Be sure and get your thyroid checked as this is known to cause irregularities.

There's no easy answer, but if you know your body and you feel things are changing then you are probably right. Trust your instinct. However, just because you are starting to notice changes doesn't mean the menopause is imminent.

The perimenopause can last up to five years or more. This is the period (pardon the pun) in which your ovaries are winding down before stopping egg production altogether. Bizarrely, during the winding down time the ovaries can become hyperactive producing more and more oestrogen in an attempt to get the few remaining follicles to release their eggs. This can cause menstrual problems like more frequent, heavier and longer bleeds. Sometimes bleeding can become less frequent and scanty and sometimes the body veers between the two extremes.

During the perimenopause it isn't unusual to experience the type of symptoms that occur after the menopause, e.g. mood swings, hot flashes and lapses of concentration.

Talk to your doctor about your symptoms, s/he will be able to offer you advice and reassurance that is specific to your situation.

Based on my experience I first noticed changes to my cycle back in 2009 and I'm still having periods even though in the past year my cycle has been highly erratic with bleeds lasting up to 6 weeks followed by up to 3 months without a period, so I'm still in the perimenopausal phase.

Hope this helps.