Actual Perimenopause Symptoms and Information

[PocketPeanuts]

I'm 34 and I strongly suspect I've started the perimenopause. I have a GP phone appointment this week to discuss it. I'd like to ask for one of those hormone tests to see if it does seem likely that's what's happening (I read that they're useless once you get to 40ish as hormones will be changing/reducing etc. by then anyway so now seems like the ideal time) and then I'd like to discuss the possibility of HRT if it's appropriate.

However, having spoken to other women (in the area who will have gone to the same GP practice), I suspect the GP will try to brush me off by saying I'm too young to be going through it etc. so I want to be armed with as much information as possible. Except, many of the 'official' pages seem to miss a tonne of symptoms I've seen discussed on MN.

The main thing I'm getting is hot flushes/night sweats (I even remarked on how hot it was in a dream about Buffy the Vampire Slayer I had last night as I was obviously in the middle of a hot flush!). I also feel like I'm emotionally very dysregulated and I'm getting upset very easily (feels like being pregnant again - I suspect I could watch someone read out their shopping list and if some sad music was played over the top I'd be bloody sobbing). I've had a few headaches recently, which I didn't realise was a symptom until I looked it up. I also had a UTI a little while back out of the blue and have since found out that can be a sign!

I'm on the mini pill so don't get regular periods anyway (tend to get nothing for a while and then some spotting now and again with a heavier bleed every few months) and between hormonal contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding I haven't had a 'proper' period/let my cycle do its thing for well over a decade so I have no idea what's happening there.

So, what else should I be looking out for? What else can I mention? And what sort of excuses should I expect from the GP (I tend to find if they can't just prescribe antibiotics or antidepressants they don't want to know - I'm also autistic so have problems being taken seriously as I don't always display the emotions/pain responses etc. others expect)?

I just feel a lot of the pages online miss a load of information and think MN is a good place to get some real experiences and maybe some advice from women who have been successful being taken seriously.

yes but you are only 40 which is why I want the bloods”

But that's not wrong.

I have just started HRT for peri menopause symptoms so know exactly what you mean.

However when you are 'younger' presenting with a range of symptoms, the GP does need to consider a range of options and bloods check for other reasons you might have the issues you are having. They can also guide the doctor, re hormone levels, tho shouldn't be used solely.

There are other reasons for the symptoms, including some (

I'm not sure why you'd want HRT to start at 35. Perhaps come off the mini pill first as you are already taking hormones and see if that makes a difference

Ugh, posted too soon!

Including rare situations like cancer, in the cases of night sweats.

A doctor would be negligent not to check all causes.

It's really unusual - tho not impossible - go have peri menopause symptoms at 34. So the doctor needs to review your history & symptoms in full. I think you won't help anything by being combative. Just discuss your symptoms and listen to the GP.

Totally agree with @EarringsandLipstick here

You might do yourself a disservice by self diagnosing tbh

@Bryonyshcmyony

A low percentage is a low percentage though!

Thank you for the helpful tautology!

Yes, it is but when literally hundreds of thousands of women in the UK will go through something that's medically related, shouldn't GPs accept that it's a possibility more readily?

the doctor should diagnose and treat based on symptoms.

But not exclusively. If you have symptoms a doctor needs to consider all possibilities. The point is that blood tests won't be necessity help identify hormone fluctuations. But not that they shouldn't be done at all as they are needed to check other causes.

I have already said I understand why they need to rule out other possible causes, though!

it seems that late 30s is quite the normal age to be in peri and yet the doctors won’t acknowledge this, they don’t know everything medical related.

It can happen but it's not common.

@Bryonyshcmyony

I'm not sure why you'd want HRT to start at 35. Perhaps come off the mini pill first as you are already taking hormones and see if that makes a difference

Because I feel like absolute utter shit and if it will help me, then of cause I'd want to take it! Whether or not I want something will not change whether or not it will help me...

Also, forgot to answer previous question about weight. I am currently a healthy weight after gaining weight recently (another sign of perimenopause) from having been underweight before.

it seems that late 30s is quite the normal age to be in peri and yet the doctors won’t acknowledge this, they don’t know everything medical related

Who does? People on the Internet? 30s is not a normal age for peri. As others have said it happens but it's not common.

@EarringsandLipstick

the doctor should diagnose and treat based on symptoms.

But not exclusively. If you have symptoms a doctor needs to consider all possibilities. The point is that blood tests won't be necessity help identify hormone fluctuations. But not that they shouldn't be done at all as they are needed to check other causes.

Absolutely, but then many GPs (as shown on this thread alone and I know other women who have had this happen) try to claim that the bloods showing no hormonal changes means no perimenopause.

I accept blood tests as a way to rule out other causes (as I have said more than once) but not to then deny perimenopause treatment because that's not best practise.

