Perimenopause symptoms please list!

[mandmsmummy]

Hi
I've posted on here about possibly being perimenopausall. Could you list what your very early symptoms were please?
X

[ArsenicyOldFace]

Does anyone else feel like there isn't enough information out there about the menopause?

Yes!!!

I've just nodded my head halfway off my shoulders.

It is not something I'd thought about much at all before this week and when I did a mental audit of my general knowledge on the subject I couldn't come up with much more than 'hot flushes, cessation of periods'.

No wonder I hadn't considered the (very real) possibility! I had no idea what symptoms to look for, even with a maternal family history of premature menopause. I'm a bit baffled how this can be so.

[DayLillie]

Does anyone else feel like there isn't enough information out there about the menopause?

Yes Yes yes - this is so true

I have found the menopause matters site the most useful for information, but even then it is not enough.

I came off the pill a couple of years ago and thought that menopause was where your periods stopped. I thought I would have periods for a while that would grow apart and then I could stop using the dreaded condoms, and all would be rosy Since my grandmothers were 50 & 51, it would soon be over. I had also heard of vaginal atrophy and thought that happened later if you were unlucky.

I am now realising that it is a rather untidy business, with years of dysfunctional cycles where you do not ovulate and even if you have no period, it carries on, and there is no way just 5 years of hrt will cover this.

As for the vaginal symptoms - they start early

There is so much you need to know.

[MyLittleFinger]

I've loads of symptoms the worst is insomnia. Last night I had no sleep at all just laid there getting bored. Today I have a headache and feel generally rubbish.
Energy levels are low even gardening has become a huge effort.

[SeagullsAreLikeThat]

I'm on my phone so can't link but my realisation came about when I read a list of 35 symptoms of the perimenopause and realised I had about 20 of them. Google "35 symptoms of the perimenopause" and it should come up. Although I knew the well known ones - hot flushes, mood swings etc - I was amazed when I read that list and found the electric shock sensation in there. I had been trying to explain that to people for months and no one understood at all so to find that I wasn't imagining it was so reassuring.

[ArsenicyOldFace]

I found this link Seagulls;

project-aware.org/Experience/symptoms.shtml

[SeagullsAreLikeThat]

Yes! That's the one. Some really unexpected ones in there like an increase in allergies.

[MirandaGoshawk]

Something about the itchy skin: I started to get itchy feet in bed some nights, sometimes so bad that I couldn't sleep. Drove me nuts.

Then I read a newspaper column about someone who had the same problem, realised it was always a Sunday night. Why should this be? Could only be diet. She always had toasted cheese on a Sunday night. cut out the cheese - no improvement. Cut out the bread - bingo! Problem solved. She worked out that she can have 'artisan' bread but not yer Mothers Pride white sliced. I've cut out bread from midday onwards & haven't had the itchy feet since.

I'm 55.

Irregular periods & feel hot in bed but it's not unpleasant yet
Many of the other symptoms noted here I hadn't related to the menopause/peri. I've been forgetting words since I was pg! Also getting up in the night, can become a habit. Now if I wake up wanting the loo and don't get up, I fall back asleep eventually. But then, I only drink water after 7pm - I'm sure it was drinking tea late that got me up in the night.

But maybe the pm was the reason why I lost it & screamed blue murder at the bloke who nicked my parking space

[mandmsmummy]

Gosh I had most of those symptoms!
Fun being a woman ain't it!

[ArsenicyOldFace]

No mandms it isn't.

[ArsenicyOldFace]

Well maybe not entirely

But I have 27!!!

I'm going to be beside myself now until I can get the tests.

