Is It Perimenapause Making Me This Way?

42 is NOT too young for it.. nor are the 30s.. <<< that is a misnomer..

I am 49 and at about 42is when I began to experience the subtle signs of Perimenopause.. Short temper, fatigue, sudden anxiety with a burst of heat causing me to become red.. (realized now that was a hot flash) and then all that tossing and turning at night..

Initially, I didn't go to the doctor to have my hormones checked. but having kept a chart of my monthly cycle and too, having read a lot about PM, I knew I was beginning to "change".... and it wasn't until later on that I had some blood work.. but that is about it.. I didn't really find mainstream doctors in to be helpful in the least.. all they said was yeah... this or that hormone is low.. etc etc..
It wasn't until I read "screaming to be heard" by Dr. Vliet, that I began to learn even more about my body... it's not a horror book.. it's a book on women's hormones.. although some might consider it the same :):) ha

Anyhow, you mention that you have other stresses in your life and now being angry all the time and or cranky has been a struggle.. This is not uncommon for women going thru PM in that when your Estrogen begins to drop (which I suspect it is) that is the hormone that controls your stress hormone CORTISOL... when Cortisol is not under control, your anxiety, bursts of anger, sadness can be off the charts.... Stress also increases Cortisol which outside stress coupled with that drop in Estrogen can make for one angry stressed out woman (as was my case:)

Since having read that book and the fact that I still track my monthly cycle, which allows me to get a better handle on my mood swings (e.g. right before ovulation (when I ovulate that is) and of course right before my period.. I now can better negotiate all the ups and downs of PM..

I should also note that once I realized what the heck was going on with me, the idea that it had a name PM and that I wasn't just turning into a grump old woman :) that alone gave me solace that hey, I can get control of this. which you can too.. but it will taking learning more about cycle, moods and possibly doing more exercise and re-doing your nutrition plan.. I say this because for me, too much caffeine and or alcohol are No Nos for me... those alone can make me just feel so crappy... not to mention white sugar and processed carbs are also culprits.. but adjusting my nutrition plan,it's helped tremendously.. if you can add more fiber, that will help process out of your body all the extra hormonal junk.. Also, if you have excess fat, try and lose it.. fat stores Estrogen....... and then affects how you process other hormones..
ah yes, it might mean an overhaul.. but you ll be glad you too charge of this as 42... don;t wait until you are in the complete throws of PM.. act now, you ll be happy you did..

good luck

Maybe yes - maybe no.
When I began getting hot flashes (power surges!) (at about 41) it didn't seem like much but when I started getting night sweats I was miserable because I could not get a good night's sleep.
I'd get a few hours sleep, then wake up soaking wet with sweat, had to change pajamas, and then had trouble getting back to sleep and what little sleep I got was very light - not a good deep restful sleep.
Sleep deprivation definitely wears me down and makes me cranky.
Estroven helped me a lot.
I still got hot flashes but not as often or as bad and the night sweats went away (although I could not tolerate a blanket - a sheet was plenty to sleep under).
With better sleep my mood improved (but I was never sad).

You sound like you have a mild depression.
Some women get depressed about approaching menopause.

It's puberty in reverse - so the changes in hormones can affect your moods and you can get acne, too.
I'm 51 now and my personal best so far is 73 days between periods (and the ones I get are very light and short) - so I'm not officially in menopause yet.
I'm to the point where I wish they'd quit altogether already.
I no longer get hot flashes and I stopped taking Estroven about 6 months ago.
I can get cold again and I'm back to using a blanket to sleep with.
If you feel lonely and bored (when not with your grand kids), find a hobby that helps you meet people and keeps you busy.
I like gardening (I always find people who either want to know more about it or already know more than I do - so I can chat for quite awhile with total strangers about plants).
Getting out in the sun and digging in the dirt makes me feel GREAT!
The sun helps boost my vitamin D, I get good and tired, I get totally filthy but when I'm done the garden looks wonderful, my muscles had a good workout, and after washing off the dirt and sweat my skin feels great.

http://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/make-...

http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause-pictures/positive...

Make an appointment with your primary physician and get a full check up. There are several medical conditions and vitamin deficiencies that can cause your symptoms. A few years ago I was having a lot of joint pain, heart issues, sleeping problems, etc and it turned out to be low vitamin D. I was put on a supplement and within a couple weeks I was feeling much better. I would have never guessed such a small change could make such a huge difference in the quality of my life. Don't keep suffering and wondering what's going on. You owe it to yourself and your family to see what's going on and get yourself back on track.

Wow, you are 42 with grand babies so it could be:
1. depression
2. low thyroid
3. feelings of nostalgia