# For fellow Women: When did PMS start for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-fellow-women-when-did-pms-start-for-you/821363 "2018-09-14T23:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![laurieb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@laurieb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/laurieb)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-fellow-women-when-did-pms-start-for-you/821363/1 "2018-09-14T23:22:51Z")
My niece, who is 12, came over to stay at my boyfriend and I’s apartment for about a month over the summer. One morning, she came downstairs, looking tired and stressed. “Aunty Laurie, I’m bloated again. My jeans hurt.” I looked over at her. Her stomach was swollen, and she couldn’t button her jeans. She was almost on the verge of tears. Later on, I spoke to my sister (Her mom) who told me that she’s been going through PMS for the past year. AT 12?! Am I weird for being shocked at this? I didn’t get my first symptoms of PMS until I was 17, and even then, I thought that was early. Is this weird? ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-fellow-women-when-did-pms-start-for-you/821363/2 "2018-09-15T01:49:43Z")
Sorry for the wee one but I never had PMS until my 30s (after having 3 kids). I started my cycle at 12 but I had a lot of extra testosterone so dealt with things like cystic acne and being highly sexual. Perimenopause is bringing all that back, yay. Plus the bloating that I skipped back then is really showing up. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-fellow-women-when-did-pms-start-for-you/821363/3 "2018-09-15T02:12:32Z")
Everyone is different, but [according to Web MD](https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20061107/menstruation-whats-normal-for-girls), the average age is 12-13. > [@](#): > > Girls are 12-13 years old, on average, when they get their first menstrual period (menarche), the committees note. > > That average age hasn’t changed much in 30 years ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-fellow-women-when-did-pms-start-for-you/821363/4 "2018-09-15T03:26:51Z")
Are you talking about PMS or her period? Because I’m confused. Why would you be shocked at her having PMS at 12 but not her period? I never knew there was any sort of age connection with PMS. FWIW I started my period when I was 9, which was awesome. I don’t know if I had PMS back then cause it was over thirty years ago. Even now, the only PMS I get is 2-3 days of soul crushing depression that domineers my every thought, which is also awesome lol