Hi there im new and hope someone can kinda help me. Im 46 and i cant tell or know the difference between PMS and pre-menopause...I have no hot flashes or things like that but just a couple days ago i literally worked myself into terror over a simple mistake where i sent an email to the wrong person... No it wasnt a BAD email, just a general one but i literally Freaked OUT and by the time i was done i swore i had caused my friends at bingo to be hurt by something that hasnt and isnt likely to happen... I took a simple mistake i made and kicked myself into a mess!!! I get just sooo "stressed" and then about the next day i find myself physically exhausted from it. A friend told me maybe xanax would help and to ask my doctor for something to help me. I hope im posting this correctly and that it wasnt too long. Thank you and im looking forward to meeting new friends. I dont have alot of experience in these areas and want to help others who help me...

Hello CornTortilla, I never had hot flashes at first either but new feelings or something. Like things that I would normally take for granted would really upset me. The children, my husband , my parents , my co-workers, everything and anything could set me off. Unless things have changed drastically in your life you are the right age for peri-menopause in my opinion. As for xanax , I took it then and still take it when I need it. I'd ask the doctor for a little assistance , but then I hate to suffer. Welcome to power surge. Hope you are helped here. I was and still am. bingo1

Oh I know what you mean. I get freaky right before my period too. I'm overly emotional, anxiety-prone and set off by the most insignificant things. I think it's PMS and perimenopause (I'm 40). I have my yearly physical with my doctor tomorrow so I will be discussing this with her. I do take something like Xanax when I feel I just can't take it anymore.

Hi CT. Some of the symptoms of PMS and perimenopause are similar: for example, mood swings; crying jags; bloating; and anxiety and depression. Perimenopause may or may not have many "symptoms". Some symptoms are found in perimenopause and not in PMS; for example, changes in the period; hot flashes; and night wakenings. I would say that until you those symptoms you are probably having PMS and are not far into perimenopause, although perimenopause starts out very gradually and is said to last for a long time. The more intense period of perimenopause, if it occurs, lasts for a shorter period of less than five years for most (95%?) of women. There are lots of "natural" things which you can do to help yourself out of both severe perimenopause and PMS symptoms. Look around the site if you're interested.

At this point im not sure WHERE the heck i am on the chart. Seems doc says based on tests 'hormone levels are normal....Dandy for her, but IM the one feeling "all over the map"... Frankly, im not sure that "normal" is a good word since i kinda think that whats normal for me may not be normal for you... but thats ok-- will keep taking the teeny mg of prozac till next month when i can knock on her door and say 'AHEM...." Most important thing, and it appears to be true from all the reading ive done here, is to just keep trying till we find what works for all of us.

Hi CT. Reading between the lines and perhaps getting the wrong impression, it sounds like you are "pre-menopausal" that means not perimenopausal, unless you have hot flashs or your periods have stopped for a year or more.

Hi Corn T. I am 45 and was experiencing night awakenings, anxiety, depression, change in flow, but no hot flashes. Estrogen levels were in normal range (Estrodial was low normal range) just found that out. But my estrogen to progesterone levels were out of balance. Not producing nearly enough projesterone. Estrogen dominate This was the cause of my symptoms. I had to take a saliva test to find out what my progesterone levels vs estrogen levels were. You might try taking a saliva test. You can go thru Pete at Bellvue Pharmacy or thru another avenue. You can do this on your own don't need a dr. It is worth it. If you feel something is off you are probably right. Take a saliva test and see. It helped me I now take naturally compounded progesterone and feel allot better Sandy

Good post Sandy. Yes CT I forgot to put change in periods as a symptom of possibly being in perimenopause.

can someone with the same symptoms help me out. and tell me what has helped them.. i dont take hrt and i am on natural prog cream but doesnt seem to help.. here are my symptons....losing hair, spotting all the time after my cycle.. low body temp and heavy periods...I am 42 years old. please help..ps went to gyn and she said everything ok internally.. she doesnt do saliva testing though..

Patty, welcome to Power Surge...sounds like you have some symtpoms of peri...I good idea would be too look through the boards here, alot of us have or have had the same symptoms. Also look on the recommendations pages , so much amazing information. Hugs Moozie

Concerning the question of distinguishing PMS symptoms, from perimenopause symptoms, peri symptoms can last all month, where as premenstrual symptoms occur prior to menses. Changes in the menstrual cycle is a classic symptom of peri. Longer cycles, shorter cycles, heavier flow, etc., etc. After having shorter cycles, I skipped a cycle, had a few longer cycles and now seem back to 28 day cycles for the last 6 months. I want Aunt Flo to go. I have a history of severe PMS,(PMDD) which is making this transition frightening. Testing is not particularly reliable, because with chronic hormonal fluxuations, the levels change constantly. Two years ago my FSH levels were higher than 2 months ago. I just want this over!!!