To ask you to share your unexpected menopause symptoms

[GraceMarks]

I've been perimenopausal for about a year now, and I thought I was pretty well-read about what it would involve. But some of the things I've experienced have come as a particularly unpleasant surprise and I was wondering if others had found the same! Perhaps if we share some of the things we've been through it will help other women to be prepared when they reach that time in their lives too.

So, aside from the usual hot flushes and night sweats and irregular periods, I've had:

Ovulation flu! I don't have a better term for it really, but every time I ovulate now, I get weird flu-like symptoms such as aching muscles, swollen neck glands, and suddenly feeling cold and tired all the time. It took me a while to make the connection with the time of the month, and I thought I was just getting a bit of a cold, but it only ever lasts for a couple of days and then goes away completely.

The fatigue. Even after getting what seems to be enough sleep.

Weirdly, the lower back pain I've suffered with for more than a decade has more or less gone, but now I get joint pain in my knees and elbows instead. It's much worse a couple of days before a period.

Anyone else had any symptoms they didn't expect, and did they go away once you were completely through the menopause?

Pinpon
Menopause Taylor on YouTube. She's an American gynacologist. She has hundreds of videos explaining everything menopause related and what can/does happen to your body.

Continuity Love the picture! Yes, my ‘field of fucks’ is increasingly barren - really quite liberating, see also the anger finding a voice and failure of suffering the fools (gladly or otherwise).

I last had a period about 8 months ago, so fingers crossed it’s the home stretch. I have had: random shoulder pain that hung around then just went, now have random knee crunching and pain (hoping that too shall fuck the fuck off). I have bald shins. The hair on my head goes through phases of coming out in chunks when I wash it. No hot flushes though - think it may be a family thing plus I’m veggie and that maybe makes some difference? I did get night sweats for a while - such a treat waking to find oneself entwined in a wet duvet!

Anger. But only just before a period. Because my periods are so irregular I only know why I’ve blown a fuse when they start.I’ve been out on SSRIs and it’s hekped a bit.

Is that the menopause or am I going mad?

47

No one’s mentioned abdominal pains and bloating yet? Mine started last year, always triggered by eating, and I had severe bloating immediately afterwards and then excruciating stomach pains which felt like labour The only way to ease them was the vomiting afterwards. Went on for months.

Went through a barrage of tests including colonoscopy but nothing. Consultant diagnosed me with the 3 ‘Fs’ (Fat, Fair and Fifty) but it wasn’t until a super fit friend told me she’d started having the same that we clicked.

A year on, I still have bloating after eating but nothing like it was before.

Insomnia was bad but that too is passing, mainly because I’m so tired.

I’ve had quite a few of those already listed: sleeplessness, brain fog, anxiety, irritability and generally caring less about what people think.

Lightbulb moments for vertigo and tinnitus - thank you.

Nobody yet has mentioned really, really dry skin..... although the thinking now is that I may actually have developed psoriasis. The hormones changes of menopause could well be the trigger.

On the plus side, as mentioned, they don’t all last for ever. I started getting symptoms at 48, had my last period at 52, and now at 55 the hot flushes are all but gone (still generally warm, though) and sleep mostly good.

And watch out for frozen shoulder, which might be linked to hormonal changes during menopause (as well as auto immune diseases and diabetes). That’s a right bastard.

Thanks for the pointer to look for Menopause Taylor aka Menopause Barbie on YouTube for menopause info @IDONTGIVVA

And thanks for starting the thread @GraceMarks. I’m amazed at all the symptoms I thought were random shit happening to me / getting old / silly annoyances are probably due to peri-menopause.

Knowledge is power, I hope!

Nobody yet has mentioned really, really dry skin.....

I have a patch on my elbow that's Sahara like and my scalp. I actually didnt connect it to menopause!

Anger. But only just before a period. Because my periods are so irregular I only know why I’ve blown a fuse when they start.I’ve been out on SSRIs and it’s hekped a bit.

Is that the menopause or am I going mad?
I've been calling it stabbyness, but ya know anger sounds more refined.

Some of these to look forward to 😢😢

The hypoestrogenic state associated with menopause results in anatomic and physiologic changes in the female genitourinary tract. These changes include:

• Loss of superficial epithelial cells, causing thinning of these tissues.
• Loss of vaginal rugae.
• Loss of vaginal elasticity.
• Narrowing and shortening of the vagina.
• Loss of subcutaneous fat in the labia majora.
• Diminution of pubic hair.
• Narrowing of the introitus.
• Fusion of the labia minora.
• Shrinking of the clitoral hood (or clitoral prepuce) and urethera.
• Depletion of glycogen in vaginal epithelial cells.
• Diminution of Lactobacilli and subsequent alteration of vaginal flora.
• Alkalization of the vaginal pH.
• Increased risk of genital/vaginal infections and trauma.
• Decreased vaginal secretions, lubrication, and vaginal dryness.

I'm 47 and my periods are the same as ever regularity wise but maybe a tiny bit heavier in the middle days. Blood tests show I'm not peri apparently. Not yet

I'm loathe to put down a whole array symptoms thy I may experience though to menopause - or peri-menopause - unless they're easily linked. It's too easy to be fobbed off by doctors with this stuff. 'Oh it's the menopause. Off you go. We won't bother investigating your bad shoulder/ bloated stomach/ depression.' I appreciate that after a battery of tests for some things it may be all that's left but I personally wouldn't be rushing to make any symptoms I might have 'fit' the menopause narrative

There isn't a test for peri 🤷🏽‍♀️ the blood tests just confirm you are not menopausal or pretty much out the other side post menopause!

