breastfeeding - probably a tricky q!

[Clarella]

I posted in health earlier but I'm starting to wonder about perimenopause.

But I'm not sure!

I'm 39. Periods returned about 15 months ago. I wasn't very well at the time with thyroid issues and they caused merry hell with aches and pains and were very heavy.

It's a lot better now but still heavy. Settled to between 26-23 days (always used to be 24).

It's just that I've noticed I'm very washed out and actually weak, achey, for a week- 12 days after my period. Then, after ovulation, I seem to improve and feel quite well.

Extra info - I was ill again in November with a chest infection that never went and I found out I have mild asthma (no allergies though). So, I've only been improving there for the last 6 weeks. So that was quite physically stressful. So it could have knocked 'things'.

However - I'm still bf my 3 year old. Possibly not an easy question but if I go to GP to ask for a test, potentially could this a) mess the test up, b) be causing peri symptoms, and c) scupper any chance of another pregnancy?

I'm not sure what to do! I didn't want to stop bf.

Hi

It's occurred to me (no idea why not before) that it is periods causing drop in iron as I was tested after birth (50) and again 20 months later (54) but periods started not long after and it started dropping.

It literally felt like my bones were itchy and has been a bit again recently. I could sort of compare it to an itchy healing scab. GP said it can be linked to low ferritin (a symptom of restless leg syndrome which can be alleviated in some people if ferritin is nearer 80 or over he said / I found on the rls foundation website)

In the absence of any other explanation we tried it and it did work I think but obviously iron is back down to where it was.

I can only guess it's just what my body responds to.

Yes thyroid is fine, for a while it was a bit over which might have impacted negatively too.

I must say this week I'm not quite as washed out. I've been taking ferrous thingy 400 mg for a couple of weeks now.

Wow 8 years! Mind you having young ones drains you...!

It feels like restless leg syndrome, possibly, the thing I get. I am taking iron but my periods are so horrendous that I think I am losing more than I'm taking in. I've also been vegetarian most of my life so my diet isn't madly high in iron. That and the years and years of breastfeeding have probably done for my iron stores!