Lucky me...I started perimenopause at 43 with a vengeance, went from crazy pms (cussing, yelling, irritable beyond measure for the 3 days before each period) to suddenly laying on the floor in tears. night sweats, hot flashes. this began in March of that year. After a LOT of out of character behaviors that also began in March (online affair with a 23 yr old, major depression, anxiety overloads, bought a plane ticket to see said 23 yr old who lived across the pond, then a complete breakdown) in Oct I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Along with the perimenopause. 10 years later, lots of psych meds, a hospitalization, I am almost 2 years past my last period and I finally stabilized in this last two years. I absolutely believe perimenopause made me crazy, all those old wives stories from the past? there is some truth in the myths. I am SO happy to be post menopausal!! Don't be afraid of arriving on the other side, it's fun here! I"m stable, happy and sex is fun. I was that person who had a period on every vacation I ever went on...to include my once in a lifetime SANDALS vacation, where I was in a taxi at 11pm my first night, looking for feminine products!