“If something is new and weird and you’re over 40, it’s probably perimenopause.”

I currently cover pop culture and trending news here at BuzzFeed.

“You can have your inner labia disappear AND lose clitoral tissue!!!!”

“I went to the hospital for my palpitations. It was so bad, I'd have to pull over while driving. I thought I was having a heart attack (this is how my father died). I found out nothing was wrong with my heart after I saw a cardiologist. I found out nothing was wrong with anything after I saw EVERY doctor who would talk to me and tried every online therapy that I could afford. Everything led back to perimenopause. Thanks for sharing; it makes me feel less alone.”

“This part! I’ve had light to moderate periods my entire life. Now? It looks like I’ve been the victim of a stabbing.”

 “I had frozen shoulder this summer. I saw three doctors, and not one of them mentioned perimenopause as a potential cause.”

“I woke up on my 40th birthday with frozen shoulder. What a gift.”

“I'm in the itchy-ear-canal phase these days.”

“Apparently, there are estrogen receptors in the ear and ear canal. The Rx estrogen cream on a Q-tip works. There are estrogen receptors all through the body and brain.”

“I went to a menopause specialist at 39 years old. They confirmed I had PCOS and sent me on my way. Even though my hormones were out of balance, they wouldn't help me since I had ovarian reserves. It's been a couple of years, and my symptoms are increasing. I'm going to try to find a doctor again.”

“This 1000 times. My daughter got on hormones a few months ago at the age of 41. She says it was night and day for her. Brain fog? Gone. She isn’t agitated all the time. She closes her eyes and falls asleep without waking up all the time. She can stand for people to touch her again.”

“Just FYI, my UTIs started 4 years ago. I was severely septic twice because I didn’t know that UTIs in older women present differently. I was told about this recently by an older nurse.”

Note: Responses have been edited for length/clarity.