What is this - PMS, Peri, both - or am I just going mad?

[AnxiousMumofC]

I'm not really sure where to begin, but I'll try (I'm also sorry if it turns into a long post)

I'm under 45 and having lots of issues that are distressing me - I personally feel that had these been looked into 18/24 months ago, I wouldn't feel as desperate and hopeless as I do now. It's been affecting my - otherwise happy, albeit stressful due to a DC with additional needs - marriage.

I was sterilised at 28, and don't know if that's relevant anyway.

I do also have some mental health difficulties, which has been related to specific issues over the years.

Over the last few years, It started with very (with large clots) Heavy periods, which turned into 4/5 months of continuous bleeding. I was put on the pill and took this for around 12 months. It was having negative side affects and I came off it, with the Drs knowledge/support.

I went for an internal scan to check for fibroids etc and there wasn't an issue.

After a few months my periods changed - they went to 1 or 2 very heavy days, then brown discharge for the next 5ish days, and has been like this monthly, ever since. Also I'm no longer every 28 days, like I was previously - some months it's a few days either side

I've been having hot flushes (and obviously waking in the night with my covers quite damp)

I've gone very itchy down below, which then irritates the area round it

Headache - I've always had migraine type headaches, but am having them so regular that it would be easier to say when I don't have them

Pain - I have Fibromyalgia, but it's been a different pain - like it's from the inside (legs/neck/back/hands) of me - if that even makes sense

Mood swings - Includes anxiety, low moods. This has been awful for those who live here (I can't even tell you how angry/resentful/paranoid etc I am). It gets worse when I'm coming up to my period, but I very rarely get a 'normal me' day these days. Apparently I can change in less than a second.

I've lost the ability to have, or begin, a conversation, and someone else usually has to finish my sentences because I can't find the right words

Breast tenderness - this also seems like it's got more pronounced

It's taken me so long to write this post, that I can't think of anything else now.

I had an FSH blood test last year, and I've recently had my bloods done to check them again, as well as thyroid too. The blood form stated Mood swings & hot flushes

Oh, and I'm already on Ferrous Fumarate daily. Also, codeine & paracetamol for my Fibro too.

I'm due a telephone call with my GP early next week and so far they've only mentioned anti-depressants, but I know how addictive they are, as I'n on a mixture already.

If you got this far, Thank You!

I don't know if I had the same thing at your age but the symptoms are so similar. I was perimenopausal.

Have a read of all the stuff on the website of Dr Louise newson and also - a few threads down here- IN UPPER CASE- I mentioned a great Youtube video with a meno specialist. worth watching.
It does sound very much like peri meno and if so, NICE guidance is HRT(for low mood and physical symptoms) not ADs.

Thanks both for your replies.

I've bookmarked that website, so will get some reading done this weekend. I will also go through some threads and watch the video you mentioned.

I usually struggle to be insistent but will hopefully find it easier over the phone. There's no way I can go on more AD's, so hopefully my bloods will show a definitive reason.

My peri has made my PMS utterly evil.

I am over 60 now, and had my menopause when I was 55, I also have Fibro, with other health issues too. Most of your symptoms sound exactly the same as my peri-menopause, but the increase in other aches and pains could easily be your Fibro.
It can be very difficult to know when you have more than one condition which one certain symptoms are coming from, or if you are really unlucky you (I should say "one" really as I don't mean you specifically) may get something different added on (I am on at least 7 different conditions at the moment, but I usually forget at least one of them!) So it is important to have a wide spectrum blood test at the very least.
I am absolutely positive, through my own and other friends experiences who have Fibro, that stress makes the symptoms of Fibro much worse, so as the peri-menopause affects us badly both physically and mentally, and because of the strain of Covid, I can easily believe that if nothing new shows up on further tests, then apart from the peri, your Fibro is probably protesting, and of course Fibro as yet, does not show up in blood tests. The slightly good news with Fibro is that the symptoms can lessen again once your stress does.
Sorry for this being so long, oh and make sure that your thyroid levels are included in your blood test. Good Luck OP, you have my every sympathy

Sorry OP, reading through your post again I notice that you have had a thyroid test, but it doesn't seem as if you were specifically given the results for that? If you can, please ask the doctor what the results were for each of the conditions he checked you for. In fact it might be a good idea for you to email him a few days before your appointment, letting him know that you would like those details. If he could send them to you before your phone appointment (maybe leave a note at reception for you if you can get to the surgery easily), it could help make you aware of what questions and expectations you have for the phone call. Please remember to have a pen and paper ready to take notes during the call, or better still, record the phone call xx

Hi @AnxiousMumofC thanks for writing your post. I am experiencing similar and also at a loss at what to do. I don’t have your health issues, although am hypothyroid, I have regular periods still, but have started getting migraines (I’m 44) but the main problem is my mood. Definitely worse around PM time, I get so angry, incredibly short temper, I want to throw and break things I get into such an internal rage. My husband is generally unsupportive (I think he just doesn’t know how to handle it) and I go off on him all the time, although at the time, I feel completely justified and think he is being completely unreasonable. I can see later, it was me. He accused me of going mad yesterday. I feel low and useless, like I’m not of any real benefit to anyone. I’ve never had depression or similar. I just have no idea what to do and where do you even begin?

@eaudenil I feel for you! A lot of this is me too - for about a week every month I transform. It's like a Bruce Banner/Incredible Hulk situation. I turn into a completely different and quite awful person to the point that one of my dogs stops eating for a week every month because she's scared of me :(. I don't just want to throw and break things, I do throw and break them (just to clarify, I have never physically hurt my children or dogs) and I have even shouted at strangers in the street.

I know this is to do with peri but because my periods are perfectly regular by date my GP is not interested - they are completely different and sometimes very weird every month but are on a 28 day cycle exactly, so no help there. I have asked my GP to put me on the pill but she says at my age (45) it would be too risky.

I have tried Evening Primrose, I've tried Agnus Castus, I've even tried Valium but nothing helps.

It is PMS, it is peri and I am indeed going quite, quite mad but apparently we all just have to put up with this. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

@SharpLily I'm the same. You have my sympathy.
I'm 47 regular very heavy periods, horrible rage low mood pmt. I've started having flashes of heat, not sweats and after a particularly awful outburst in my car in front of my young kids I decided to make an appointment with a meno Dr. My appointment is later today. I'm hoping it will be the start of getting a grip on the peri which is making me feel like life's not worth living some days.

I know this is to do with peri but because my periods are perfectly regular by date my GP is not interested - they are completely different and sometimes very weird every month but are on a 28 day cycle exactly, so no help there. I have asked my GP to put me on the pill but she says at my age (45) it would be too risky

That's interesting as I recently asked for the coil and they refused. So I'm on HRT which isn't helping my symptoms. I have alot of the ones OP lists. I'm 48 and it's all getting worse again. I want to come off the HRT but don't know if I can just stop.