Best Online Communities and Forums for Perimenopause Support
Finding your people makes perimenopause easier. These online communities, forums, and groups offer real support, shared experience, and reliable information.
Why Community Matters During Perimenopause
Many women enter perimenopause feeling isolated with their symptoms. They may not know anyone in their immediate social circle who is openly discussing the experience, or they may be the first among their friends to reach this life stage. Online communities bridge this gap. They provide a space to ask questions that feel too personal or embarrassing to raise with a GP, to hear from women who are further through the transition and can offer perspective, and to share the frustration and humour that comes with navigating a poorly understood life stage. Research on social support consistently shows that connection with others facing similar challenges reduces psychological distress and improves coping. For perimenopause specifically, community access has been linked to better symptom management and greater confidence in healthcare conversations.
Reddit: r/Perimenopause and r/Menopause
Reddit hosts two of the largest and most active perimenopause communities online. The r/Perimenopause subreddit has hundreds of thousands of members and is particularly active with daily posts covering symptom questions, HRT experiences, doctor recommendations, and emotional support. The r/Menopause subreddit is larger still and covers the full spectrum from perimenopause through postmenopause. Both communities have pinned resources including evidence-based information on HRT, symptom management guides, and advice on how to advocate effectively with healthcare providers. The comment culture in both tends to be supportive and well-moderated, with upvoting of evidence-based responses and active pushback against misinformation. These communities are particularly valuable for women who have been dismissed by their GP, as they frequently share strategies for navigating the healthcare system.
Facebook Groups
Facebook hosts numerous active perimenopause groups, and their closed membership model makes them feel more private than public forums. The Menopause Support group, linked to the UK-based charity of the same name, has a large membership and maintains strict moderation standards that keep discussions supportive and evidence-based. The Menopause Café community group organises in-person events alongside its online presence and is particularly popular in the UK. Perimenopause Hub and Perimenopause Support are two additional active groups with a mix of UK, US, and Australian members. Facebook groups allow for richer multimedia sharing than Reddit, making them a good place to find recommended books, apps, and healthcare providers, as well as video resources shared by members.
Dedicated Forums and Websites
Several websites have built their own forum communities around menopause education. Menopause Matters, run by Dr Heather Currie who is a consultant gynaecologist, has a long-running forum that is particularly well regarded in the UK for combining peer support with clinical credibility. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) website has resources and a community directory. Healthunlocked hosts a Menopause Support community with a medical moderation layer. These dedicated platforms tend to have a slightly older membership base than Reddit and Facebook, with many users who have been navigating menopause for several years and can offer long-term perspective on symptom progression and treatment outcomes.
Podcasts with Active Listener Communities
Several podcasts have built engaged communities around their content, creating a hybrid of educational resource and peer connection. Dr Louise Newson's Balance podcast and The Liz Earle Wellbeing Podcast both have active listener communities on social media platforms. The Hot Flash Inc podcast has a particularly community-oriented approach, regularly featuring listener questions and fostering discussion. Many podcast hosts run accompanying private Facebook groups or Instagram communities where listeners share experiences and continue conversations from episodes. These podcast-based communities tend to attract listeners who are already engaged with perimenopause education, meaning the conversation quality is often higher and more nuanced than in general interest groups.
Instagram and TikTok Communities
Social media platforms have become significant spaces for perimenopause discussion, particularly among women in their early forties who might not identify with more traditional forum formats. Searching relevant hashtags on Instagram brings up a community of women sharing lived experience, alongside healthcare professionals who post educational content. Creators like Dr Mary Claire Haver (@drmaryclaire), Dr Louise Newson (@dr_louisenewson), and Tamsen Fadal (@tamsenfadal) have built large engaged followings that function as de facto communities through their comment sections and Lives. TikTok's algorithm tends to surface perimenopause content heavily once you engage with it once, creating an ongoing feed of shared experiences that many women find validating.
Making the Most of Online Communities
A few principles help you get the most from online perimenopause communities without being overwhelmed or misled. Read the pinned resources before asking common questions, as most active communities have comprehensive FAQs covering HRT types, symptom management, and how to approach GP appointments. Remember that personal experience shared online, however valuable emotionally, is not a substitute for medical advice tailored to your individual situation. Be thoughtful about the sources cited in posts, and cross-reference important health information with reputable organisations like the British Menopause Society or NAMS. Using an app like PeriPlan to log your own symptoms alongside community engagement helps you stay connected to your individual pattern rather than mapping other women's experiences directly onto your own.
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