too.

[3894]

Do I warn you people now about vaginal atrophy (http://www.thebigow.ca/Home.aspx) or do I wait?

[Kevy Baby]

Do I warn you people now about vaginal atrophy (http://www.thebigow.ca/Home.aspx) or do I wait?After I read snippets from the web site, GD said you should have waited.

[3894]

GD said you should have waited.

Always glad to be of assistance!

[cirquelover]

I also could have lived without that piece of information 3894!

How about the memory lapses, everything in my world is becoming ' the thingy', just lovely!

[Betty]

All of these things!