Is my menstrual cycle taking over my life?

[Shettani]

I'm 43 in a couple of days and since turning 40 I've noticed that my menstrual cycle rules my life. My maternal grandmother passed away when my mum was 3 and my mum surgically removed her womb in her late 30s therefore no family history info as to how menopause affects or even an indicative timeline. For two years now, when a week before my period start, i

Feel low
Anxious
irritable

Then like clockwork a day or two after my period starts I get the most horrendous migraine- then I lose atleast 3 days in postdrome- so lost roughly 4/5 days

Some months, ovulation window is awful: I am in my ovulation window as per my tracker and

I have not slept properly for 5 days
Nausea
Jittery
Anxious
Teary
Mild Cluster headache

I struggle with anxiety but feel now I'm in a constant cycle now. For example, we planned to go away for a few days. Mainly because I've become extremely anxious to travel and mores by plane, however UK is my adopted country and I haven't been home now for 5 years. Last time was before the lockdown. This constant cycle is making all efforts I'm making to travel even more challenging. I feel guilty my daughter is missing out, I long to go home and I'm in constant floods of tears.

The worst part is because I'm anxious I'll not book the short holiday, then when the feeling subsides I well feel awful for not trying-then I try and the cycle kicks off again.

Apologies for the long post/rant but I feel really helpless. I have noon in real life to talk so wanted to get it off my chest as the weight of carrying this around is awful.

These are all classic peri-menopause symptoms! Download the balance app and start tracking them then you've got a conversation starter to have with your GP if you think HRT might help.

Thank you @NotFastButFurious ill download the app - im am tracking on clue but its the free version so not extensive.

I already tried speaking to a gp but her view was that im not perimenopausal as my periods are like clockwork. I don’t think that’s the only marker but that’s NHS gp for you.

@Shettani that's so infuriating! Perhaps take their own guidance with you next time too Menopause - Symptoms - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Thank you- will try again but don’t have much hope with the gp system

I couldve written this myself. Along with the flooding too.
I've tried a few types of hrt which haven't worked. I'm getting the coil fitted under GA in April. I hope this helps my symptoms. Deffo speak to your gp. I noticed around 41 and I'm not 45