Anyone got anything to say about the peri fucking menopause? Way TMI.

[MorningsEleven]

When I wanted to have children my ovaries went on total strike- I once went ten months without a period - and it took years to conceive. Annoyingly, post kids I developed a 28 day regular as clockwork cycle.

I'm mid forties now, have my family, DH had a vasectomy, all done. Suddenly my ovaries have gone into overdrive like it's my body's last shot at reproducing. I'm now on a 21 day cycle. And it sucks.
Do periods just get closer and closer till the eggs run out and then stop?
I'm so offended by my own reproductive system right now.

I get the surge of focused energy a couple of days pre period too! It's the upside I guess!

This is all so interesting. I am 45 and have a short cycle, insomnia (I've been awake since 4!), dry skin, dry hair, weight gain and I have recently noticed I get so hot when just doing normal things. Night sweats are always a few days before my period which is handy as otherwise I wouldn't know when it was. I have also started to suffer anxiety in a way I never have before. Its happened about 3 times and is always triggered by something relatively small but will result in up to a week of feeling as though someone has pressed a panic button inside of me. I feel like my body is wired and on high alert with a racing heart and breathing, overly emotional and little sleep. I have learnt to talk myself out of it and know it will pass but could this all be the peri menopause? I was thinking of getting my thyroid checked but having read this I'm not sure I'll bother.

I am so miserable, and want to run away and live on my own. Everyone drives me literally raving mad. Less patience. I'm so angry. Dh says it's like I'm at an 8, permanently. Not good.
How do marriages last through this? Seriously?

Oblomov I hear you. I asked DH to please stick with me and I’ll do my best to get it sorted.

I guess that’s why a lot of people do things separately when they’re older? There are a miserable old couple we know - always moaning, always complaining. I don’t want to turn into them .

Also, sorry to hear you’re miserable . Have you been to the GP?

#Jayne232 what you describe is exactly what I went through.. when I say ‘went’ I am hoping it’s now stopped since I started taking HRT. I got the rage, headaches, dry hair etc etc but most alarmingly was major anxiety and panic attacks. As a coincidence I had recently started a new job and first of all put the anxiety down the stress from that. I then started to notice that a pattern emerged and the major panic attacks (over stupid irrelevant stuff) coincided with my periods. Started on HRT about 6 weeks ago and ‘touch wood’ the panic/anxiety attacks have stopped. Was very scary for a while though..

Ahhh I got the GP to test my thyroid but there was nothing wrong with it. This is really making me think I need to ask GP again.

That's interesting Cosmos45. I hadn't really thought to link it to the perimenopause. A panic attack is a good way to describe it but it goes on for several days. It's really strange. The last time it happened I took rescue remedy and breathed my way though the worst of it, stayed away from people and talked myself out of it.

Jayne232 it sounds very similar to mine. The last episode lasted days, panicky, heart fluttering, legs like jelly some of the time, generalised anxiety is the only way I can describe it and I couldn’t leave the house, despite having plans for a friends big birthday celebration. It coincided with having a period and over the previous months I had noticed it often happened when I came on, although it did happen at other times too.. I’m now 100% convinced it’s peri meno symptoms.

I'm 45 and have been getting symptoms for at least two and a half years but it took me a while to join the dots and realise that it was perimenopause.

First was the thinning hair, drier skin, thickening waistline and erratic cycle with occasional flooding which I had never experienced before.

Then last year I suddenly realised how low mood, anxiety and totally no self-confidence were making regular appearances. I often felt out of my depth and unable to cope but there had been no major changes in my life to explain it.

About the same time the brain fog arrived along with the aches and pains and lethargy. At this point I started to worry that I was really ill.

Then the night sweats, insomnia and restless legs joined the party and then came lightbulb moment when I realised that - shock, horror! - this could be the start of menopause (I had never heard of perimenopause before Dr Google's 'diagnosis').

Oh, and the seething anger and desire to stab people when the Rage is upon me. Most definitely!

I have seen the gp who gave me a blood test which revealed nothing, and the gyn who said as I had symptoms already I could expect to go through it sooner rather than later which I took to mean before the average age of 51.But having read quite a lot on MN I am prepared for it to potentially drag on.

The one 'good' thing is I don't have all the symptoms all the time.The worst is the anxiety / depressed miid when it hits. And the erratic cycles. After nothing since June, Aunty Flo arrived yesterday and I feel like shit, to be blunt, and am going through a superplus tampon and a night pad in an hour or two. Dreading going to work today as I have a four-hour teaching block with no break time. 😣

Sorry for TMI 😶

It's shit, really it is, but I am trying to 'own' it and - in a wierd way -enjoy it ????? I know that sounds crazy but the way I see it, it's the next stage of my life as a woman, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I need to have a discussion about HRT with my gyn but I have a first degree relative case of bc so think it's probably off the cards.

