I'm 46 and have been having symtoms of peri-menopause since turning 40. Peri-menopause is all the Bs we go through before entering menopause. Menopause is after we're done with it all. But most call the entire process "menopause". Just wanted you to understand the technical side of it, lol.
Your best bet is to go online to reputable medical web sites like MayoClinic.com, and look up info and symptoms of it.
Be aware, they'll want to take a blood test to check your hormones and see if you're officially going through it. Many women will show their hormones are normal, like me, but still have symptoms. Before we moved, my old doctor was great. She still treated the symptoms. Every woman is different, but for me I needed birth control pills (I'm fixed after 5 kids) and a vitamin cocktail, as my doc called it. We started on one type of bc pill but after a couple years we switched to another kind. Most BC pills have the 3 weeks of active pills change hormone amounts by raising them each week until bleeding week. My doc felt with a woman who is already having wavering hormones she didn't need to have the type of BC pill that had rising hormone levels each week. So she gave me a type of BC pill that has the same hormone level each week and it did great. Keeps my hormones and hot flashes better in check. Slept better.
4 or 5 years later, now, I'm having some symptons coming back. My current doc took blood tests and said that my hormones are fine and felt he didn't need to see me again for this. He suggested I see an actual gyno for any further help. My current doc is a man and the weekly gyno that comes in is a woman. Makes ya wonder, ya know. So now I have to hook up with this woman that comes in for a few hours once a week. Miss my old doc! She was great. Didn't need everything to be fact on a piece of paper. She worked out a problem. I'm still using my vitamin cocktail of vitamin E (women don't get enough of it), high vitamin B12 for energy, high calcium doses from my triplet pregnancy that drained my life long supply, and a nightly womens multivitamin (menopause formula). Oh, the new doc did suggest Black Cohosh which seems to help with hot flashes and such.
So, long story short, check reputable medical sites for info. Don't let blood tests throw your doc cuz they usually come up clear. Taking vitamins can help including Black Cohosh. Exercise can help too, and drink plenty of water. Know your symptoms and work with them. And don't let them think you're fine or you'll start to think you must be losing your mind. What you feel is real. If you can't get help from one doc, go to another.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets