Perimenopause, what helped you?

[NorrisToenail]

I'm pretty sure I'm in peri, my symptoms include:
Change in periods- shorter cycles, longer and heavier periods, more pain
Dizziness- this is most days now and can be sever, have had fainting spells
Brain fog, absolutely shit memory
Night sweats
Fatigue.

GP brushing me off as I'm only 40, bloods all came back normal other than borderline iron. Hormone levels being checked soon but I know these tests are unreliable.

Is there anything I can do/take to help? I can't live another 10-15 years like this before the main event and hopefully some treatment.

You need to go back to your GP. Ask to see a different GP and complain about the first. They should be able to offer you HRT as you are displaying the symptoms- or at least they should rule out anything else your symptoms are and then discuss solutions. Do not be put off. Please go back and ask for help again.

Have a read of the NICE guidelines for menopause and know your facts before you speak with GP or cut to the chase & follow Louise Newsom? on instagram or via her website for all things meno related. It’s possible to be in peri at 40 and you can ask for HRT if that’s what you decide. It’s what I decided at 46 and I feel very much back to my old self. Do what’s best for you but first, do your homework. Best of luck.

Head over to the menopause topic - lots of advice over there.

Is there another gp you can speak to?

Aside from iron, have they tested ferritin? My ferritin got to 6 and I had the same symptoms but not peri.

Only 1 GP unfortunately, she is very dismissive of a lot of things to be honest.

Esmejean I'll have a read, thanks.

JamesWebbSpaceTelescope I forgot there was a menopause topic! I'll head over for a read

Menopace has helped me

Yes, full count. GP actually told me my iron was completely normal. On a scale of 15-200 it was 30 so I'd say that was on the low side but she says not.

But they often forget ferritin - my first bloods showed iron was fine but then I spoke to a different, female this time, gp and she said they’d missed ferritin and often do.

HRT, I'm sorry man. I went through the list of things and it drove me demented. I'm not one of the ones who is going to sail through with nothing.

I took the menopause supplements. I look after my diet and weight training, I take iron and do everything the way you should but when I started seeing things, which apparently is a rare part of menopause enough was enough.

Sorry, those results were ferritin

ah, at least they’ve check that.

might be worth a conversation with a pharmacist as they can prescribe now.

I'd happily try HRT but I doubt my doctor will give me it if my hormone test comes back normal. She'd written me off after the full blood count came back normal, I had to make another appointment as I had no answers. If there's nothing over the counter that'll help I'll just have to keep on at her and hope!

I also asked would a contraceptive pill help to regulate my periods so I at least wasn't having 2 a month. GP strongly said contraceptive pills were for contraception, nothing else 😕

I can't help there. I didn't have a hormone test. They went totally off symptoms. Im 49 though.

OP, you don't need to have a hormone test to have hrt, they are unreliable as hormones fluctuate so much in peri. GP's can prescribe on symptoms alone.

"If my symptoms improve with hrt, then that is the correct medication, so prescribe them and I'll see you in a month"

Peri no fun at all. Sorry your GP not very helpful. Was just reading about how some might have ‘compassion fatigue’:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/02/seven-in-10-gps-in-uk-suffer-from-compassion-fatigue-survey-finds
Bit rubbish these days that a trip to GP (if you can get passed the icy receptionist) is more conveyor belt or ‘computer says no’ in many cases.
For me health MOT a must. In our 20s/30s we can get away with a lot. Once 40s hit it becomes essential to not drink too much, quit smoking, get decent sleep, exercise and also to have a healthy/nutritious diet. Body needs all the help it can get!
Peri brings with it a myriad of other symptoms so knowing that it will pass (eventually), being kind to yourself and keeping your sense of humour also key.

Can you say you want mirena coil for contraception? That should help with periods. It's basically half of hrt.

I had those symptoms at 44 and my GP said try HRT and see if it helps. Prescribing guidelines are they'll just give it to you if 45 or over, under 45 they may need some persuading.

HRT resolved all my symptoms within a week.

Is hrt just like taking the pill? I couldn’t take the pill as it gave me awful migraines. I’m worried that hrt would do the same

Longer term you need to get a new gp, it's not ok to just dismiss those symptoms.
I would start taking iron supplements now though, long heavy periods are only going to make it worse and it might be causing some of your symptoms.
If you can afford it, try floradix tablets or Wild nutrition, something more gentle on your digestive system than the prescription tablets ideally.