To be over having to give up EVERYTHING due to perimenopause

[Edenspirits]

• Can’t tolerate alcohol anymore- even a couple of drinks give me a massive hangover
• Bread makes me massively bloated and I have to really watch what I eat as I get piled really easily 🙄
• Chocolate gives me a headache
• Tea gives me a massive headache
• have to watch everything I eat as the slightest deviation and I put on half a stone by barely looking
• the slightest deviation to my routine and I don’t sleep 😴

I feel like I barely recognise my own body!

Sigh- it’s SO dull!
Aibu to be really really really over perimenopause! Waiting for HRT from the doc and ready hope it helps!

I've been on HRT for 6 months. The first few months were brilliant, then I started bleeding randomly again (each time with accompanying headache, about 1/3 of every month) and for the last month have not been sleeping - I wake at around 2.30am every night and am then awake for hours. My energy levels are plummeting, joint pain, memory issues, all sorts really. I've been peri for 7 years now and am just about at the end of my tether.

Those of you on HRT, did it take a few times to find the right one for you? And have any of you tried 'standard' HRT and moved to bio identical, like Utrogestan? I'm about to ask the GP if I can switch to bio identical as the HRT I'm on (evorel sequi) isn't helping like it did at first. I don't know how much of a fight I'll have on my hands. I think he'll just want me off it though. To be honest I'm not sure if my sudden sleep issues are caused by my current HRT, or not. I just want it all to stop!!!

@Wotsitsarecheesy, I am on ES as well, and it occurs to me that the dose of oestrogen in this prep is quite low - 50 (you can get Evorel in 75 and 100 strengths). So I have been thinking this too. I actually get more relief on the oestrogen+progestin phase (thank God I can tolerate it). But I am getting symptoms breaking through during the oestrogen only phase. I suspect the dose is too low given I am going further into menopause and my ovaries are probably completely closed down now.

@TooTiredForToday

This is so hard to read. Some of you sound so miserable.

I've spent my whole 30s pregnant or with small children and still in that phase. I had sort of been looking forward to my 40s as a chance to return to work, get the kids to school, rebuild friendships and my marriage, and also maybe be fit and look good, after the decade of everything being about babies. The thought of having to deal with peri instead is utterly shit.

I hope everyone on the thread can get the medical help they need and that unsympathetic GPs are being educated. Slowly I think that will take a long time...

If it helps, I am 49 and other than the clotty somewhat irregular periods (which I've had for about 8 years now and was never that regular anyway, and they were always heavy) I am fine. I have noticed that I sweat more in the past 18 months or so, but not hot flushes or night sweats.

I take a daily multivitamin and iron tablet but otherwise I can't really say I do anything to avoid peri symptoms. I don't think all women suffer or maybe it's just not started for me yet ;)

But yes the health sector doesn't give a toss about women. Not that the primary care sector gives a toss about anyone - we are all timewasting malingerers but particularly peri-women.

@espressomartiniftw

It's interesting about the food intolerances. I think I'm becoming lactose intolerant but it's only been a few months which coincides with the peri menopause

I have too

I am all of you put together. The symptoms are endless and some days it gets to the point where I think why bother anymore. GP said it was peri menopause over 2 years ago but I was to young to do anything about it. I’m 40 now and at last they said start HRT but the first patch send me crazy, I terrible my head was so bad and I was in tears all the time and felt so low it was unbelievable. GP then was no help. I was told take some supplements and try again in a few years. I’m now after reading on forums going to try cutting my patch into quarters and start at a very low dose and work up. I can’t carry on like I am.
Tired all the time
Night soaks not even sweats
Hot flushes
Irritable
Low mood
Anxious
Food intolerances appearing
Thinning hair
Hairs appearing on face
Spots
The list goes on and on and on

Running 5k three times a week seems to keep mine under control - I’m basically trying to outrun it!

I'm on Femoston conti. Started at 0.5/2.5. This was perfect for a year then the dose was doubled. Been on this dose for years now

Hi all, it would be worth having a look at the Menopause Doctor on Instagram, Louise Newson. She is amazing and strongly advocates HRT as do I. Sorted out all my ailments!

Ugh. Yes to so much of this

I am basically a knackered, bloated ball of fury and fear these days.

Used to pride myself on being calm, pragmatic and sharp as a tack. Now I can barely remember my own name sometimes and wake at 3am obsessing about dying.

Can't drink alcohol. Craving sugar constantly.

Libido through the floor, too.

It's shit.

HRT has saved me. I use patches. I'm under 43 and been in tired/exhausted fog for 2 years with no libido. Only real indication of period was got flushes and periods becoming super light. I'm on month 3 HRT and omg the difference. My husband thinks we are living out honeymoon again and I feel great.

My eyes were so dry I couldn't see past 3pm.

And yes, the bloody hangovers!!!! Don't drink now.

@socalledfriend

My eyes were so dry I couldn't see past 3pm.

And yes, the bloody hangovers!!!! Don't drink now.

Everyone seems to be mentioning the sore dry eyes thing. Like you've sat for hours over a smoky campfire? Thought it was just me.

I actually know when my HRT patch is running out because that's always the first symptom to flare up again.

This is resonating so much with me. I've just done a menopause "test" at home which showed I am in the menopause.
I've been scaring myself with the thoughts that I've been having and the lack of motivation for anything is really depressing.

