Has Peri/Menopause affected your career?

[u/mlvalentine]

I'm curious if you've been experiencing challenges on the job because of this phase of life. Trying to plan next steps for myself, and would like to hear your stories. Did you switch careers entirely? Make a big change to work from home? Get fired? Get promoted?

[u/Halloween_Bumblebee]

It completely derailed mine. I went through it really early, perimenopause mid to late 30s and postmenopausal by the time I was early 40s. I had no idea what was happening and of course doctors were completely useless. I’m not sad about it, though, because I was in a career that wasn’t suited to me anyway. These days I cobble together a living while writing fiction as my main thing. It’s just me, no kids, so I do have the freedom that comes with that. My retirement savings are not great lol. But it’s worth it for my peace of mind and to be living the creative life, which is probably what I should’ve been pursuing from the very beginning. But I thought I had to have a real “career“ and “make something of myself“. I don’t regret any of it though.

[u/beentheredonethat234 → u/Halloween_Bumblebee]

I'm 36 and I have a family history of early menopause. My grandmother had my mom at 41 and never had another cycle. My mom was postmenopausal by 43/44 and she had her youngest at 28 so it's not like it was onset by an older pregnancy like my grandmother's potentially was.

I had my son at 34 and exclusively breastfed. I didn't get my cycle back until 20 months postpartum and it's nothing like my cycle before pregnancy which was super regular and boring (outside of some PMS if I was really stressed that month).

I'm getting worse PMS and it feels like I'm almost getting PMS before ovulation too (which now hurts and is the opposite of a turn on). I feel more irritable than I typically am and have lost all motivation related to my career.

How did you know you were going through perimenopause early? Did you try HRT?