Perimenopause: why did I not know I’d feel this shit?

[CaptainAwkward]

Christ I’m tired. It feels exactly like the bone deep aching fatigue of my early pregnancies (definitely not up the duff before anyone asks!)

Why isn’t common knowledge how rubbish it can be? Well, it’s obviously the patriarchal medical/social model that dismisses ‘women’s problems’.
I’ve got the GP in a couple of weeks who has my blood results and will hopefully prescribe HRT.

Any tips?

Oh god that is exactly my experience. My go offered me anti depressants, so I have a private appointment with the newson clinic in half an hour.

Other symptoms include inability to focus, palpitations, insomnia and massive rage. It is shit.

Tips - don’t let your go fob you off like I did.

GP not go!

Get yourself on menopausedoctor.co.uk lots of info.
I work in primary care and see how little women know about peri menopause. Lots of research on menopause but not much on just peri menopause really.
Women suffer unnecessarily for years and it really winds me up.
Need much more health promotion about it.

I'm 45 and on the brink...it's all the niggly shite that you don't know whether to worry about or chalk up to hormones that pisses me off.

And the PMT...I also tend to go a bit batshit around the time I'm possibly ovulating.

And having spent my entire life wishing I could just press a button and have my whole period in one go...I've recently discovered that's not so great.

@HumphreyCobblers

Oh god that is exactly my experience. My go offered me anti depressants, so I have a private appointment with the newson clinic in half an hour.

Other symptoms include inability to focus, palpitations, insomnia and massive rage. It is shit.

I'd love to know how your private appointment goes!

@CaptainAwkward. I'm currently just hoping I get something akin to a functioning brain & useable body if/when I come out the other side of this.

My head is too foggy & my body too tired to be able to kill anyone - so that's a saving Grace - not sure how much MN time I'd get inside 🤣🤣

Just state you want HRT, read all the side effects etc. Choose whether you’d be better off with patch or cream.
Don’t let them fob you off if you want HRT.
I love mine, made a massive difference to my life. Should have started it sooner than I did.

I will update!

I'm 51 and my symptoms have been getting progresivly worse for about 2 years. I just started HRT 2 weeks ago. I'm so tired and even more depressed than before but I'm hopeful that this will wear off and I'll feel better soon.
I'm just sorry I didn't start HRT sooner. There are so many symptoms I didn't reaslie were Menopause. e.g. I have such bad joint pain in my wrists than I often drop things. I'm also so forgetful and scatty which is not like me at all.

The depression is the worst tough so hopefully that will wear off soon

How old are you? I am nearly 42 and I have lots of gynae conditions (endo, adeno and fibroids) but sometimes I can't work out if its that or peri menopuase.

My mum was a menopause trained nurse and this dependence on blood tests used to drive her nuts. Blood tests are a snap shot of one day and shouldn’t be used in isolation. If the GP is any good they will consider all the symptoms together not just rely on one test.

I've tried every HRT there is - with great medical support and specialist consultant advice, but sadly it just isn't the magic answer for everyone.

Good luck @HumphreyCobblers!

@MintyCedric yeah, you’re so right. It’s the sum of all these niggly shit things.

@needsahouseboy I mentioned to the GP that I’m having very frequent nosebleeds and headaches (which apparently can happen with hormonal fluctuations) but she said ‘That’s not something associated with ‘the change’ ’.

I didn’t raise an eyebrow at the use of ‘the change’ as the GP is quite a young woman!

@ItscoldinAlaska I’m 43.

@MintyCedric

I'm 45 and on the brink...it's all the niggly shite that you don't know whether to worry about or chalk up to hormones that pisses me off.

And the PMT...I also tend to go a bit batshit around the time I'm possibly ovulating.

And having spent my entire life wishing I could just press a button and have my whole period in one go...I've recently discovered that's not so great.

Are you me? (I'm 49 so have a few years on you) In all seriousness - the wanting your period all in one go...it's really not what we were expecting is it? I spent most of last weekend in the ensuite and used more loo roll than I'd care to admit to. DH knows not to say things when I go batshit, as he knows it's all about to kick off again...

I completely agree with you!
I'm 49. Wen in peri about 4 years now.
I thought peri was irregular petiods, feeling a bit hot and mood swings.
I WAS SO WRONG!!

I had no idea of the crippling fatigue, the migraines, the aching joints, itchy skin, stinging lady garden, gastric issues, anxiety...the list goes on.
It's shit...

@CaptainAwkward
My mum used to have nose bleeds a lot.
(just as I began my periods, and I'm guessing, as she was ending hers)
I do think girls should be forewarned about this when they're in their teens.

@CaptainAwkward I’m shocked by how little some GP’s know too.
If men suffered this there would be bloody posters, leaflets and bloody tv ads about peri menopause.
Always go the gp armed with info and state you want HRT, they can’t refuse you it.

Do your homework and check the NICE guidelines. Took me two years of feeling like crap and being fobbed off by the GPs to get HRT - and another year to find one that suited me. But it changed my life. They might want to recommend natural stuff like evening primrose - but NICE says there is no reason that a woman who wants to try it should not. If you have problems with it keep going back - I reacted badly to oral hormones, had to get a combination mirena/patch which works brilliantly.

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/

www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/

O you poor thing, I remember that feeling so well. I felt better within about 30 minutes of my first HRT, prior to that I was like the walking dead. Dont be dismissed by your GP, insist that you receive a proper diagnosis and prescription. Good luck. You'll feel better soon.

I was expecting hot flushes etc. Not a single one. But have sore urethra, chronic hives and itching (which follows my menstral cycle), aches in my hips, knees, shins, low vitamin D and facial pain. Over the course of 5 years I have been put onto several medications and seen many specialists but I feel like no one is drawing the dots together. The really concerning thing is both my DM and GM suffered from debilitating anxiety post menopause, which may have triggered my DMs dementia so if I can take anything to delay that I will.

@CaptainAwkward Omg!! The nosebleeds are a peri thing?! I've been having the bastards for about a year, only brief, light ones but I've never had one in my life previously.

@andtheweedonkey (I LOVE your name!) I've got an underactive thyroid and only one ovary so suspect I'm hitting it early.

I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know that "The Change" can be exhausting and difficult. I'm shocked that people don't know this. I'm over 50 now.

btw: I am not exhausted at all. My peri has been easy peasy so far.