@HateJudgmentalPeople

I thought this, I haven’t had a hysterectomy and this was also the doctor who deals with the menopause that decided I should only get the patches, I can only try the patches and then I’m going to go private to be honest.

I wonder if there was a misunderstanding. No doctor would just prescribe patches.

As a PP said, you need oestrogen patches & oral progesterone ie Utrogestan if you still have periods. I honestly can't imagine any doctor would not know this.

@Bryonyshcmyony

it seems that late 30s is quite the normal age to be in peri and yet the doctors won’t acknowledge this, they don’t know everything medical related

Who does? People on the Internet? 30s is not a normal age for peri. As others have said it happens but it's not common.

Yes, it happens to hundreds of thousands of women in the UK...

I wonder if there was a misunderstanding. No doctor would just prescribe patches.

As a PP said, you need oestrogen patches & oral progesterone ie Utrogestan if you still have periods. I honestly can't imagine any doctor would not know this.

My friend is on patches alone. I might actually get her to check if that's right off the back of this thread as I'm concerned now.

I don't know why some people won't admit how high the error rate is amongst medical professionals. In the US it's literally the third biggest cause of death and, to my knowledge, that's similar in the UK.

Evorel conti patches contain both oestrogen and progesterone.

shouldn't GPs accept that it's a possibility more readily?

They should absolutely consider it as a possibility but they also should check & rule out many more possibilities that are more likely.

It's still very unusual fo have peri menopause symptoms at 34. It doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered but a very thorough history and bloods should absolutely be part of any diagnosis.

I know you haven't had a great experience so far but you do sound very determined to battle with the GP.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Evorel conti patches contain both oestrogen and progesterone.

Okay, that's good to know. Hopefully, that's what my friend is on.

I know other women who have had this happen) try to claim that the bloods showing no hormonal changes means no perimenopause.

Of course. I had this experience myself in my early 40s.

It's just that below 40 those symptoms are much less likely to be associated with peri menopause.

The idea that you would just try HT as you feel terrible is not a great plan. In your case it really needs to be done after everything else is ruled out.

My friend is on patches alone. I might actually get her to check if that's right off the back of this thread as I'm concerned now.

It would be such a significant mistake for a GP to make, it would not as if they weren't medically trained

If you are having periods, progesterone is required. Some women have a coil so can then just use patches. If not, Utrogestan is required.

I just can't imagine a GP being unaware. It's biology 101.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Evorel conti patches contain both oestrogen and progesterone.

Apologies! I didn't realise this and was writing thinking about only oestrogen patches.

Sorry if I confused the matter 🤦🏻‍♀️

Blood tests can be useless - there is this app called BALANCE - about menopause- life changing.

@EarringsandLipstick

shouldn't GPs accept that it's a possibility more readily?

They should absolutely consider it as a possibility but they also should check & rule out many more possibilities that are more likely.

It's still very unusual fo have peri menopause symptoms at 34. It doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered but a very thorough history and bloods should absolutely be part of any diagnosis.

I know you haven't had a great experience so far but you do sound very determined to battle with the GP.

Anything that's going to rule out other possible causes, is absolutely fine by me (as I have said...quite a few times now). But the very first thing the GP said to me when I phoned was: 'You are too young to be going though perimenopause.'

Not that it's unlikely or I would be on the very young end...that I was too young and that was that. I'm not too young. That's simply incorrect.

I have been dismissed by so many GPs throughout my whole life that I simply will not have that happen any more. As soon as I challenged her and she backtracked, I agreed to the blood test.

I want not to feel like I currently do, which means they need to find out why I feel this way and then treat it. If that turns out to be a thyroid issue, then that's what needs to be treated. But this thread surely shows many GPs ascertain there are no thyroid issues or cancer etc. and then leave the woman suffering. That's not okay.

I have mentioned the Balance app. a couple of times. I couldn't get past the first part with questions as I don't know whether my periods are still regular.

I just checked the medicine leaflet for Evorel Conti. It supplies a synthetic version of progesterone which isn't a effective as Utrogestan which is a micronized, body identical form of progesterone, probably why Evorel Conti isn't prescribed here (Ireland).

I'm 55 and have spent at least 10 years going through this with my GP, until finally she told me to go privately as she couldn't tailor HRT for me! All I wanted was the gel not the tablets anymore, the progesterone in the tablets was so so awful and impacting my life dreadfully.

So I went privately and I have to say, I wish I'd done it years ago, you can not put a price on your health and it's not as expensive as you think. The private blood tests revealed an under active thyroid (GP's never did) and the consultant, from my symptoms, also highlighted progesterone intolerance (too specialist for my GP), so thyroxin and a 'tailored' HRT plan were commenced. It's been so worth every penny.