I try to eat well (pescatarian), have cut out nearly all dairy ( I cook with cheese), don't drink or smoke, limit caffeine to a few times a week and try but fail miserably to exercise regularly. I also take Menopace which seems to help.

My mantra? "This, too, shall pass !"

I’m the same. Body didn’t play the game when I wanted to get pg. post fertility treatment and 3 children suddenly got a regular cycle. And those cycles are getting shorter too. Thank god im not broody!

I'm almost 45, and have recently turned into a ball of rage and random depression and non regular periods that vary between 2 days and a week.
I have a two older teens and a 18mnth old ( epic contraception fail, I was very much not broody I can tell you but he's wonderful) luckily he is very chilled out chappy.The worst part for me right now is how ill I am getting around my periods, it is akin to 3 days of norrovirus type symptoms, cyclic vomiting and on the toilet leaving me incapacitated for days and the horrific headache that goes with it, it is heinous and cannot be normal surely !
I've not been to the Dr yet, but if this month turns into a puke/shit storm once again I may have to.
Yes to being warm ALL the time, sat ij shorts and vest top currently with the doors open trying to get air in the house !
The rage I can deal with just about, but the being ill I cannot

has anyone else asked for HRT to deal with peri?

I asked my doctor recently for a low dose to see if tht helps, and shes prescribed me elleste duet, and i have to start taking it on first day of bleeding, which should be any day. Id be interested to know if anyone else has tried it whilst still having periods. The other option she suggested was the contraceptive pill, but that has made me depressed in the past (more than 20 years ago tbf) so reluctant to try

I haven't yet Branleuse but my doc said in no uncertain terms that HRT is definitely appropriate for peri and that it's a misconception that you have to wait for periods to stop. HRT can balance you out in peri- just a case of finding the right dose for each individual.
I want to marry my doctor. 💜

Ah! I've found my home. Everything that has been said! I'm not going mad is the only bonus I can think of. Wanting to kill everyone all the time is becoming problematic!

Thanks for some of the herbal tips!

Branleuse yes after months and months of anxiety, panic attacks, THE RAGE, night sweats I eventually got HRT. Dr prescribed Fluoxetine to begin with which sorted the rage out but not the other symptoms.. in fact my anxiety seemed to get worse not better on the anti d’s. I went back to get help dealing with night sweats (kept thinking I had wet the bed when I hadn’t) and she gave me patches (bio identical). Been taking them six weeks and no more anxiety or night sweats. I’m 48 and still getting regular periods.

Catastic

Yes, can you bring me some Maltesers when you come? I can't be bothered to go to the corner shop.

I realised last night that I haven't murdered anyone yet because going through this in prison would be even worse.

i really hope the hrt works for me. I just want to be able to think properly again

Read the NICE guidelines. Hrt is for peri menopause symptoms. 1st relative with Breast cancer is usually always a no. But isn’t always. Patches can help.

Falling oestrogen levels cause anxiety symptoms.

You dont need blood tests, gps should go on symptoms.

@BobbinThreadbare123 I turned 40 this year and in the last few months have had 3 periods. Given I'm on the implant and on average have 1 period per year, I put this down to the implant coming up to the end of its 3 years but now I'm not so sure as I'm irritable (more so than usual!) and permanently exhausted. The chin hairs aren't new though, sadly, although there are more of them and I've had occasional night sweats and generally low mood at times. Putting it all together, I'm starting to wonder whether it could be the start of the perimenopause rather than a load of random issues!

Oh me too!

I'm 49 and a 31 day cycle dropped to 25, except for this month when it was 21 days and TMI .. ended in a massive flood! I was thinking about going to. A and E when I used a tampon in under 5 minutes.

Has anyone had bladder troubles? My GP has linked my regular UTIs with perimenopause. And suggested I use the delightfully named Vagifem. Even though I'm not suffering from dryness (yet).

I hadn't thought about. HRT yet. Does taking it mean periods continue? I'm really hopping to see the back of them.

I'm unsure about HRT; aside from the erratic periods, I don't have any other symptoms.

I also thought that you have to have a bleed on some types of HRT (or at a certain age) & I can't face any more bleeding!

Wow. A relationship counsellor that also sorts out piles. You're one lucky lady, Andrea 😂