Covid, perimenopause, anxiety...what's up with me?

[Antsinyourpanta]

Sorry long post with lots of possibly unnecessary info.
Last summer I had a bad spell of anxiety, insomnia and depression. I felt really tired and wiped out.i got through it by meeting a friend regularly for walks or runs and counselling and improving sleep habits.
For about the last 8 weeks this summer I've felt really tired and exhausted with no motivation to exercise. (I usually exercise 3 or 4 times a week) I've had bad sleep again (drinking more caffeine again) and sometimes had a sore throat.
I'm going to work every day and doing household chores but feeling zombie-ish some of the time. The other day I forgot to pay for the car park in sainsburys and then forgot to pay for my sons sports lesson which was v embarrassing.
After reading possibly too much on here, and reading about how the delta variant presents differently, I booked a covid test. (I've been doing twice weekly lfts and theyve always been negative) I was also worried because my elderly FIL and other family are visiting this weekend.
But now anxious that if it positive how long have I had it and been spreading it , (and when would I class my symptoms starting?) and also that my DH will go really mad and get stressed out. (We normally work together but I already had today booked off, so he is working alone and doesnt know I have been for a test - he would have persuaded me not to because I dont have one of the 3 symptoms for testing) And its DD birthday next week so she'll be super disappointed having to isolate.
...but could tiredness and lack of energy also be symptoms of peri menopause? (I'm 43)
I first noticed feeling much more tired not long after a really heavy but late period after the first vaccine.

So op, if I read this correctly, you’ve been sometimes having sore throats for several weeks and have had exhaustion for 8 weeks, combined with poor motivation?
Personally I think a trip to the GP is in order here. You may have something underlying going on ie anaemia; it may be that you’ve got depressed and God knows, the past 18 months has caused enough of that in the population!
I doubt this is COVID as that is acute in presentation.
Keep doing the LFTs if they give you peace of mind but an 8 week history of exhaustion, with 4 weeks of sore throats is cause for the GP to consider what is going on. Probably a simple blood test will give a clearer picture.
Good luck!

You sound in similar boat to me...45, definitely perimenopausal and finally having to acknowledge it.

There's been other stuff going on but I'm going to up the self-care and look into supplements before I resort to HRT.

You may be developing hypothroidism, you need to get your thyroid checked out, OP.

Thanks for the replies everyone- they were kinder than I was expecting!

I had considered asking for blood tests but I wasnt sure if that has to be instigated by the GP rather than the patient - and the symptoms were quite vague and I still cant decide if they are purely physical or a combination of psychological and physical although I dont feel anywhere near as bad as last year, in terms of mental health.

My periods pre vaccine were very heavy and quite a short cycle. Then after the vaccine the first one was 2 or 3 weeks late and horrendous, the next one was 3 weeks late and barely there! My weight hasnt changed.

Feeling slightly less anxious now as family cancelled their visit due to self isolating, and that it could be something else (hopefully solvable!)

Hey op; the GP will decide whether you need bloods, although there’s no harm in asking.
Mention the heavy periods; you may have developed anaemia. Again…could be something else but if you don’t get seen, you won’t know.

Be kind to yourself. Maybe try walking instead of running. Eat well, go to bed at a decent time and try to make the conditions right fit a good quality sleep. Rest in the day if you feel tired but don’t lie around if you’re de-motivated, rather than exhausted.
Try to plan a bit of self care in each day; nice book, TV series, warm bubble bath, fresh air etc.

PCR is negative

There are lots of online finger prick home tests you can buy these days, OP, if you can't get what you need from your GP, but honestly you should be able to get basic thyroid tests. If you can't, try Medichecks or similar. You could also be iron-deficient (gives fatigue). Just best to get things checked out, these days it's too easy to think everything is Covid, and underlying developing health conditions get missed.

Best of luck!

Great news op. You can stop worrying about that at least!

I could've written this OP. After ignoring it fir a year after putting it down to the hell that has been the last 15 or so months I'm almost positive it's peri menopause.

Just picked up my first lot of patches so I'm hopeful I'll see a difference in a few months. If not, I don't know what's going on!

Warning TMi
Update : I called the dr and she asked lots of questions, and sent me for some blood tests. She asked if my family was supportive (which I wasnt expecting!) DH isnt at all sympathetic to MH issues (or many health issues tbh - he said not long ago he thought the menopause wasnt even a thing!)
I had some blood tests on Tuesday and the dr said to call back next week.
I dont know if it's relevant (and sorry tmi ) but my period started today and has been (what I consider) quite heavy. I wear a menstrual cup which I put in about 8am and emptied (half full) at around 11.30. Emptied (almost full ) at 7pm and emptied again (half full) at 8.45pm. I bought some iron in anticipation that I might be low in iron but DH persuaded me not to take it in case it affected the blood tests.

I'm also 43 and I am in perimenopause. Your symptoms sound similar to mine. I have been on HRT for about 5 months and feel so, so much better. I would recommend seeing a private specialist initially...my GP was unhelpful but the private GP was wonderful.

No idea if this is relevant but are you breastfeeding? I have just found out that bf can induce perimenopause type symptoms. After 5 years of bf I’m hoping my own symptoms will go away when I eventually stop although mine could also just be perimenopause no way to know.

No, finished b/f 11 years ago.

It sounds like anemia or low ferritin to me - what you have described exactly describes my symptoms when my iron levels are low. I often wake up with or develop a sore throat and used to panic it was Covid but now remember it's more likely to be iron related.

I've started taking Feroglobin plus twice a day and have noticed a huge difference. Iron deficiency is due to melon sized fibroid that I'm waiting to get removed!

I agree with your DH about the iron supplements. Wait for blood results first and if the period seems abnormal then make sure you let the GP know. You’ll get a prescription if you need it.
Take it easy and try not to worry

Blood tests have come back normal - it sounds really silly but I feel a bit disappointed
(And the dr i spoke with , who was really nice, has possibly left the surgery)

Antsinyourpanta is it possible to ask for where in the normal range your results came? After one of my c sections I was tested for iron deficiency and (can't remember the exact numbers) but it was 11 and 'normal' was 10-15 or something like that. Dr (who was one of the best I have ever visited) advised taking the iron anyway as it was so close to the bottom of normal that it will probably keep falling and be in 'low' before too long!

@blobby10
Thank you. I only spoke with the receptionist and was a bit thrown when she thought the dr had left, but I will try to speak with a dr next week

i decided to take iron and some supplements (vitamin d, vitamin c and zinc) anyway to see if that helps. (I calculated that I lost 40-50ml of blood on day 2 of my period this week which I think is quite a lot)

I agree, get your iron retested. GPs have a very low bar set. Maybe go private and do it yourself such as Medichecks.

Heavy periods is a real sign of low iron.
Hope you get some answers x