She said, “But I’m only 49!” as she wiped her brow. Have you ever heard a friend utter a criticism like this in reference to early symptoms of menopause? They may actually be going through the stage known as Peri-menopause, or pre-menopause – which occurs during the time leading up to “the change”. Widely unpredictable, this phase typically begins in a woman’s 40s, but can start as early as the mid-30s, and results in a myriad of physical and emotional symptoms that can be bothersome.