Could it be why I keep getting styes? I've never had them in my life before.

To the PP who is cutting the patch up, check it's ok to do this.
I have oestrogen gel and the dose is 1-4 pumps. So far I'm coping on 1 pump a day

My advice
Go private get a gynae referral
My cousin did she was only 37-38 GP didn't listen said she was too young but she got this gel it was a game changer and worth every penny
Good luck

YANBU.

5 years now. Massive anxiety. Random rage over incredibly minor things. Periods gone from regular and predictable, to a cycle of anything from 3 to 4 weeks, and then they start and stop so I'm never sure when they've finished. I've developed IBS symptoms. Achiness. And I'm sure there's more but I can't remember them, because that's another thing, my memory is not what it was. Oh sex drive - disappears for months, then reappears and is ridiculously high before buggering off again. And thrush, nearly everything gives me thrush.

Was having flooding and night sweats but the Mirena has dealt with them seemingly.

Oh and I feel completely incapable of straightforward things that I used to feel competent over. Like my job.

I feel a complete mess and I'm well aware I could have many more years of this.

At the moment I'm working on acceptance and listening to my body. Trying to work with it rather than fight against it. Luckily my work is flexible so I have the ability generally to put off complicated stuff for days I feel more competent and do the easy tasks on days I feel a mess.

Horrible isnt it.

I asked for HRT six years ago after gaining a stone in 6 weeks and waking up several times a night dripping in sweat.

I was told to try anti-depressants for a month first as that's the practice's pathway.

Not one ounce of difference.

After another month of no sleep and several more pounds, filled with rage after devouring the contents of the menopause matters website, I went to see GP again, armed to the teeth with printouts from MIMS, menopause matters and the Chemist & Druggist and demanded to be put on the HRT of my choosing after explaining why.

To her credit, she did agree, and said that they dont have much training on the menopause. Been on it ever since. Wouldnt be without it now. Back down to fighting weight and sleep well with no sweats.

Honestly, as most women do a double shift - work and home, we should be given all the help we need. God help the country if we all stop our unpaid caring roles and wife work!

@junipertree2 @socalledfriend yes! The dry eyes started at 45, along with the blepharitis. I use dry eye drops daily now and see a huge difference. No more styes.

wotsitsarecheesy. It has taken a lot of trial and error over the years to find the HRT to suit me. For years I was on one that caused no problems and was excellent but the company stopped manufacturing it and there was no exact equivalent. For about 3 years I tried lots of different types from tablets, to patches to gel to combinations of these all of which caused regular monthly bleeding and varying degrees of awful pmt. I stopped everything at the start of lockdown to see how I’d be without anything because I’m 6O now and have taken HRT for 7 years. I was back to square one with dreadful sweats, flushes, exhaustion etc etc so last month I asked to try something again. The GP has given me utrogestan and 2 pumps of estrogel a day. I’ve only been on this combination a month though so it’s a bit early to tell how it’s going to compare but so far so good.

espresomartini. I went through a phase for around a year of getting a stye with PMT when I was in my 30s. Then they just stopped and I’ve not had one since. I think they must be something that hormones can trigger as i got one most months before my period .

My eyes have been like cat litter trays for a while now. I assumed it was the hot weather! I am also like a zombie (miss her) most of the time and assumed it was either covid jab or long covid (I’m sure I had a dose of this this early on), also headaches and numb fingers, fuzzy head...

Effing ace, isn’t it?

Dry eyes I thought that was looking at phone computer. OH joy.

Also I still get lovely lotions potions as presents, allergic reactions to them all makes me itch so boring goats soaps it is. Urban decay eyeliner took the skin off my eyelids once. My eyebrows itch and fall out if they come into contact with som things

Dry eyes and blepharitis! I started with this 2 years ago but never made the link with my other symptoms… can’t wear eyeshadow anymore cos my whole eyelid flakes off. Urghh, peri seems to be responsible for everything. I actually feel quite worried about their next few years and everything worsening

@bestbefore

My fun peri symptom this month has been dropping things...whole cups of water, part of the dinner, loads of things. And awful skin, no sleep and bloating. Had a 1 day yucky period as well.

I've got this, I didn't realise it was peri-menopause! This month's victims include my phone (smashed) and laptop (the screws have come out, luckily nothing more).

My period has decided that it's going to start in the early hours of the morning every month, despite it never happening even once in the previous 30 years.

Weight gain will not shift. Irony is that I had a baby a couple of years ago, must have been my last chance for another baby.

I’ve not had a period for 8 months symptoms I struggle with are
Anxiety and low mood (now take low dose of Citalopram)
Going from sleeping really well to now having about 4 hours sleep a night
Crawling sensation in legs comes on in waves at night
Hot sweats
Flare up of eczema on my arms ( used to have it as a child but never as an adult)
Low vitamin D I’ve been prescribed vitamin D tablets by my Doctor
Dry eyes
I’m also waiting to see a consultant for reoccurring uti symptoms including blood in urine but after sending off numerous samples they keep coming back normal.
I’ve had an ultrasound scan and have been referred to the hospital I had an appointment for August but it’s been cancelled and I’ve been passed over to a different consultant
Poor appetite I’ve always enjoyed food but I never seem to fancy anything just lately

Anyone had itchy patched on scalp too? I have 2 patched (size of 2ps) that I’ve been clawing at today and now they are angry red and weepy. Gah