Weird peri symptoms I never expected...

[ToxicChristmas]

Peri has hit me like a tonnes of bricks and I feel a bit like I've lost control of my body! Bizarre periods I expected. Vaginal atrophy I knew about. The joint pain I wasn't expecting at all -my fingers are so, so stiff. Did you have anything that shocked you? I think I was naive in thinking I'd have an easy go of it as I've been so fit and healthy but fucking hell 😩
I'm not alone am I?

Thank you, that's great advice. I'll do the same.

I'm in the delightful situation of being in peri while breastfeeding, so my hormones are basically mental. I need to go on HRT but DS2 has decided he's going to feed until he's 27 (he's currently two). I also have the sense of smell of a blood hound and want to strangle DH on a daily basis, while looking after a wilful two year old and an autistic four year old.

Oh I reached the no fucks stage in my 30s so that helps slightly!

I have reverted to a childhood allergy I had of eggs, which I grew out of. Annoying!
Joints were already bad with arthritis but this peri is just adding to it.
The no fucks given era is beginning, but I keep getting a kind of 'beer-fear' when I haven't even drunk any!
A PP said ear-worms - yes to that; excessively so.

Not being able to swallow properly & getting food stuck in my throat...

Random allergies to things you have always eaten without problems.

Frozen shoulder - agony and terribly hard to sleep with.

So here's a question: I was feeling awful, homicidal/dark thoughts/ night Sweats.

My very lovely private meno consultant did all the special blood tests at different points in my cycle. They came back perfect. So perfect in fact, she told me I could get pregnant easily if I wanted one last child!!

I was 47 at the time.

Because she's sensible she said well with all these symptoms here's HRT. And I feel much better.

So my question is: if my hormones were perfect, what was causing my rage?? And other symptoms?

How can we tell what is peri and what is just the world being shit/husband being shit etc?!?

There is definitely a menopause smell, even straight out of a bath, my perfume consumption has went through the roof.

I recall an older pal of mine says it’s like a chip shop smell, I thought she was bonkers but can now see what she means.

The itchy dry eyes were a surprise, had never heard that could be a symptom until I read it might be connected, think it may have been on Mumsnet - HRT has helped with that slightly but still an issue for me.

Luckily the joint pain and hot flushes are resolved - would never have believed a hot flush could be so debilitating.

Oh I wonder if that why I suddenly became totally intolerant to fish?! About 12 hours after eating I’d feel like I was having the worst panic attack, head and neck migraine, nausea and gastro and really panicking it was a heart attack. Took a while to work out the fish connection

Gawd that’s annoying. Mine came back perfect too - but I thought that was because it was a one-off and they are all over the place. Makes it so damn difficult- I tried HRT in various forms and was a million times, scarily worse. Managing on AD at the moment

Probably. Ain't the female body wonderful!

slattern77 I know right?! And I know they're perfect as we did two sets at different times in my cycle, twice!!

Does anyones hands and feet hurt all the time? I find I have trouble walking for the first 1/4 hour every morning. I am an old lady at 53, wtf?

Glad pp mentioned throat and swallowing food thing. Absolutely reflux.

Definitely a menopause smell about 5 years ago. It is all so delightful.

Oh, I now CRAVE fish and cannot eat meat. Not one morsel of it.

Sugar makes me feel sick.

For those with reflux/difficulty swallowing I found probiotics helped a bit.

They don't help with 100s of other symptoms I have, but worth a shot.

I've found I have no tolerance for others, literally no fucks given. I used to be a caring soul and now I'm the complete opposite 🫣 the sweats aren't so bad with HRT but beforehand I was dripping wet some mornings!! My hair is thinning and I have the belly bloat of a pregnant woman even if I eat nothing. My worst symptom by far is the join pain, being a very active person this has knocked me sideways recently and I'm determined to find a fix. At 52 I refuse to accept this is my new normal after years of periods and hormonal mood swings! Oh one last thing - my ExH has managed to pin his infidelity and lying cheating arse on me.. yeah I'm angry apparently.. no shit Sherlock I am indeed angry your dick brain was more important than your wonderful family. Anyway, gives him the perfect excuse - I wasn't menopausal when he lived a double life but there we have it.

Thank you for this thread, it's making me feel normal.

The reflux is horrendous, my IBS out of control, mood swings, night sweats, anxiety... ... it's the gift that keeps on giving.

The complete clumsiness is driving me mad. I've managed for 44 years not to injure myself in the last 2 years I've damaged my achiles, torn my calf muscle, twisted my knee and am constantly covered in bruises. I've ended up in a&e 4 times in 2 years ffs.

Yes, this thread is lovely and reassuring.
Especially with the new health anxiety issue...

My joints ached, my anxiety was through the roof and my tummy was upset all the time. I'm very sensitive to noise anyway but it got worse and I'd cry so easily.

I then went full on menopause and had a foggy brain, I was down in the dumps and ratty with everyone. I went on HRT and it lifted. I then went on stronger HRT when I got the night sweats so bad I was changing me and the bed 3 times a night. I don't sleep well anyway and I was utterly miserable. This HRT has saved me and within 2 weeks I was back to myself!

Hello! Great Post thanks everyone!

Itchy skin and aches seem to have been cured by Health and Her vitamins yippee. But clumsiness has started and am SO glad to hear I am not alone. Thank you!

Can highly recommend turmeric with black pepper supplements for joint ache

I had about 18 months where I lived with a hopeful fantasy that War of Worlds (movie) style aliens would invade and eat everyone. Quite disappointed that it kept not happening.

All over now, I'm sweetness and light and benevolence again.

In the ear itching a peri thing??? It’s only my left one but I could insert a wire brush in there. The GP has checked it and there’s nothing obviously wrong.

I start HRT next week. Here’s to my itchy ear, itchy legs, flushes and sweats pissing off!

My Gel ran out 3 days ago and I forgot to get it today.

OMG I feel absolutely dreadful, tired and in pain and just hot and ill basically.
I know I will be better almost immediately when I get it but it is shocking.

Deffo getting turmeric... thanks for that.

Brain fog. To the point I thought I was having a stroke.

And EXTREME sleep deprivation. Talking 2-3 hours a night for a couple of years. Then a 12 hour shift in the NHS. No idea how I kept going for so long.