Thanks so much everyone - I so appreciate being able to talk about this stuff because I am just so confused by it all.
Firstly, I’m afraid pregnancy is highly highly unlikely. We did have sex once last month which was around ovulation time (since that’s when my sex drive came back, for about two days). We stopped ages before he was even close to finishing because we hadn’t had sex for over a year which meant it became painful quite quickly (also common for me, endometriosis and adenomyosis coupled with - apologies for TMI - being quite small in that department).
I then had an extremely heavy and very normal (for me) period - 8 days, extremely heavy, large clots, on time, etc. I would be extremely surprised if a pregnancy could withstand that (I know some women continue to have periods but I’m not sure they’re that heavy). I’ve only just passed my fertile window this cycle, and I’m reasonably sure I ovulated because I had the usual signs - ovulation pain, change in CM, etc. Also, when I was pregnant all of my early symptoms were an exacerbation of my existing issues (mainly fatigue so bad I couldn’t move). I know women can experience each pregnancy differently of course. However I think pregnancy, while not totally impossible, is really unlikely.
I don’t know what’s been going on with my health for so long but I am as certain as I can be that there is a hormonal issue going on - the symptoms just tie in too closely with major hormonal changes in my life, it can’t be a coincidence.
Having said that, I just don’t think it’s perimenopause. I totally agree that perimenopause will probably feel very different to the drugs I was on which created such an extreme and rapid change (they essentially turn your ovaries off at the brain - not quite as simple as that, but that’s basically it). But it just doesn’t feel like typical perimenopause symptoms. The only way I can describe it is like having done intense physical exercise (but minus any effect on my breathing and muscles) when not having eaten properly. Neither of those is the case though.
My average heartrate actually seems very normal now - averaged 75-80 even when I did some intensive housework yesterday, the half-hourly average only went up to 100 once but that was during rest. Today I’ll try and check it during those times where I feel worse to see if there’s a short spike I’m missing - just checked it now as I feel crappy again and although I’m resting it’s gone up to high 90s.
If it is perimenopause then it must be very early days - like I say, apart from my oestrogen which I believe has been low for years (ever since that medication), LH, FSH, SHBG were all in the middle of normal range a few months ago. I can’t imagine things changing so suddenly in terms of symptoms but maybe it’s possible.
I’m not sleeping well, waking up often and waking at 5:30 every day so the reduced fatigue is even more strange.
Having looked at perimenopause symptoms it seems that I’m more likely to feel more fatigued, more mood swings, weight gain rather than loss, less sex drive etc. I am peeing more often (or rather it feels like I’m struggling to completely empty my bladder when I do go, so I always feel like I need to go) and obviously I am sweating more, but otherwise not much seems to fit with perimenopause
I’ve been on opiates for a long long time - I have been through a couple of reductions over time (once very slowly, once by immediately halving the dose and then decreasing). I’ve also been cold turkey in the past. It doesn’t feel like either of those things but obviously as it’s the only medication I take I don’t want to rule it out.
Ordinarily I’d agree to go into the GP and pretend like previous appointments/ tests didn’t happen and base it on how I am now. Unfortunately the last appointment I had with her was not pleasant, very confrontational in fact - I took DH in with me for moral support and basically laid it out (over 10 years of feeling like absolute shit with the accompanying other factors screwing up my marriage, fatigue making it very difficult to take care of my children as they need and deserve, etc). I’d done my research. I had my private test results. I’d printed some studies (including some links between the drugs I was on and ongoing thyroid issues but unfortunately there’s next to no information about the longterm effects of this drug - there are huge communities online of (mostly) women who’ve had severe health problems for years afterwards which closely mirror the problems I’ve had, but doctors aren’t reporting these as potential side effects and no one seems to be investigating it).
She basically said that researching and having private tests done was the problem because I was making myself worry - no, I’m worrying because I’m unwell and I’m doing these tests and research because no one seems to care about helping me (she didn’t take kindly to that either). For example I was diagnosed with fibro about 9 months postnatally, even though the symptoms don’t fit. Referred to a rheumatologist who refused to see me because I’d already been diagnosed.
She basically said that I was asking her to treat me for something I don’t have which is not true - I want the right treatment so that I feel better, I don’t want random things which won’t do anything (she’s more than happy to push antidepressants though - the fact that cry when I’m talking to her about this makes her think I’m depressed, but I’m not. I did try them, just to rule it out but they didn’t help).
I had to beg for tests to be repeated and I know her attitude is going to be “told you so”. I realise that she sounds really bad here - I think she was trying to be firm and actually overall she’s been very nice to me over the years. I could go and see another doctor but then I’d have to start from scratch, and I know she will tell the other doctor that I’ve gone to them because she wouldn’t give me what she thinks I wanted.
Sorry, I’m rambling now. I will definitely ask her to check my heart, just to be safe. I’m going to pick up a BP cuff when I’m out today to see how accurate the watch is (I read lots of reviews saying the readings are very close to those taken with a cuff but who knows) and I’m going to get my thyroid tested again whether she does it or I do it myself. If things worsen or BP or heart rate shoot up, I’ll see someone urgently.