What are your peri menopausal symptoms?

[Wavyheaded]

I'm 47 and it feels like this year it has really kicked in. Had five and a half periods already since Jan and really bad pmt each time. Spotting, migraines (tho I've always had those), shakes, diahorrea, tight feeling in my neck, it's awful. Anyone else good through similar?

ParkingIInPlainSight.. thanks for your msg. I have just read on another thread about the hormones in hrt being lower than in contraceptives so maybe worth a try. Sounds like you had no choice but to take it.

@BlueJag..thanks for the info. That's useful to know you can have hrt. Sorry to hear your mum had bc too. My mum was 60 when she got it and when they gave her tamoxifen she literally lost all control of her emotions. It was terrifying. They immediately took her off it. I wasn't sure what tamoxifen was at the time but they were obv just trying different drugs to see if they worked on the cancer. The chemo finished her off anyway, god rest her soul

@dilly123 I switched to Ultrabland from Lush. I was very sceptical but have now used it for three years and can't be parted from it - even though I hate the way it smells.

At first use nothing but Ultrabland for a good two weeks. That way your skin gets a break. You'll need a warm wet flannel to get it off (it's very thick), I find flannels softer than muslin cloths.

I honestly can't tell you how bad my skin was when I used cleanse and polish. The spots were like lumpy boils on my cheeks.

Hope it works for you.

I haven’t had a period for nearly a year now but am v confused about whether I’m peri or just straight menopausal I have the odd hot flush (exacerbated by alcohol), achey joints and weirdly itchy skin. This is the worst bit for me - one patch on my back that no amount of scratching relieves and top of inner thighs and (TMI) labia. Oh and literally no libido

@AvonCallingBarksdale.. you have the same symptoms as me but I'm still getting regular periods. Weirdly I seem to get shocking low mood and anxiety mid month and then very high mood just before and during the period. It's bang on time this month and really painful. I have hardly any libido any more and DH hates it!

So to recap spearmint tea for the hairs on my chinny chin chin - who knew.
Plus a Lush facial wash for my teenage ache (very annoying as I didn't have it the first time round just the occasional period spot which I obviously covered with tango orange concealer oh the '80s different times).
I'll wait for the other joys to come!
Though as I have a merina coil fitted hoping I'm double bluffing myself and will go through the menopause and not notice - sure.

@dilly123 I got acne too - on my face and upper arms. Menopausal acne is supposed to be like hard cysts but mine has been just spot-like that erupt overnight in waves and hang around for ages. Had about 10 on the go in the last wave - never had them as a teenager!

I used my Liz Earle polish stuff too, but only after the spots started - it certainly didn’t help. I try to keep everything simple- light facial wash and a little moisturiser. I’m sure indoor heating over winter hasn’t helped.

The thing that has helped is Mario Badescu drying lotion. Costs about £16, a little pot which lasts ages containing salicylic acid to dry the spots and calamine to soothe and reduce redness. You just dip and dab at night time with a cotton bud. Really helped me. Actually I’ve just been abroad for a short break and they’ve all disappeared. Next week, who knows 🤷‍♀️.

Re hair loss - I have used Revita DS which I found helped - after about 1 month I think absolutely no hair in the plug hole.

@Moneypennygb as my GP told me after fitting my Mirena, the thing with meno is that I’d never know where I am with it. So basically I just blame any a holiday or pain on it - not that I’ve had many of the standard symptoms.

@over50andfab

Thank you.. very helpful.. have laid off of cleanse & polish for over a week but new spots still coming will maybe try the other recommendations next... have a friend who sells tropic so might speak to her.

Hoping to speak to GP tomorrow as I finally have a day off if I can get an appointment

@dilly123 hopefully you can find something that will help, though I do think less is more IYSWIM. I think the drying atmosphere of heating was drying my skin and I wS cleansing it and drying it even more, which actually caused more spots/issues.

@Moneypennygb,,, sorry, crap typing...I meant “any aches and pains” ...though holiday sounds good 😀

I have a sneaky feeling I’m peri meno. Cycle is now 3 weeks instead of 4, backache, headache, grumpy, tired like you wouldn’t believe & hot flushes that last for an hour....? Bright red neck & face (attractive!). I look like a tomato. No hair loss (yet) but generally feeling fuzzy. Have to say I’m not liking it much! x

As PP mentioned, itchiness. I had no idea my labia could be so itchy (and it appears to be a common problem amongst my similarly aged friends).

Also spots (which are like boils), although I've been using a Vit C serum with hyaluronic acid under my night face cream which has helped, mood swings, fluctuating libido, chin hairs (plus an excess of peach fuzz hair on my face), hair loss (I have to scoop the plughole out every time I wash my hair), general aches and pains (I've just started 5km park runs but my hips hurt like mad).

Just when I think my periods have stopped, they return to my previous 24 day cycle.

Can't sleep more than a couple of hours at a time (although will fall back asleep eventually), get massively tired, overheat at night but feel the cold more during the day.... Jeeeeez, the list is endless

I'm 52 BTW.

have ordered spearmint tea... I'm not sure I'm actually perimenopausal yet but I feel as though my PMT symptoms have got a lot worse recently and I do also have the spottiness that so many folk are talking about (and also seem to be heading towards combination skin having had dry skin all my life).

I turned 48 a couple of weeks ago and have suspected for a few months I could be peri-menopausal. I had heart palpitations for a few weeks but thankfully that has stopped for now, my periods have gone from 4 to 3 week cycles but are much shorter and lighter (yay!), I'm more shattered than usual, my brain is fuzzy, and I am getting pretty bad anxiety and grumpiness. I also think I've got uglier!!

My last two months have been a week shorter & I've felt drained - I also have freezing cold hands & look like a ghost! Im a pale person but this is ridiculous! I'm not wishing my life away but I'd quite like to get this over and done with.... 🙄