What the bloody hell is wrong with me - could this be early menopause?

[Beebz]

I would like some advice on just what is going on with me. I'm currently changing my GP too, and in a bit of a flap.

I am 35, for the past year I have started to get night sweats, not every night but usually 2-3 times a week. I do have an existing anxiety disorder however my anxiety right now is just completely out of control to the point that I can barely function normally day to day. My sex drive has gone from normal, to completely non-existent and I sweat profusely doing just basic things, to the point I have to use a travel fan on the bus in the middle of winter (people often look at me like ) My cheeks always feel hot, like I am flushed from a hot bath. I am overweight, but have been a long time and none of these problems were present a year ago.

Every time I google, which I know I shouldn't, it suggests these are all symptoms of perimenopause - but I am only 35! Is this too early to be experiencing this? Would it show up in normal blood work? I should mention that I am also on the progesterone only implant but I have had it for six years with no massive problems before, other than not having a period in almost ten months now. I am just so out of sorts, overweight, tired and just generally look and feel like crap all of the time!

Any help/advice would be really appreciated!

Possibly could be .Not too young at all. I would go see your GP in the first instance, explain how you are and they might be able to explore more for you.Dont suffer in silence though go see someone. Tell you what though I have spent 11 yrs going through peri and then on to full menopause and its bloody awful but now its done and I am out of the other side I feel genuinely so much better,All done and dusted by 50! I feel so much like the old ,proper me now. I wish you well x

I don't think I'll be upset to go through the menopause. I'm done having children and have always hoped that menopause would reduce my life long anxiety if hormones etc were more stable.

The annoying thing is the reason I am changing my GP is that he has fobbed me off continuously for about three months, and says it is all down to me being anxious and overweight, which of course it could be, but I really doubt it. The night sweats in particular are something I have never had a history of ever, even when I was bigger than I currently am.

I was like this and was eventually diagnosed as prediabetic, just at the cusp of tipping over into diabetes. Since I've adjusted my diet i have noticed a significant improvement. But it was truly hideous and I am not exaggerating when I say I was waking up drenched like someone had soaked me in water, had to lay a thick towel under myself each night.

my tip for night sweats..cool shower before bed go to bed damp! Then when it got really uncomfortable I bought a pet cooling mat like you get for dogs in summer best 4.99 I ever spent and out it on my half of the bed! It really worked,

I’ve had similar symptoms in last 6 months (age 31, no hormonal contraceptive). My periods got quite irregular. I spoke to Gp and was so impressed with the quick referral for a scan, examination and blood tests. All fine apart from anaemia. I realised I had felt incredibly burnt out and stressed during that time, I do think that contributed. Since I started iron supplements and made a real effort to rest and recharge my mind it’s much a big difference.

This is interesting as I also had gestational diabetes. I have mobility issues which has made losing weight really tough so I think there is possibly an issue here. Would it show up on a regular blood test? I had one recently and nothing came up other than an ever so slightly elevated white blood cell count which the GP put down to dehydration.

I imagine it would flag up on a regular blood test if you were pre/diabetic, I don't recall the Gp saying it was a special test but I could be mistaken.

I hadn't actually originally gone to the surgery about the sweating, I had gone as I had been told to do a blood test there and a FIT test at home as I had blood in my stool and family history of bowel cancer. Mercifully that all came back fine.

I was in a study about gestational diabetes. They told me at the time that 60 percent of people with GD go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years. That would be tested for with a fasting glucose test. I am supposed to have 1 every year after giving birth (but COVID topped that in its tracks). Did they do a fasting glucose? It is worth getting that tested as well as perimenopause.

Definitely haven't had a fasting glucose test, just a standard blood test. I was pregnant seven years ago but haven't ever been offered a fasting glucose test, let alone offered one once a year! Not sure how to approach this with my GP however, as I am looking to change very soon (hopefully next week).

Don't have the typical symptoms though, no weight loss, increased thirst or hunger or increased urination. What I have 'feels' hormonal if that makes sense? I also still suffer with hormonal chin acne which is horrendous right now.

Same as me OP. Actually did get tested for early menopause (I'm 31) and showed not normal. Apparently night sweats are a side effect of fluoxetine. So I'm coming off those.

I seem to get the sweats when I have really lucid dreams. Starting to wonder if it's a form of night terrors but doesn't explain the sweats in the day...!!

Sorry that should read my bloods showed everything normal, no menopause

A blood test might help. High progesterone levels do decrease sex drive in women. Also difficulty losing weight.

A fun new symptom I've developed this weekend is massively increased saliva?! Absolutely fed up about all of this now, and I'm not sure when I will be able to see my GP .

Hypothyroidism?

I have a lot of the symptoms but I made sure to ask the nurse after my last bloods were taken if it all looked ok and she said it did so who knows!

Are you on any anxiety medication? I had symptoms similar to yours when I was on sertraline.

No but I have been in the past, and due to these symptoms am considering going on it again! I know anxiety can give you all sorts of weird symptoms, but my anxiety disorder was diagnosed when I was seven years old, and these symptoms seem to be happening one after the other, most of them things I have never dealt with before.