Does this sound like menopause?

[LarkDescending]

New to the board - after feeling wretched all summer I am wondering whether menopause is contributing to my ailments (I am also awaiting results of a recent MRI for abdo/bowel pain & problems).

I am 51. Had a subtotal hysterectomy at 45 - ovaries intact but obviously no periods since the surgery.

Leaving aside the abdo stuff (of which I have separate history), I have:

Crushing fatigue - muscles ache if I so much as climb the stairs or unload the supermarket shop. Pretty much any physical task feels like hard work. A couple of years ago I was very fit, playing league tennis 3x/week.

Bladder frequency/urgency/up 3-4x per night.

Insomnia & unsatisfying sleep - I don’t wake up refreshed.

Too hot all the time, top to toe 24/7, but no fever. I sweat lots day and night but not in a “drenching” way.

Generally out of sorts & feeling very antisocial. Struggling to cope with domestic and work responsibilities, let alone doing anything social.

Very low to absent appetite. Intermittent nausea.

I don’t have:

Sudden intense hot flushes which then pass.
Brain fog.
Vaginal dryness.

Is some or all of this consistent with a menopausal profile? I am trying to do everything right (nourishing food, no alcohol, early nights) but am not anything like myself.

Sorry, this got long. Any thoughts very welcome.

I think so as I'm in the same situation (I'm 45)but have brain fog but no hot flushes. Also have sore boobs from time to time and stomach ache that you get before a period. (Due to depo jab I don't have periods) Feel a bit clueless about how to proceed. I'm taking menopace, magnesium, evening primrose and star flower oil. Not sure if any of these are doing much. Would be interested to know what others think. Really glad you posted as sometimes I think I'm going mad.

Interesting as I had a docs appointment this week for some of the same reasons. I'm late 40s, had a hysterectomy 14 years ago - left with one ovary.

I'm getting the too hot thing constantly but not drenching sweats.

Sleep is terrible and I have difficulty finding words for things.

Up at least once in the night for a wee.

No vaginal dryness or 'proper' hot flushes.

I'm back next week for a blood test. Menopause was mentioned but she though I was a bit young for it.

Oh, and I have no appetite and have lost a stone recently - over about 3 or 4 months.

Almost certainly - see your GP re HRT

OP I have had most of those systems, apart from feeling hot, but have also had brain fog. Have been on HRT for 2 years now

Thanks so much everyone. Will be looking into HRT asap as this is a rubbish way to live. Interesting that Eau also has lack of appetite/weight loss. I used to be a keen cook and wine buff but now couldn’t care less about food or drink!

Just be warned OP there is a shortage of some HRT at the moment

Please see a GP to get checked out. Women tend to shrug everything off as the menopause when they hit a certain age. If you were twenty years younger you would be looking for answers.

That sort of crushing fatigue, particularly on exertion, can be indicative of anaemia. I'm permanently borderline anaemic (always have been, since teens) and I know when I've gone too low because everything is such hard work. I've been severely anaemic after blood loss and every part of me just felt too heavy.

Yes anaemia is an interesting possibility (I am really eating very little - just can’t face food in any quantity).

As justasking says it’s important not to assume symptoms at this age are menopause-related and indeed I have had an abdo MRI, the results of which have unfortunately got lost in the hospital’s brand new electronic records system. They are looking for a possible recurrence of diverticulitis (for which I have previously had major surgery) but my thinking is that if there is any menopausal stuff mixed in then I might get at least some relief from HRT.

Re the HRT shortage - I think I might be OK if I ask for oestrogen gel? I had a quick look and that seems to be available. I wouldn’t need combined therapy, having had a hysterectomy.

I went for acupuncture. Sorted me right out. Made me feel so much better that I go regularly now. Totally worth it and no chemicals being put into my body. I’d be reluctant to get those in light if recent discoveries about links to cancer. Also the acupuncturist fixes my IBS flare ups too as it really hurts.

Doesn't seem to be any supply issues with Estrodot estrogen patch and stays on well.

psnc.org.uk/our-news/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt-supply-issues/

@Elieza how does one go about finding a good accupuncturist? If you are in London, could you mention the name of yours please?

@DianaT1969

I went on the website for the British acupuncture council to select one in my area. I’m in Scotland so mine won’t be of use to you in London unfortunately.
Mine has been operating for many years and is also a trained counsellor so that was one of the things that attracted me to her for acupuncture. I felt she could help me navigate through all my issues and her asking the right questions let her get info out of me to build a picture of what all is going on. What I tell her and the full picture may otherwise be two different things, as I forget things like symptoms unless she probes, and obv the full picture helps her give a good treatment. I go monthly. It keeps me in check for various things. I used to go weekly then fortnightly at my worst, before I improved and tried quarterly and now have settled in monthly being the right frequency for my body. And my wallet. It doesn’t hurt except the odd one, they are thin needles. It’s not like getting a jab at the GP. Up here it’s from £40 per session. Mine is £50. In London it will likely be way more I imagine! I just feel that it’s worth it to be balanced and not having to take meds in my case for issues that she can treat. I take a multi vitamin for women over 50 and had my bloods checked at the GP to see if there were any other issues incidentally. All good. Before I settled in my acupuncturist I tried a local Chinese acupuncturist with a large practice who also used herbs. My acupuncturist is way better. So acupuncturists must be like anything else joiners, hairdressers, doctors etc - you get good ones and bad ones! Word of mouth would be my preferred method of choosing one from the list in the professional body’s website but I didn’t know anyone who’d had acupuncture then! Good luck and apologies to those not interested, just trying to help

Thanks so much everyone. I will be following up on HRT but have been feeling increasingly ill - pretty sure that menopause is not the only thing going on with me, so I need to press for answers on other stuff too.

In case anyone isn't bored of me yet - I now have a serum FSH result of 117 iu/L.

I know FSH testing isn't standard, but as I no longer have a uterus/periods my GP wanted to assess my menopausal status.

I am seeing my gynae next week for a check-up and will discuss things with him & see my GP again once we have the consultant's input, but am trying to understand things for myself.

At 117 iu/L I think I can reasonably conclude that I have reached menopause (some time ago??). Am I right to think I would not normally be starting menopause symptoms now, so my feeling ill is likely to be about something else? NHS online tells me symptoms tend to carry on for 4-5 years after the last period, but because surgery intervened I don't have a (meaningful) last period date to go on.

Would there be any benefit in a person starting HRT at this stage - maybe to help with the insomnia/fatigue and to protect bone health/cardiovascular health, even if I have to keep looking for what else is ailing me?

I have looked online and am struggling to find good information. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.