Perimenopause PMT

[Jenki1999]

Im 48 and my periods have become every 5 weeks instead of 3-4. This would be ok but Im left with two weeks of horrendous pmt.
I can cope with the physical symptoms, tender boobs, painful joints and bloating etc but my anxiety is literally off the charts.
Ive been inside my house all weekend just gone crying and have anxiety attacks all day. Ive seen no friends which is totally not me. I have zero sex drive pretty much all the time. Im really quick to hate myself for not coping.
In contrast my 51 year old sister has increased sex drive, lighter periods and less pmt. its not fair!
My periods are crazy heavy too.
Has anyone found anything natural that could help with the depression and anxiety in the weeks prior to a bleed?
Ive always had pmt for a few days before I come on which was bearable but Im struggling to cope with the length of this. 😱

PS Dr has given me cerazette to try but reading up on this it seems it can cause depression and anxiety so they are still unopened.
I did use them years ago for a few months but spotted a lot so changed.
Anyone tried it for perimenopause?

I'm 42, I've always had bad pmt, but its definitely got worse in the last couple of years. I do sometimes get depressed/tearful but for me, it's mostly homicidal rage. It starts 10 days before my period and I really have to try and tell myself, 'It's pmt, you don't really want to quit your job/leave your family.' I take evening primrose oil, agnus castus and a B vitamin. It helps with the other symptoms and takes the edge off the rage, although I seem to get a bad one every few months.

I agree it's worse with age, and I have a couple of days where the world seems very bleak, and I have learnt to avoid making big decisions then. It's difficult to tell if anger is just a reasonable reaction to life though... Anxiety is also quite a reasonable reaction to the way the world us just now - but I think PMT intensifies those emotions, rather than entirely creating them.

I haven't done anything about it, other than be aware of the date and think, let's revisit this in a couple of days. So that's not helpful...

Anxiety or increased anxiety is a very common symptom of peri. I had it, majorly, and HRT is a lifesaver. Made all of my symptoms disappear.

i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113666670/perimenopause-lead-up-to-menopause-very-uncomfortable-and-poorly-understood

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/health/menopause-antidepressants-symptoms-worse-hrt-shortage-a9148951.html%3famp

I was absolutely knocked sideways by this. Almost suicidal. Tried about 5 different herbs for months and they did nothing (might work for other people). I went on the pill (Qliara) and that’s almost completely fixed it.

I’ll probably move to hrt in a few years. I’m not a big fan of taking hormones in theory, but this was absolute necessity.

Hope you get it sorted OP

Mines become unbearable at age of almost 46, I rang the GP this morning as I have had hideous rage, suicidal feelings and physical symptoms this month and they were extremely sympathetic and are seeing me Thursday to take bloods and do a examination with a view to putting me on hrt possibly. See the doctor, there are things that can be done. I've been using supplements exercising etc eating well but I feel this has got the better of me and I was pleasantly surprised by my gps reaction.

Its hideous isn’t it! I was actually glad not to be in a relationship when it was at its worst, as I honestly couldn’t see a relationship surviving it.

No idea why some people get a more extreme version than others, but always glad when GPs are supportive. My dm has suffered for decades (no exaggeration, 45 to 70 it still hasn't settled) but won’t take hrt, I secretly wish she would for all concerned

Thanks everyone- some good ideas there. I didn’t realise you could take hrt while still getting periods?
I think I would prefer natural remedies but this is getting severe and I definitely won’t rule it out. X

My GP said I was too old for combi pill and would only prescribe mini pill so have cerazette to try if I want tho

Hi jenki i'm 48 too and losing the plot (along with thinning hair)

I am limping from one symptom to another and have an appointment in November.

