Early menopause

[Tinkerbell36]

I have been to the doctors today following a blood test last week as I was having menopausal symptoms. I'm 42yrs and have been told I am going through the menopause - quite a shock as I thought I might be peri menopausal. My symptoms have become much worse over the past couple of months - severe mood swings from being snappy to very tearful; terrible night sweats 4-5 times a night and now hot flushes during the day; very low sex drive!
I've been prescribed Elleste Duet 2 mg today and have taken the first one.
Does anyone have any similar experience? I feel like I'm going slightly mad and am hoping the tablets will help??

Am 50+ so no experience of early menopause, but just want to see if others can help clarify the terminology (not questioning semantics per se but I think it helps if we all know what we are talking about). I used to get confused between perimenopause and "the menopause". As my GP explained it, the perimenopause it the time leading up to the menopause THE menopause is when you're actually out the other side... which GPs tend to say is 12 months without a period. I am perimenopausal, keep thinking I'm done... then 6 months on get a period.

The mood swings, sweats, flushes, low libido... sound very normal (if unpleasant). HRT is an option, which I am trying to avoid but that is a whole other thread.

Your Dr is right.

I wonder why you are trying to avoid HRT?

P.s- start another thread maybe as you've posted under Early Menopause and readers may not see or answer your questions.

Hi Tinkerbell36. I'm 38 and i think i might be going through menopause. I was told by a doctor 5 weeks ago that i'm most probably perimenopausal but i'm getting lots of symptoms. The doctor started me on HRT, Climagest 1mg 5 weeks ago. I took the whole 28 day pack and it improved a few things, vaginal dryness, needing to wee a lot but my mood swings and heart palpitations were just as bad. I stopped taking it about a week and a half ago, as one night i had a massive panic attack, awful palpitations. I thought i was having a heart attack! I went to hospital, it wasn't a heart attack and i'm ok but it really scared me so iv'e stopped the HRT, thinking it may have caused the panic attack. I'm going back to the doctor this week to discuss this. I hope i can go back on the HRT as i really feel i need it. Mood swings are awful, i'm low a nd cry most days. I have a prescription for Prozac antidepressant, so this should help with the moods, although i haven't taken it yet. Bloody menopause! I hate it! I really think you should give your HRT a try x

hi just wanted to say that I started taking HRT because I was getting panic attacks. I think that your body needs to get used to the hormones. I am on week 9 and my mood has lifted and my energy is coming back I am only left with the panics but my oestrogen has just been increased as they always start you on low dose.