I don't understand perimenopause.

[Nobbynobbsknob]

I think that I might be perimenopausal but not sure. Still pretty regular but pre menstrual symptoms are getting worse and worse. Nightmares, anxiety, palpitations and total exhaustion. Plus 2 stone has just appeared from nowhere. Am mid 40's so the right age but don't know anything about the menopause.

I know that I could look this stuff up online but my brain just isn't working properly and so I'm hoping that mumsnet can answer some questions.

Basically what are the best approaches to helping with perimenopause? Is hrt good and something I should be asking for /on?
Does it sound like perimenopause or could it be something else?

Life is good and I'm pretty happy generally so it's not depression and diet /job/ activity levels aren't brilliant but not awful.

What should I be doing?

Ooh no idea but looking for similar advice

I am 50, I watched Davina Mccalls programme, rang my doctor next day and was given HRT.

I suffered from...

Sleepless nights
Hot in bed, like over heating...not sweats
Anxiety
Memory loss

The doctor said every women over the age of 45 should get HRT

It's a fun journey isn't it Gizlotsmum. Feels like I'm going mad and can't even work out what to ask Google because different people give different advice about everything.
Hopefully people here will be able to give some clarity.

I’m peri and been in HRT for 3 years.
My symptoms were night sweats, anxiety, brain fog, weight gain, aches and pains, low mood.
HRT has made such a difference although hasn’t reversed the weight gain

I was just like that straight after my last baby age 44. I put it down to tiredness and post partum stuff. However it was the peri. I suffered until I finally saw a private Dr who specialises in Meno and I went straight on hrt. It's helped a lot.

What does HRT do, just alleviate the symptoms?

There’s a whole section on menopause and peri menopause, which is helpful. It’s a big subject so you do have to spend a bit of time reading through.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/menopause

I'd like to follow this thread.

Chemo last year put me straight into menopause at 43. But now I have hot nights, skin prickles, insomnia, anxiety and brain fog but I attributed the whole lot to chemo/cancer/trauma.

Would love to know if some of this can be alleviated with HRT. That would be a blessing.

@Whogivesatossedpancake it should alleviate the symptoms. It also helps to preserve your bone density to protect you from osteoporosis

Hi OP, I’m peri at the grand old age of 39 but had been having symptoms since I was 37. Horrendous hot flushes that made me feel like I was going to pass out, night sweats that drenched me and the bed. Palpitations, brain fog and anxiety and just feeling exhausted all the time. (Male) GP completely ignored me when I asked if I could be starting menopause telling me I was far too young and that it was stress (both parents were terminal). A year later was finally listened to by another male GP who ran bloods tests. I haven’t started HRT yet as we are having a last ditch attempt at IVF but friends have said it absolutely changed their lives.

Thanks for the link jedstre. Have just taken a look and it looks good.
It looks as if there are different types of hrt is that correct?
If so how do you find the right one or is it trial and error?

Also if i go on hrt does that mean that I will get all these symptoms later in life? Am I just delaying the inevitable (although delaying bone density loss sounds like a good plan!)

I’m 45, been on HRT since 42. Still regular as clockwork, and HRT just helps me feel less shit. I had to fight for HRT from my doc, and in the end I took a list of the symptoms I was getting (done severe, some less so but still not right or acceptable for a healthy 42 year old trying to work and bring up children).

Off the top of my head, the different symptoms I experienced were;

Joint pain (both elbows-was told it was tennis elbow, but I didn’t do anything repetitive)
Brain fog-would sit at my computer and have to force my brain to remember what I was doing
Headaches
Nausea
Night sweats
Dry skin
Palpitations
Spotting a few days before period
Flooding on occasion
Fatigue (couldn’t read my daughter a bedtime story without fighting to not nod off)
Irritability/rage
Alcohol intolerance
Bloating/weight gain

For this they tried to give me anti-depressants! I’ve said on here before that I know HRT works because there has been supply issues with my patches and the symptoms came back, then went away again when I went back on the patches!

Following as also experience similar and am the same age. The anxiety is doing my head in and am constantly taking Kalms!

@ChipsAndKetchup I was very ill & my periods stopped when I was 35. I thought the sweating & memory loss were side effects of all the medication I was on. I started HRT recently and they have improved.

I would definately ask about it. Best of luck I am sorry to hear about your chemo.

Also following with great interest. Periods are spot on regular but have got lots of what I think are peri menopause symptoms...rage, nausea, tiredness, depression, anxiety (although have always had that).
Those on HRT... can you tell me please if you get side effects from it like you do when taking the pill for example? I'm crap at taking medication of most sorts....I seem to suffer from side effects that outweigh the benefits of taking it!

@Winnona thank you. I am cancer free now (hopefully) but will speak with the doc about the other stuff and hope it improves. Thanks so much

I'm 50 and have just gone on to hrt - patches and pills.

I wish I had done three years ago and probably 5 years would have been better. Early days, but I really hope the meds will help. My symptoms are

Night sweats
Aching joints
Anxiety
The Rage
Either spotting or flooding
Incredible tiredness
Occasional palpitations

Fingers crossed it will help.

@Outbutnotoutout

I am 50, I watched Davina Mccalls programme, rang my doctor next day and was given HRT.

I suffered from...

Sleepless nights
Hot in bed, like over heating...not sweats
Anxiety
Memory loss

The doctor said every women over the age of 45 should get HRT

Did she mean just symptomatic women over 45, or all of us? I'm 52 had all the same issues as OP for around ten years. Now one year from last period they'vecall gone and I've never felt better. But wonder if I should be on HRT anyway.

@Nobbynobbsknob

Also if i go on hrt does that mean that I will get all these symptoms later in life? Am I just delaying the inevitable (although delaying bone density loss sounds like a good plan!)

Good question! I'd also love to know this answer.

I plan to never be off HRT so the symptoms will never come back! My mom has the occasional flush at 73, the symptoms don’t just disappear

Please do not automatically assume that it is peri. I did, as I had sweats and palpitations age 52, I had a heart attack at 53... night sweats, deep aches and pains and palpitations are also symptoms of heart disease.

Now going through actual peri at 57.

Beyond that sounds terrifying. I hope that you are fully recovered and doing ok now.
Were your palpitations all the time? Mine are maybe one night a month just before my period which is why I think it's hormone related.

I didn't know any of that about heart disease. That's one of the problems for me - everything I have can be attributed to something else.
Anxiety - starting with a new client
Tiredness - well it's been a busy week
Anger - kids are annoying
Bad dreams - I am living through a pandemic after all

And so on.

I just assumed my symptoms were stress related- a worldwide pandemic would knock anyone back! But my periods are getting more and more erratic and I'm only 40. I think I'll mention it to my gp soon.

Me too @EShellstop. GP diagnosed when I asked to go back on pill to manage raging PMS.