I don't want hrt but wonder whether I need it to save myself and my poor family ☹️

Not helped by teenager doing gcses and demanding parents

Sorry you are struggling too. Yes, I have teenagers also, eldest in GCSE years. At least they are boys and we aren’t pmt’ing at the same time 😱
I came on this morning (flooding) so mood should improve now but blimey this has been a long month.
Even our dog was avoiding me. Like you, I would rather avoid hrt.
I’m going to try oestrogen mimicking plant foods (soya and the like) to see if this helps.
Someone mentioned evening primrose oil too so I’ll give that a go.
Yes to the thinning hair. My mum had the same at menopause and has used hairspray ever since to style it to keep the slightly bald patches from showing.
So much to look forward to. 😆😬

I'm 44 and am going through this. I recently cut out alcohol entirely for a month (now having an occasional tipple but massively reduced how often I drink) and do two runs a week. My black dog days have gone now, thank goodness.

No idea if my approach will last as I progress mind you but so far so good.
Meanwhile, I did look at the Holland and Barrett website and there are a surprising range of things which could help, so not just evening primrose oil, if I get a recurrence I'll be heading there to research choices.

GP is testing me for anaemia also as she says heavier periods may lead to this and the symptoms could be similar. Also if any of you ladies have fibroids they could be causing this also, I have one discovered during my last pregnancy 4 yrs ago... I'm dealing with peri menopause and a pandemic and full time care of lively 3 year old twins... Unsustainable. I hope it's anaemia as that may be easier to deal with. Solidarity ladies, it's hell.

Try significantly cutting down on carbs and eliminating sugar for one month. Take a good multivitamin, extra vitamin D, pottasium and magnesium. Have the occasional soak in Epsom salts (magnesium absorbed through the skin).
See how you feel at the end of the month and please come back and tell us. So many women don't realise the effect sugar and carbs have on PMT and hormones. Everything your body got away with when younger seems to have an impact at this point.

I never had the anxiety, but I had the rage. My GP denied me HRT for a long time, but I've recently started it.

How r u getting on with it Obiomov20?

I am totally getting the perimenopausal sadness and anxiety. Getting earlier and earlier each month and lasting longer. Dr prescribed Yasmin but now worried as read it can increase blood pressure and I have history of episodes of high blood pressure. Wanted to be prescribed Qlaira but she wouldn't put me on it.

Thank goodness I've found this! I've been experiencing the worst anxiety every month 2 or 3 days before period for a week. I'm 42 and my periods are becoming irregular-3 4 or 5 weeks. Any suggestions? I'm already in SSRIs

Qlaira saved me. BettyWahair if you can, try another GP.

When I read through my journal from before I started taking it my mood was absolutely all over the place and I felt chaotic and lost a lot of the time

Im 49, I was suffering really badly with peri/PMT symptoms despite having a Mirena fitted in 2016. Im quite fortunate as when Id explained to my GP about low mood, panic attacks, anxiety etc and stuff like evening primrose having zero effect, she prescribed HRT when I asked. The difference has been amazing, like night and day. Instantly.

Although I do admit that this week Ive noticed that my mood had dipped significantly but I think that's down to the clocks changing and relentlessly shitty weather.

@ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes could you please tell me more about Qlaira? I'm wondering if it might be the solution to my terrible pms, low mood, heavy periods etc but I can't find much info about it.

Are you perimenopausal WhereAreWeNow ? That’s the reason I’m taking it, and within a couple of weeks my hot flushes stopped and my mood steadied. Sooner in fact, for my mood.

I’m sorry I don’t know what effect it would have on heavy periods, mine are quite light.

My gp told me it’s the most similar to our natural hormones, and also relatively expensive so they don’t like to prescribe it if there’s another choice. “Luckily” for me, I had a shocking reaction to a cheaper one years ago.

Microgynon was the one I’m thinking of

Thanks @ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes. I think so. Lots of symptoms (irritability, rage, forgetfulness, brain fog, aching joints, tearfulness, terrible insomnia) in the 2 weeks before my period. But no hot flushes and periods are still regular. So who knows?!