To ask about your perimenopause symptoms

[Midlifelights]

I am 47 and likely in perimenopause - I feel pretty shit for about 3/4 of the month these days to be honest.

My latest symptom seems to be feeling extra shit on the last day of my period- headache, feeling sick, very emotional, anxious, heart palps, only wanting beige food. It used to be that by now I was starting to feel better but no. Is it linked to rising hormones again? Anyone else get this?

Then I feel super shit around ovulation- same sort of thing. Then have a sunny week, then it’s pms & back to feeling shit again.

Aibu to ask if anyone else gets this joyful combination of hormone horror? It’s driving me nuts- I have had the pointless ‘there’s nothing wrong with you’ blood tests several times at the GP and been dismissed as anxious several times too 🙄

Night sweats, day sweats, very light periods that are about 45-60 days apart.

I'm 47

Feel like absolute shit on the first day of my period, headaches, aching and very VERY heavy period. Hot and sweating in bed. Periods are all over the place too.

General weight gain, cry at ridiculous things

@Shoulderballs yes I have ringing ears too, no tolerance for booze, lethargy (helped by taking iron actually) and just general lowness - I feel like I am going mad a lot of the time

I have the ringing in the ears as well, just didnt equate it with peri symptoms. Does HRT get rid of all these symptoms?

I didn’t have any symptoms until my periods stopped. There was no build up. No spotting or heavy bleeding I just stopped having periods. I had my fsh levels checked and they were 118. That was nearly 3 years ago age 45. The symptoms now, post menopause, are mostly sweating, hot flushes and irritability.

I'm in perimenopause and it is awful. Skipped periods, although sometimes two a month. Irritable, depressed, anxious, tearful. Sometimes just an impending feeling if doom that I can't shift. I am slower and more lethargic, everything is more difficult. I started HRT last year, Femoston and I think it is helping. I also have thinning hair. It can go on for years apparently

I'm 49 and clock work periods... I do get the odd night sweat...
pmt has lessened over the years
3 day period 1 heavyish day
My skins better now less hormones?
Hair and nails are okay!
I don't feel too bad really.

I did start a low carb keto diet a few years back and stuck with low carb. Have to say I think it really helped! Lots of women report it's helped too

Sorry, meant to add I'm 48.

I'm 48 and my periods are all over the place. This month I didn't really get one (or it's about to hit me). I usually have a couple of very heavy days.

Other than that , the only thing I have noticed is that I forget the word I want and have to talk around things, and I know that can be a symptom too - some menopausal women worry they've got early onset dementia. As an example I might want to say "the diagram depicts x and y" and I can't think of the word "depict" so have to say "show" instead.

43, periods all over the place.
Headaches
Bloating
Palpitations
Knackered
No tolerance
Hot flushes
Forgetfulness
But the worst is joint pain mainly in my ankles when I wake up.
Mum was 40 and grandmother 39

[quote Jellycatspyjamas]@dingledongle I use Centrum women 50+ and a sachet of Spatone daily. It’s literally the only thing that’s helped my hair - I sometimes feel like my body just doesn’t take nutrients from food anymore, my mum had severe anaemia from peri-menopause onward hence the keeping iron levels steady.[/quote]
I think this may also be the cause of being out of breath that several PPs mentioned?

If your periods get heavier at peri-menopause, it will contribute to lower iron levels. If you have a low/sub-clinical ferritin level, that will cause hair loss. If you are taking non-haem iron, take it with fruit as vitamin c helps it absorb.

I'm 40, periods are heavier but shorter (2-3 days only) and cycle has shortened too. I had a baby last year but not sure I'd be able to now, I think I was starting peri-menopause as I got pregnant. I'm snappy, my older ones were driving me nuts over lockdown.

If you have a low/sub-clinical ferritin level, that will cause hair loss.

It’s worth asking specifically for your ferritin levels to be checked, I don’t think it comes up as standard in a routine blood test for iron deficiency.

Goodness, I didn’t even think about the ringing on my ears!! Ffs, why all this stuff. Why don’t our periods just stop and bam, childbearing done.

I’m 61 and thankfully post menopause. I was very lucky and only had a few peri symptoms - anxiety, loss of confidence, brain fog (all back to normal now) didn’t have hot sweats, mood swings etc.
However........ I am now left with urge incontinence 🙄 which I have never suffered from before (and yes I know I can get treatment for it - I just can’t be bothered to go through more prodding and poking).
Win some lose some.

Good to hear a more positive story @ExtenuatingCircumstances. I know my DM never had a hot flush.

This thread has been so reassuring.

47

Hideous PMT, to the point I know I'm being irrational and argumentative and ridiculous but can't stop it. And instead of it just being before my period it seems it can strike at any time

Anxiety, obsessive 'What if' scenarios playing out in my head

Achy feet and hands

Brain fog. My job is high pressure, requires attention to detail, and small mistakes can have a huge financial or regulatory impact, I'm terrified I'm going to screw something up

Periods coming closer together (now down to about a 23 day cycle from a 28 one), and (TMI warning) once the 'proper' bleed is over I'm now getting another week or so of a brownish old blood discharge which is grim

I'm fat round the middle and my propensity to put on weight seems to be increasing daily

I've had a couple of health issues recently which seem unconnected but I've never had before, so I guess those could be related too

If I was a horse....

Forgot to say I started taking the Starpowa Menobalance gummies about 3 months ago and although they are not working miracles they are really helping the PMT...last month I really noticed that I hadn't got anywhere near as ragey or teary

I'm 41 and I think I might be starting.

Get waves of anxiety wash over me, low mood and irritable.

Does anyone suffer with achy joints? My hips are agony every morning 🤔

Oh I have started with symptoms lately.
I've ordered some well woman vitamins and hope may help some what.
I get the rage. I get weepy.
Horrible period pains when never suffered before, absolutely wiped out at this time.
Night sweats. Not sleeping properly.
And the rage. OMG

Does anyone get itchy skin? I've been on HRT for about 8 months which has definitely helped the night sweats, fatigue and aches but my skin becomes really itchy at certain times of the month. I was wondering whether it is a peri symptom or a HRT side effect?

48
Extreme fatigue (have M.E.)
Ache so much some days I can’t move (have fibro)
Brain fog, my kids are used to it & can generally work out what I’m trying to say.
Irregular periods, plus varying in length.
Weight gain, not helped by craving for carbs.
Really sweaty scalp so much so that even last week the back of my hair was soaked- is this normal?

@ExtenuatingCircumstances, as someone who also has urge incontinence I would advise getting treatment as soon as. I left mine for a number of months thinking I just had a urine infection and tried home remedies. I am now suffering severe vaginal atrophy. It is an on going nightmare and is due to lack of estrogen. Without treatment it will get worse.

@Spodge

I feel like this! Except for the sweats and urinanation.

Like all small problems are in the scale of large ones too.

Hating my husband
Night sweats
Restless nights