Steph’s Lippy Life

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39… and my skin has decided to absolutely betray me. 😩

This is my skin right now, and honestly, it’s the worst it’s ever been.

I’ve always had redness but never really struggled with a rough skin surface before, so naturally I’ve been looking at what’s changed and for me, one of the biggest suspects is my hormones.

Specifically… perimenopause. 😡

I’m 39, I have ADHD, and there’s growing evidence that women with ADHD can experience more severe perimenopausal symptoms and may experience them at a younger age than women without ADHD.

And yet, trying to actually get someone to take you seriously about perimenopause at 39 and discuss treatment options is a whole different story.

I meet the criteria for assessment, I have symptoms, and I know my body well enough to know that something has changed. But my labs are “normal”, despite the fact that hormone blood tests can be unreliable during perimenopause because hormone levels fluctuate so much.

So getting a diagnosis and a prescription at my age?
SO. MUCH. HARDER. THAN IT SHOULD BE.

And this isn’t just about hot flushes.

Hormonal changes can affect skin, sleep, mood, periods, brain fog, energy, anxiety, concentration, chronic pain and so much more. And when you already have ADHD, the hormonal changes can make things even more complicated. It takes PMDD to a whole new level 😳

So here I am at 39, staring at a face I barely recognise some days and wondering:

How many more women are being told they’re “too young” when they’re actually experiencing perimenopause?

Anyone else experiencing changes in their skin or other symptoms in their late 30s/early 40s? 👇🏻