To be sick and tired of the fucking menopause?

[Miladymilord]

I'm in bed. Feel wide awake, alternatively hot then cold. I've got leg cramps, greasy hair (wtaf), I feel really grumpy. Can't relax. I know ill wake up again in about 3 hours, drenched in sweat with restless legs. It's totally shit.

Great advice MortyVicar, pleased to hear about something that works that is not HRT.

I’ve heard antidepressants work well for pmt and doctors can give them out for the week running up to your period. So makes sense they could also work for menopausal symptoms. It’s something I’d consider.

Can someone please put me clear on whether menopause symptoms are really peri-menopause symptoms and fade away once you enter actual menopause, the definition of which being a year without any form of period?

The symptoms can start years before last period and carry on for years after. HRT was brilliant for me...I struggled for two years after my last period because I was not going to take HRT but the night sweats got so bad, and my mood was all over the place. I too it and was so much better

I am at least two years post period - and it’s only just hitting me.

Hi Lostandfound81 - thanks for suggestion- unfortunately there's nothing i haven't tried!!
i seem to be ridiculously sensitive to hormones: put a 12.5mg (or is it mcg?!) patch on and within 2 days had to remove it as felt awful. so that was half the lowest dose.
progestogens also floor me- felt suicidal on the mirena coil and pulled it out!!
we are most defininitely all different!
i was on venlafaxine due to pmdd in peri stages but it's maybe a good thing for menopause too.
i do wonder if some of the lethargy and persistent chubbiness i have are down to a few years on venlafaxine though-
gonna try some magnesium next :)

My boobs are killing me atm.
Just after I ovulate they hurt.

I also have to wee so often and have VA which means when I do rarely want sex I have to get the lube out otherwise it’s not good. 😩

I'm so glad I started this thread! Noone talks about it in RL.

Off to the GP this afternoon. I'll report back.

I am 53, don’t sleep well at all, the hot flashes/flushes are just awful - they make me feel very claustrophobic.

My sex drive is 0.

Have taken black cohosh and star flower and evening primrose, didn’t seem to make any difference.

I know I am a nightmare 😥.

My mum took HRT and she has suffered with fibriods and currently has one the size of a grapefruit. I am not taking it.

Can I ask - those struggling with menopause, did you have problems pre-menopause? Were your periods a breeze and this has been a shock?

Were your periods a breeze and this has been a shock?

Periods so easy yes, light, not painful.

Not sure what that's got to do with it though?

Has anyone else tried ground flaxseeds? I'm 52 and have been having them on my porridge (I ground them fresh each day) for the last 2 years and have not had any symptoms of the perimenopause except that my periods are getting closer together (23 days apart now) and slightly heavier.

One of the doctors on Trust Me I'm A Doctor suggested ground flax seeds might help symptoms.

Ooh ILoveAllRainbows I have some in my cupboard, forgot about them. Will reintroduce them on my morning porridge. I’d love to go down the diet/natural/exercise route but I fear it’s not enough...

I have my hrt prescription! Now to see if I'm brave enough to fill it..

It’s hellish isn’t it.

Can I urge everyone to read the NICE guidelines to peri/menopause here www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

These are what GPs should be using if you present with symptoms. And familial cancer is not always a risk.

There is still a pervading view that HRT is inherently dangerous but the study that related to has been debunked - women were post menopausal and given HRT derived from mares urine. We don’t all want to start whinnying and braying as well as everything else. If a doctor prescribes anything beginning with “prem” say no.

Here’s a handy guide to the different peri/menopause symptoms - it’s from a clinic but it lists all the most common symptoms. It covers everything already mentioned on the thread and more. secure.thesurreyparkclinic.co.uk/sq.php

Finally transdermal preparations are lowest risk and a separate oestrogen and progesterone can work well. Transdermal estrogen + mirena = equals gold standard of maximum benefit minimum risk.

I’m still perimenopausal but I’ve been on HRT for 2 years and it’s been fab and will have to be prized out of my cold dead hands.

Fun fact: some of my eyebrow hairs had gone grey/white before I started oestrogen. After about 9 months I noticed that the hairs were growing in black again; so black at the root and white at the tip. Eyebrows now all back to black.

I did see a private women’s health specialist GP (£75) in the first instance as there was a 3 week wait to see my GP and I felt that I would have had break down or divorced my husband if I didn’t see someone quickly.

I tried HRT. It made my MS fatigue symptoms 20 times worse.

My female gp told me at 43 last year that I was too young and to come back when I haven’t had a period for a year!!
I was having night sweats, periods going between 30 and 60 days , insomnia, you know the rest!
I used black cohosh and St. John’s wort and it really helped.

HRT great for me too, libido returned thank god! I've got the 50% eostrogen 50% progestorone one which is good. I do still have periods though, and the patches keep them going, but it's all fine really. Without the patches I was complete basket case.

@ihate the cold. - read the NIce guidelines, print them off and go back to your GP.

I’m on HRT. I wonder what happens when I stop because it was NOT good before HRT.

(You might need to raid your friends' and neighbours bushes if you only have a small one

Crosses legs nervously

Seriously though, it is utter shite and navigating a new job at the same time is crap!

Lack of sleep
Heartburn
Restless legs
Memory fog
Long-gone libido
Itching
Weight gain
Facial hairiness

Shall I go on

Apparently mine is the one you have three weeks of oestrogen then a week of progesterone? Don't know the name as its been sent directly to pharmacy. I had a period in Feb so can't have the combined one yet. Dr was lovey and said hrt would totally help

Cyclical hrt rather than continuous

I’m on HRT. I wonder what happens when I stop because it was NOT good before HRT.

If you stop suddenly I think you risk the flushes returning full force. I'm cutting down very gradually (having said that I am happy to stay on it forever - clearly I'd rather not take it if I don't have to). I'm on half a pill a day and may start taking half a pill every other day and see what happens. If the flushes come back I will restart the daily dose.

I just wanted to interject that many meno symptoms are also underactive thyroid symptoms (sleep issues, heavy periods, dry/itchy skin, low mood/tearfulness, fatigue, joint pain, thinning/dry hair, low libido etc) and uat often comes on in middle age. If you have symptoms do have a tft (bloods) and get a record of your results. If you're told you're fine/normal, do some research. Unless your gp is on the ball if you have borderline results you might not be tested again for ages.

I've been treated for uat for about 10yrs now. I had most of the symptoms I mentioned above and was 'lucky' to have a spectacularly high tsh so no problem with diagnosis. I did struggle to get on the right meds. I feel like the new symptoms I'm getting now (I'm almost 51 and have just missed a period for the first time) are sore joints, overheating/sweating, heartburn and some niggles with appetite and sleep. I'm really grateful I was able to get the uat under control before having to deal with this.

She's referred me for thyroid blood tests