[hellymelly]

I have lots of these too (am 50, but had blood tests recently and my FSH was only 10, so am peri-meno rather than full on meno). Some of my symptoms, anxiety, doom feelings, faint feelings) were worse when I was still breastfeeding, I was still bf until nearly 49). I am also an ectomorph run to fat so I do hope that doesn't mean it is all horrendous. I am also hypothryoid so it can be hard to work out what is causing what, but so many of the posts are familiar feelings to me that I think the bulk of it must be due to peri-meno.
mainly I have-tiredness, Brain fog, a detatched feeling, nausea, patches of anxiety, impending heart attack feeling, inability at times to string a sentence together (I muddle words up), increasing waist line, thinner hair, vivid dreams but sleep feels patchy. Periods are more erratic although roughly regular, however I have had patches of bleeding for weeks and weeks on end over the last 18m. Lots of aches and pains, migraines.
So I'm now assuming this all gets worse and can go on for years? Blardy hell.

[mandmsmummy]

I was only joking, I've only been like it for a few months and I've had enough already!

The insomnia...I woke at 5am this morning and I'm sitting here avoiding bed because I'm not tired! I had a five minute snooze earlier but normally being up at 5 would knock me out early doors! Now I feel like going out!

X

[ArsenicyOldFace]

go on for years? Blardy hell.

Blardy hell indeed.

So are you having stomach problems too OP? I was convinced I was pregnant last month b/c of the nausea.

[Jellified]

Ok so for me no period for almost 18 months then normal periods for the last 2. No other symptoms really except a bit of weight gain however had a recent break from running and think this is more likely to be responsible. Hair may be a bit drier.
Prior to the prolonged gap my cycle had got very short with periods every 20 days.
Any way am 47 and was thinking of asking gp for a test or self testing with a kit from boots.

[meglet]

I got 22 out of that list, and have had them for a couple of years since around 38yrs old. I couldn't answer the one about periods, libido or dry vagina though seeing as I'm a LP with a hysterectomy .

I find the muddling words up quite upsetting TBH, I've lost my confidence in speaking and want to retreat into myself.

[thornrose]

I got loads on that list! I also get this weird sort of 'out of body' experience. I feel this heightened awareness and buzzy feeling, then a kind of disassociation almost like I'm looking at myself! Oh god, that makes me sound quite unwell.

[mandmsmummy]

arsen yes nausea a lot, gassy, etc.
Feel pretty much crapola all the time! X

[FantaSea]

I also have loads of symptoms on that list. It is so reassuring to talk to other ladies who have the same problems.

My body is in decline whereas my 18yo DD is just blooming with gorgeousness. Nature is cruel in that way.

[MrsPiglet45]

I can relate to much of this! I'm 44 and the most noticeable symptoms for me have been hot flushes, total loss of libido (and vaginal dryness, which doesn't help matters), and erratic periods - more spaced out than before.
I went to see my GP about 5 years ago with most of these symptoms and had a blood test which revealed I had hypothyroidism, so you might ask to be checked out for that - I think the two can look similar. Anyway, now I'm about to start HRT, and look forward to some of these symptoms going away. I hadn't even thought I was sleeping badly, but now I think about it, I'm hoping that will improve too.

[fidelma]

mandmsmummy I experienced everything you said.
How are you coping, what are you doing?

[MirandaGoshawk]

But these symptoms can be treated. For example, I had what felt like a non-stop period, or rather spotting for days on end & pmt. I saw a terrific lady doctor who prescribed aspirin to bring on the period and I only took it for a couple of days, the period came and then was normal cycle for a couple of years. As I said, I'm 55 and still having periods!

[mandmsmummy]

fidelma I'm not really! it's early days for me so the gp won't do anything until I've been like it a while. How about you? Xx

[fidelma]

mansmsmummy
I've had the coil fitted which has helped quite ALOT of the symptoms. It is early days as I've only had it for about 4 months.
I am taking a multi vitamin, magnesium seems to help quite a bit, turmeric for joint aches, u look after myself, exercise really helps,I don't drink and try and keep my sugar down (u do like a bit of sugar) I don't get over tierd.
I am seeing the Dr on Friday to discuss adding some estrogen, I am still undecided as u am coping at the moment however if can change in a flash. I hope this helps.

[fidelma]

Oops I mean "I" not "u" texting on my phone.