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?

Please feedback on your visit to your gp.
Does anyone take a natural supplement?

B12, iron and magnesium here for lots of peri symptoms - but they weren’t enough for me and hrt was transformative

I’m taking vitamin b12, c, d and iron helps me feeling less tired

But makes constipation worse

Got my GP phone app soon. Feeling rather nervous as o have ALL my hopes pinned on her prescribing HRT!

I’m going to list my woes and she has the results of my blood test (which has triggered this appointment).

I’ll keep you updated.

Good luck! Do remember to say blood test results are not very helpful to measure hormone levels.

Right, just had my call.

Apparently my ALT liver levels are elevated (70) so GP wants to do some more tests before going down the HRT route She also wants B12 checks.

My FSH levels are ‘normal’ and I reiterated my symptoms but she kept referring to any perimenopausal symptoms I was having as ‘early’ as i’m 43 (so under the 45 threshold!)

My ALT might have something to do with me not having a gallbladder and being a bit fat/fond of wine.
I’ve lost 2 stone since January (low carbing) and still losing and i’m going to watch my drinking.

Feeling a bit deflated though.

I'm 57 and I think I am out the other side now. It was an absolutely awful awful period. A complete shitstorm for me, I gave up smoking in 2010, 3 months later piled on the weight when I stopped the nicotine patches (did you know nicotine supresses oestrogen). Horrific never ending period with clots the size of golf balls. The Rage got me into a lot of trouble.

I knew I was quite unwell and was fobbed off and dismissed by the GP, even worse I had lost my articulacy so all I could manage to say to them was I feel absolutely shit.

Long story short - I had trouble with HRT, I got suicidal on the HRT originally prescribed, turns out I'm intolerant of synthetic progesterone (I never did get on with the pill). I decided after a lot of research I had developed an under active thyroid, got absolutely nowhere with NHS (well I kind of did, but the consultants I got to see told me my results were normal, the nodules on my thyroid gland couldn't possibly be responsible for my 3st weight gain or how bad I was feeling). I went and found a private GP, paid for even more blood tests and got the diagnosis and treatment I needed and I've not really looked back. I've started smoking again (combination of lockdown and my DM dying) and have lost a stone without trying. Bye bye oestrogen!
Men clearly have no idea and again with some women GPs (mine was about the same age) if they haven't had it too bad themselves or are much younger, I don't think they have any idea how grim it can be.

Maisie hills book is brilliant on progesterone intolerance. It shows that knowledge of this does exist but it doesn’t seem to make it to GPs. If you have PMDD (about 15% women do inc teenagers) then you are likely to react badly to progesterone.

That is so interesting @CrotchetyQuaver.

I had no idea about nicotine. I have thought about, it makes sense.

I’ve just signed up for this:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/4243844-Mumsnet-Zoomchat-with-menopause-expert-Dr-Rebecca-Lewis-and-Davina-documentary-producer-Kate-Muir

Ah, that clip from Fried Green Tomatoes does my heart good. As do memories of Evelyn's transformation and the scene where Mrs Threadgoode asks "Honey, how many of those hormones did they give you?!"

I'm 44, no major physical symptoms yet but fatigue and anxiety and memory not quite what they were - there are other things that could be behind them but I know they're all peri symptoms, so I am reading lots about this and monitoring the symptoms carefully. I have family history of osteoporosis on both sides so keen to not leave it too late (taking calcium/vit D and doing weight bearing exercise).

Good to hear others' stories on this mysterious journey - Towanda to you lovely vipers!

Fatigue, joint pain and weakness... knees, wrists, ankles, occasional night sweat and adrenalin rushes at 4am with anxiety, gut has slowed down, all topped off with lashings of brain fog, nothing tooooooo debilitating, but generally a bit of a pain. Still, a period every 5 or 6 months now (57) makes up for it.

It is reassuring to read everyone's symptoms and realise that yep... it's normal... thank you all.

@floss1

Just another one to reiterate that a stand alone bloody test means absolutely nothing with diagnosing the menopause as one of the main issues it the wildly fluctuating hormones levels!! Also, don’t be robbed off with antidepressants....we are not mad!!!! X

This thread has been fascinating and helpful. I realise how frustrating it must be to be offered antidepressants when they are not helpful- but please could I ask posters to be mindful of the fact that some people who are struggling with non perimenopause related things do find antidepressants helpful- and are not mad, or going mad....

Oh this has made me feel less alone in this...
I'm 45...

I just cry so much and feel frustrated that I haven't achieved anything in life,
Niagara Falls periods,
Brain fog,
Forgetting where I'm driving, to the point that I've had a few seconds where I don't recognise the road I'm in when driving down a country road,
Rage - but more crying these days,
Aching lower back,
Insomnia,
Worries about things that happened years ago,
Lack of libido,
Itchiness...

I'm most worried about the brain fog so if anyone has similar issues please say! 😱

I don’t know whether to be pleased or not about this investigation with the faux-wide eyed ‘we just didn’t know anything about this’!
But apparently some big employers will be looking at how they can help menopausal women in the workplace
www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/19/financial-sector-takes-part-in-survey-about-impact-of-menopause

Cynical part of me says this will be used against older women but maybe I should be more positive than that..

Im 48 very tired some days. No bleed as coil in. Interesting the replies

@Fishflakes

I don’t know whether to be pleased or not about this investigation with the faux-wide eyed ‘we just didn’t know anything about this’! But apparently some big employers will be looking at how they can help menopausal women in the workplace www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/19/financial-sector-takes-part-in-survey-about-impact-of-menopause

Cynical part of me says this will be used against older women but maybe I should be more positive than that..

It’s interesting isn’t it. If it helps women not leave work in their 40/50s etc then maybe a good thing. Personally I’d rather take hrt than discuss my health with certain bosses!