Every woman needs to be hyper aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer though.

I've experienced so many of the issues mentioned by PPs (the worst one being the crashing fatigue which is so unlike normal tiredness and leaves me unable to move for anywhere between 20 minutes to a few hours).

The most depressing thing for me is there's no end in sight even though I'm post-menopausal (last period was in 2014). I can't take HRT due to medical history and I'm so afraid this will never end.

The most depressing thing for me is there's no end in sight even though I'm post-menopausal (last period was in 2014). I can't take HRT due to medical history and I'm so afraid this will never end
I too am worried about how much longer this will go on for or is this it, I think I'm in year 5 and on HRT, yet still feel like crap most days. I do thank the actual goddess that HRT at least was invented and works to some extent. I really get teary if I think about how much of my life has been wasted already, and how many more years I will feel awful.

I'm 47 but this has been building for 2-3 years. I've just started some patches and progesterone (not liking the prog...I can literally feel my uterus swelling so although my periods were previously changing (longer, shorter, light, flooding...all of it!) I had started to miss quite a few, guessing they will be more regular with the prog.

Symptom wise I just felt like I was going mad. Really mad. Angry, depression and anxiety beyond what I'd had for the ten years previous, and forgetting words for really simple things - not being able to string together a sentance (leaving me terrified of making a tit of myself at work). Then the rest....

Hot flushes...cold flushes...and waking in a pool of those various flushes each night!
Trouble sleeping - I'm always tired, I'm out for a bout 4 hours a night at most...so massive fatigue, trouble making it through the day.
Leaky bladder, prolapse AND weakness in the wall between the bladder and the rectum, and something called a rectocele, such joy!
Allergies have got much worse, and I'm itchy, my skin is drier than ever.
Vertigo that I used to get maybe once or twice a year is an almost constant.
Never been a lightweight but I now seem to have the metabolism of a slug, going to have to start living on ryvita and cup a soup again...plus I seem to have a carbohydrate intolerance (probably borderline diabetic or some other crap now). And bloating...on the upside I keep getting offered a seat on the underground
Concentration span of a goldfish.
And my hair is falling out.....

So after just two weeks on the hrt the sweats have at least subsided, I'm just praying that I get some help with all the other symptoms (as is my husband!)

Bloody palpitations! I’ve got a horrible family history of heart disease so thought I was dying and ended up having all sorts of investigations for palpitations and chest pain including an angiogram. Thankfully heart got a clean bill of health. It wasn’t until I started HRT and they went away that I realised they were connected

Blimey. I've suspected that I am pre-menopausal since an awful spell of brain fog last summer, but reading this thread I can also list;

Not vivid dreams but waking up confused about where I am
Bladder weakness
Joint pain, muscle fatigue and worsening back pain
Facial flushing
Patchy memory and brain fog
Breast pain
Unexpected body odour, I was horrified and broke out the Mitchum
Inability to lose more than a few grams of this excess weight even existing on 1200 cals a day

I have a mirena coil so I can't even keep tabs on symptoms in line with a cycle really, I haven't had a period since 2010.

Looking forward to my body hair falling out though...

Wait, palpitations are connected? Oh well that explains those weird episodes too then...

A couple of sips of alcohol go straight to my head. I wouldn't drive now after a single sip - I just have no tolerance whatsoever.

I get the feeling of stabbiness and general low mood for 24 hours a week before my period. It's miserable.

I'm a stone overweight and it's largely round my middle

No one’s mentioned abdominal pains and bloating yet?
I have some abdominal pain that for some time I reckoned was burgeoning appendicitis?(

Anyone else have a creepy-crawly sensation over their back? I’m wondering if it’s connected to menopause?

@MrsBush yes!!!!!!!! And if that wasn't bad enough my head hair is thinning at the same time

I found this list ages ago - it covers many of the symptoms:
www.menopausenow.com/symptoms

@RandomMess maybe I wasn't clear enough. No it wasn't a blood test for peri menopause. All the tests I had showed no dip in hormones so no, I'm not menopausal

The point I was making is I believe a valid one. You wouldn't find men bending symptoms to fit a male only condition that's for sure. So yes, put stuff down to hormonal changes. But don't decide against seeking proper tests because you've decided it's menopause related

My mum died of ovarian cancer and disregarded her symptoms for a long time. I wouldn't do the same

My ankles/heels hurt! In the morning I can barely walk.
My hips! Ouch.
Metal mouth!!!! What the hell???
I’m sooooo tired all the time.
Forget night sweats I’m hot if I so much as move
My sex drive has gone.
My anxiety, I’ve always struggled with it but last year it became out of control and I had to get help and anti depressants
IBS.... had it years but it’s suddenly much worse.

I asked my GP if I could be menopausal at 46, and he confirmed that probably as my mother was about this age, but apparently the aches are just ‘getting older’.

Hard to answer about my periods because I have a Mirena, but apparently if my periods haven’t come back 7 years into it I’m probably there.