To ask if this is perimenopause?

[WilsonMilson]

Posted this already in the menopause chat, but no one is there so I’m here for the traffic.

I’m on day 17 of my cycle and I’ve started bleeding again. Normally pretty regular every 28 days but have been getting increasingly painful and hellish in the past few months.

I’m 43 and lately I’ve been feeling like utter shit to be quite frank.

Headaches very frequently - last week I had one most days, upper back and neck aches, very low sex drive and increasing vaginal dryness over the past year (sorry if tmi), also some bladder frequency and recently had antibiotics for uti symptoms (I’m not prone to uti usually). My mood is also very up and down (but attributed that to 2020 life) and I’m unusually anxious and prone to crying.

No hot flushes, no night sweats.

Wondering if this perimenopause?
If so, any advice would be welcome. Should I see my GP? Can they do anything? Is it too early for HRT?

It could well be, symptoms vary so much but ask your GP for a test, they check your hormone levels.
If it is the menopause then I would say no it's very much not too early for HRT, you would be young for the menopause and so even more reason to use HRT to support your bone health.
HRT is a very personal choice, for me the benefits hugely outweigh the risks and have helped me with joint pain, mood and sleep. You could also try Menopace vitamin tablets (or supermarket equivalent) these help me with sleep disturbance.

I'd say have a look at the NICE guidelines on Menopause and go in with an idea of what you want. I started HRT about the same age as you are now - but went round the houses unneccessarily first at the GPs. They put me on the pill - then another pill - then transenamix acid.

Eventually new GP just put me on HRT - it worked really well for me. But I think I'd have got there sooner if I'd been a bit more read up on the subject and been a bit more 'I want HRT'.. Which I did, I've got no problems taking it.

Thanks, it’s all so vague when you read up on things, so it’s difficult to know what’s going on - yet a lot of symptoms seem to fit. It just feels quite early for this to be happening, but I guess everyone is different.

I’m going to read up on the NICE guidelines and be better informed before heading to my GP - moved to a new area last year so don’t really know my new GP, not sure how she will be, my old one was lovely and I’d have felt much better going to her, but I can’t carry on feeling this crap so will have to do something.

Periods closer together is definitely a perimenopause symptom. I'm late 40's. The furthest apart mine have been over the past year is 20 days. Apparently they get closer together then start to get further apart (can't wait). I spoke to my GP as I was also having brown spotting in between ovulation (which hurts like a bitch) and the start of a period. Apparently this is common too. I got Transenamix (sp?) but I found it bloated me and made me nauseous so I stopped it and now just take regular ibuprofen from the day I can feel my period will start, which takes the edge off.

There are so many bloody awful symptoms. My gp said they don't do blood tests now, they just go from your symptoms and how its affecting your life. I've been offered HRT but at the moment it's just the period issues - no flushes, sleep issues etc. Once that starts I'll be straight on the HRT.

Yes definitely speak to your GP, we all have slightly different symptoms. Do you have any thoughts on whether you’d accept hrt? They may start by suggesting vaginal pessaries for the dryness.

I already had a Mirena coil so no bleeding at all and as soon as I started on a low dose oestrogen my other symptoms improved immediately.

So speak with your GP with an open mind.

Perimenopause is the bit leading up to full menopause and can last around 10 years. So you are definitely not 'young' to be experiencing it.

Just to add, NICE best practice is for hrt to be prescribed before other drugs such as clonadine so don't let them fob you off.

Thanks all, I’d be quite happy to go on HRT if it improved symptoms. I’m not for suffering if it can be helped.

Didn’t expect to be thinking about menopause quite so soon - I’ve only just about come to terms with it being a bit late to have another baby!

Will give my GP practice a call. Just waiting for a hot flush now! The joys.

@WilsonMilson i could have written your post! Watching with interest, it’s such a confusing situation!

Also...wool duvets for night sweats, changed my life. *