Is there any actual treatment for perimenopause?

[SweetnessNshite]

I've been feeling anxious and depressed, and having never had depression or anxiety before, my Mam thinks I may be perimenopausal.

I've got blood tests on Wednesday, if I am, is there any actual treatment? Or do I just have to put up with this awful feeling?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[SweetnessNshite]

Anyone?

[PollyPerky]

How old are you?

HRT is the recommended treatment for moods, depression and anxiety in peri. As of last week when the NICE report came out, GPs have been advised to stop prescribing ADs to women in peri or menopause and use HRT.

They have also been told not to do blood tests on women over 45 to diagnose peri as results are unreliable- they ought to just treat the symptoms.

[SweetnessNshite]

Thanks for the reply Polly I'm 42.

[FrameyMcFrame]

Hi Sweetness, I'm 41 and experiencing palpitations, night sweats, libido disturbances, mood disturbances, insomnia and my periods have gone close together.
I've just had blood tests to check my hormones today.
It's horrible. I just want to go back to normal.

[VulcanWoman]

I gave up coffee and alcohol , the palpitations seemed to have eased.

[VulcanWoman]

Ps, I just treated myself to a bottle of Irish Cream that I've been having over the past few days, the palpitations haven't started again but my eye has started twitching which I haven't had for ages, probably about the time I gave up the wine it stopped, that's what my heart felt like it was doing, horrible. Maybe it's just the red wine that starts my heart twitching.

[SweetnessNshite]

Vulcan alcohol and coffee are my favourite things! I'd be twice as miserable without them, hope it doesn't come to that

Hello Framey I've got mine this morning, so no coffee for me. The tests are usually back after 48 hours aren't they? I hope you get onto some treatment, and feel like your old self soon :)

[LurcioAgain]

My GP was happy to prescribe on symptoms alone (but I was 48). HRT has totally transformed me back to my normal self. Good luck with your appointment.

[VulcanWoman]

I know it's a doozy, the palps were frightening me though. I haven't missed them as much as I'd thought though, if I want a hot drink I have hot chocolate instead.

[VulcanWoman]

I know HRT helps a lot of people which is fantastic. My concerns are, how long do you have to take it for, is it 10 years or so, well, however long a persons Menopause last for. Does it mask things that need to run their course anyway.
I would take it if I was bad with it though.

[NorbertDentressangle]

Do any of you seem to have a broken/malfunctioning personal thermostat?

I just find that if I go any where slightly warm I get so hot and go bright red! Ditto when I do any exercise.

However, I still really feel the cold too so at home I can be really cold, put the heating on and then end up really hot. At work I'm throwing all the windows open.

Its not the usual "nighttime hot flushes", I just can't seem to regulate my temperature at all day or night.

Would HRT help with that do you think?

[NorbertDentressangle]

And please don't tell me to cut out caffeine or alcohol, they're what keeps me going!

[PollyPerky]

HRT should help with what they call vasomotor symptoms- getting too hot.

Also if you do go for HRT, ditch the booze. I read somewhere this week that every glass of alcohol a woman drinks raises her risk of breast cancer up to twice as much. see this table.
Two units is one large glass of wine.
You don't want to double your risk by drinking booze and increasing it by 1.26% as well, with HRT.

And yes, booze and coffee will make flushes much worse anyway. Sorry!

[FrameyMcFrame]

Yes, my thermostat is broken, but I'm not having hot flushes in the way I'd imagine them....
Seems so unfair that wine is a no, feel I need it more at the moment, as a treat :/
Going to get my hormone test results today but I'm not expecting that they'll be conclusive.

[Nervousmoggy]

I've just read an article about HRT - apparently the research supposedly showing that it is safe to use has been ridiculously misread, and many cancer specialists remain very concerned about it.

[Panadbois]

I have had blood tests yesterday too! Suffering from palpitations, anxiety, mad internal thermostat, bonkers periods and painful boobs and legs.

[SweetnessNshite]

Hello all. There's a good thread in chat ATM about all this, makes me feel more certain that I am peri.

Someone on there just takes prozac for the mood and deals with everything else themselves. I quite like this idea, what are everyone's thoughts?

[FrameyMcFrame]

Hi, just got confirmation from blood tests that I'm perimenopausal, LH levels very high, post menoausal levels apparently. But I'm still having periods so I can't be post menopausal :/
I'm confused about the way forward now...

[ragged]

Link to that article, Nervousmoggy?

[SarfEast1cated]

Hi everyone, can I join in? I am 47 and for the last 3 week have had really sore massive boobs! I don't really understand why, is it my body's way of trying to make me more attractive :$

[FrameyMcFrame]

Hi SarfEast, yes I've got that too... Bigger boobs are not a good thing for me as mine were already too big ...

Feeling really depressed and confused about my results, not sure of the way forward.
GP sent me away to think about what I want to do re. HRT but I don't understan the options. It is all very confusing. And mt brain isn't working and I keep crying all the time and forgetting words.

[SarfEast1cated]

I'd give HRT a bash - (if it was me obvs) - as it's meant to really help with anxiety, depression etc. Do you need to do it for a long course or try it for a few months and see how you go?

[expatinscotland]

I've found lots of exercise to be of incredible help. I'm 44. 45 in February. I still have regular period cycles, 28-30 days, but they are much lighter now.

[FuckyNell]

Up to age 51 there's is no risk associated with hrt, it replaces what your body should be making up to natural menopause age. Even after this age the risks are to be weighed against quality of life. IMO there are more significant risks from being overweight and sedentary than hrt.

No way was I accepting vaginal atrophy (sad, sore, prune like minge) moodiness, adrenaline surges, hot flushes etc etc etc etc etc.

I was on hrt at 41. It changed my life

[squidgyapple]

Reading this with interest - a friend went to the gp with peri symptoms and had blood tests - was told yes you are perimenopausal but we don't prescribe anything for it!

So this isn't actually the case??