Perimenopause is bloody awful

[ToxicChristmas]

I'm 42 and perimenopausal.
It's miserable -or I'm miserable, one or the other. Anxiety is off the charts, achy joints, weight gain around the stomach (despite no changes to a healthy diet and exercise). Changes to smell and taste, awful periods, migraines, vaginal dryness.
I'm absolutely sick of it already.
Can't get a GP appointment for love nor money, the over the phone one the doctor couldn't have given less of a shit. Just normal women's life apparently.
Even after thinking I knew what was coming, it's much worse than I imagined.
How are others coping? Any tips or changes you made that helped?

45 here and pretty sure I'm peri. Would my GP give me HRTif my periods are still regular? They are very light as I had an endometrial ablation years ago but they are fairly regular give a day or two.

Most days I feel like I'm going crazy, ridiculous brain fog, anxiety (on citalopram), massive weight gain, aches and pains, headaches, crazy dreams and I'm so exhausted.

Placemarking this because I think I'm going through the same although my blood test came back as negative for peri menopause and my periods are still regular

Some of us aren’t allowed to take HRT @boomermama so I don’t know how that works for your “theory”.

It’s bloody frustrating. Symptoms come and go. Right now I’m waking up at 4am most days and my menstrual cycle is 21 days rather than my usual 28-30.

Brain fog is also a pain in the arse.

@changingchaali the blood test only shows how your hormones are at that precise moment.

Peri was ok for me but my god the menopause was horrific. My GP refused to believe me and he thought I was depressed. I wasn't. I can remember crying in the carpark on the phone to my friend because I felt completely hopeless.

I changed doctors and was given a low dose of HRT which helped briefly. After ridiculous night sweats, brain fog and anger I was put on gel and capsules and they saved me. I felt myself again.

Insist on seeing a doctor. Change surgeries if you can. You don't have to and you shouldn't have to live like this.

I have asked but im only 38 so far too young so my GP says.

Oh right!

Your GP is correct. It's not that you couldn't be perimenopausal but it's much less likely.

Have you had a full work up, including bloods, from your GP?

Following that, I'd get checked out by a gynaecologist if you have other symptoms.

At 38, I'd be slow to attribute brain fog to perimenopause. I would look at any other contributory causes including stress, tiredness or anxiety (as well as checking your bloods).

Regular periods are not an indicator that you are not perimenopausal!

I still have regular periods, I started on HRT nearly two years ago (at 46), prior to that I'd had at least two years of ever-worsening symptoms, similar to yours. HRT was life-changing.

It's not an automatic thing - a GP should take a full history, do bloods to rule other factors including endocrine issues like thyroid - but primarily on symptoms at your age, HRT will help massively.

As @MinnieMountain says a blood test is no use for peri diagnosis.

Your hormone levels fluctuate (hence symptoms). A blood test cannot determine if you are perimenopausal, that's age & symptom based.

Before I went on it (2 years ago?) I was getting really dark angry moods a week before my period, and my periods were getting really heavy and closer and closer together. I was feeling hot and PMTish almost all of the time. I googled which pill could help with moods- Yasmin came out as marmite, with it really helping some people and making it worse for others. I decided to try it and happily it worked for me.

I expect I will have to switch to HRT at some point, but this seems to be doing it for now.

@WASZPy apparently you can be on the pill and hrt at the same time.

Thank you so much for this! I've spent the morning reading about MG. How can a doctor be so bloody wrong!

I will admit I restarted magnesium of Friday as I felt so awful. I told hubby I'll take my chances with Kidney stones.

I didn’t think of that. I will Google what the benefits and risks are.

If men
went through it , it would have been nailed by now

I have been peri for 2 years, since I was 43. First sign was itchy skin.
I have found Health and Her supplements to be amazing....for the rage, the MIND one has been a complete change, I feel so much calmer.
I have been weight training for 6 months, total game changer, I thoroughly recommend.
Mylas Moss has helped the sleep.
Good luck to us all!

Oh and no alcohol and only 1 coffee a day!

Almost 46 and been peri for a few years. Gp identified it based on hot flushes at night and horrific periods. Brian fog pain and general unwellness too
Tried lots of doff hrt but currently have a mirena coil which has pretty much stopped my periods and they were heavy!! And gel. The prob is it's stopped the oeriod issue but I'm still tired foggy and I get the awful menstrual migraines still

Anxiety: I've always been anxious however, this is now through the roof. Every day I find my thoughts drifting into worse case scenarios. It's like I cannot escape worry. Heart rate up a lot.
I cannot take HRT; what else might help?
Thanks

Thanks @ilovebagpuss

Still no hip pain?

Mine is far worse when sitting and horrendous when I'm in bed. Odd question - was one hip worse than the other and was it more comfortable to lay on the worst hip?