Premature Menopause Support Group...anyone ?

[erilou38]

Hi there. I'm just thinking about setting up a little group for us poor ladies going through premature menopause. My doctor tells me that menopause is considered premature if the woman is under age 40. I'm 38 and believe i have been in menopause since i was about 35. I had hormone blood tests a year ago that showed i was borderline menopausal...only age 37, i could hardly believe it!! Anyway i now have lots of symptoms: irregular periods, periods are lighter a nd shorter. Hot flushes at night in bed, heart palpitations, insomnia, vaginal dryness, feeling tired all the time, hair loss and hair is dry and brittle, anxiety and depression. Oh, and i almost forgot, forgetfulness as well!! I find this whole premature meno very distressing and alone very isolating. Women that i know who are around my age don't understand as they are not going through it. None of my friends are experiencing it yet so i can't talk to them. I feel very alone a nd frustrated and get tearful and angry, (menopausal moods swings to blame i would think!) I'm sure some of you ladies must feel the same. Apparently prem meno happens to one in every hundred women so we are in the minority. Just thought it might be helpful if we could chat and share our thoughts and experiences. Erilou x

Thanks for replying. Just nice to get some support. I am 40 in April. I have 4 children and breast fed for 9 years in all!
Having read all your posts I am very fortunate to have 4 dc
I would just like to feel better to enjoy them.
Please keep sharing everyone.
Going to the Dr a week tomorrow.
I had my gallbladder out last May. Very quickly afterwards my symptoms came crashing in!

The last 24 hrs have been hell
My period properly arrived Sunday I've been so heavy had to rush home from town yesterday after being out 15 mins as I'd leaked everywhere.
Im crying constantly and screaming at dh I've never been like this.
I'm still laying in bed leaked 2 times in the night I'm wearing a tampon and a pad but it's not helping.
Feel utter crap

FFS - I'm so bloody angry that this happens to us women.

It's the pits. Here for you, spottymoo, though I know that's no consolation.

The same has happened to me - it's horrible.

Hello ladies,
I'm a total newbie to all this but was wondering if I may join you? Can I ask you all about my 'symptoms'?? I've been feeling there's something going on for a while now.....forgetfulness, serious pmt (never ever had before), complete exhaustion ( falling asleep at half eight and waking at half six feeng shattered!), missed last period totally, weird short or light periods ...I'm on the pill and they've been odd for a while. Bloated tummy, dry thirsty mouth. Also weird anxiety thing I used to get in my early 20s where my arms and hands get weak in anxious social situations and I feel like I can't hold anything as I may drop it (ie someone's baby or a cup of tea) - always happens when I fee anxious. Also last few months have had occasional heart jumpy things where my heart thuds for a while anxiously then it stops, like it suddenly increases beating worriedly, then stops.

All in all I've also been in an awful mood with everyone and feeling permanently knackered.

I was wondering what the hell was happening when the missed period started me researching this and suddenly the symptoms fit. Even the itchy eyes!!! I've probably felt this way the last six months????

What do you reckon?? Am I hypochondriac?! (Usually in good health, good diet, very active with two small kids). Thanks ladies for any advice. And you all and like seriously strong women to whom I take off my hat. Love mumsnet sometimes.

Ps I'm 36.

Pps also had weird afternoon/evening nausea for a while which pointed me in this direction, also did preg test and it was negative.

Sounds very like perimenapause to me. Feel like I am on a roller coaster. I would go and see the dr but ask for your blood test on the right day. (Day 3 of your cycle) my Drs didn't consider it for me because I was 39!

I had a better day yesterday. Trying to enjoy the good days(or hours!)

Gerbo I had pretty much all the symptoms apart from the periods I still get my periods they just started getting late went from up a 29 day cycle then it changed from anything up to 42 days.

This week has been my worst yet my period has been horrible really horrible it's my first period since starting HRT last month.
The HRT has been wonderful for the symptoms but this last week In struggling to function heavy period, raging pmt not wanting to get out of bed don't feel as though I can function or anything feel really down and miserable
Off to see the gp next week, dh has been fantastic but he's struggled with being like this as I've never been like this I was crying over a packet of crisps last night.

Thanks for your replies, ladies. I'm now making detailed notes of periods, dates, etc. and think ill keep track of what's going on for a little longer, then see the doc if things stay odd.

Fidelma...I just noticed you woke with a shaky trembling body. Me too! Had noticed that recently when making my morning coffee. Thought may be sugar level related although I know my levels are normal, as had them tested few months ago for my exhaustion. When I read about your and others symptoms its so striking how many are just the same.

I'll be lingering on this thread for a while and reading with interest. Hope you all had better days today??? I feel markedly better in mood but also had weird light spotting....odd.

I'm back, it's Erilou!! Now i'm known as Nutmeg. Haven't been on here for a while as my husband banned me as i had a bit of a meltdown just after Xmas! Trying to come to terms with being in Perimenopause at age 38. My doctor has prescribed me Prempak C a few days ago. I feel too young for HRT!! xxx How is everyone else ?

Spottymoo, is it Prempak C HRT you are taking ? Iv'e just been prescribed that this week but haven't taken any as yet. My doctor said it will most likely make my periods heavier x

Yes it's prempak c that I'm on.
I'm back to see the doctors this week and I seriously can not cope with a week like last week it was hell.
I've also come out in horrible big spots on my lower back and shoulders which are really painful.

Hi all,

I wonder if I could ask your advice, please?

I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure/early menopause aged 16 following chemo. I'm now 29. I was initially put on the pill, but when I had my first DEXA scan it was realised that I wasn't getting enough oestrogen, and so I was then put on Evorel Sequi patches and calcium/vit D supplements. The patches have been fine, but for the past couple of years I have been having problems with them.

My period doesn't sometimes just doesn't come, or it comes half way through the pack, or is so light it's pointless and drags on for weeks. The past few months for the week when I do have my period (whenever in the cycle that is) I have a week long headache that no painkiller will touch.

I have seen my GP but they are reluctant to change things since I have been on the patches without incident for so long, along with not really knowing what they should be doing. I read somewhere online that you should aim for 100mg of oestrogen, and my patches are only 50mg - could this be the (or part of the) issue? No one has ever checked my levels since starting on the patches and so I have no idea whether they're OK or not (other than not having the usual menopause symptoms).

I am going to make another appointment to see the GP because I can't keep going with 'losing' a week a month to a headache, and never know when my period is going to make its appearance. I want to be able to tell him what I want them to do, because otherwise I suspect nothing will be done and I'll be left to muddle on.

I hope someone might be able to give me some advice.
Thank you!

Maybe this particular type of HRT just doesn't agree with you Spottymoo. My doctor told me last week that it can sometimes take a while to find the right HRT that suits you best. She had around 20 different types she could offer me! Let me know how you get on at the doctor's. Hopefully they can get you sorted and feeling better. You mentioned that you have been feeling run down and out of sorts. Could it be that you are feeling a bit depressed perhaps ? Iv'e been feeling very low and tired since i got my menopause diagnosis. Finding out that you are not able to have another child is just devastating. What with all that emotional trauma and the awful physical symptoms of the meno, is it any wonder we are feeling so awful ? x

Hi littlemiss welcome back. We wondered where you are. Glad you can on. 38 is very young. I appreciate how hard it must be.
How are your symptoms?
I am finding it tough. My symptoms seem crazy! They jump from one to another. I just about manage to accept one symptom when another comes along. I often feel a bit rubbish. I also panic that there must be something else the matter with me. Hopefully I will get my bloods done in about a week.
I am going to see my dr to arrange this.
Sending a virtual hug to all who need it x

Hello, I am 44 and was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure about 3 years ago. I gave verb pretty much left to get on with it. I was on Hrt for a bit but decided against. Main symptoms are weight gain and fatigue. Having a totally unsupportive h doesn't help either!

My symptoms are shit, the mood swings and tearfulness are horrible. I cry when i see babies because iv'e been trying to conceive and now of course i will never have another baby. My skin feels all itchy, i'm guessing this is a meno symptom. Hair dry, feeling very tired all the time and having the odd night sweat, which get worse a few days before a period. Anxiety is awful and have to struggle to fight off panic attacks. Also suffering from Shingles at the moment, feeling really rough and run down x

Let us know how you get on with your bloods Fidelma. Is that to test for day 3 FSH ? x

Haven't been on here for ages.

Partly because my symptoms have eased considerably and so I'm no longer as convinced as I was that I'm in the menopause.

Anyway, I'm getting my bloods done tomorrow, so I'll know for sure soon enough.

Mainly it's the anxiety ... it used to be so bad that some mornings I'd be shaking just at the thought of going out the door to get the DCs to school.

It's now nowhere near as bad as this...I think it couldn't improve this drastically if I was getting further and further into the menopause. It's just not logical.

I'll keep you posted.

Doublemuvvetr sorry to hear that your OH is not supportive. We're alway here! xx

Iv'e been told i'm starting perimenopause, i'm almost 39 and having quite a few symptoms.

Does anyone know where Littlemissnutmeg has gone?

I've just tried to pm her and she's either left, or namechanged again!!

Come back Littlemissnutmeg!!

Apparently I'm out! Fhs normal 5.5!!!!!
Bit stressed as what is going on. However lupus and ms ruled out. Weak positive for rheumatoid factor so now exploring that.
Perhaps stress!
Sending you all a peaceful journey. X

Wow fidelma!

Hope the doctors can find the answers you're looking for soon.

Take care...come back and visit soon, or in fact, just stay and keep us company!

My boobs hurt. Every month for a few days I end up wincing in pain. I get more spots, my moods are horrendous and I'm creaky.

But oh, no, according to the GP I'm fine .

I can't go back to the GP yet though because they've just put me through for an ASD assessment. I need to get that finished before I start moaning about my hormones.

I am not going anywhere. I have almost all of the symptoms. I must be perimenopausal!