Early Menopause

[flippityflip]

I’m 38 was told a few years ago that it was possible I was in the early stages of perimenopause but not to worry as I could be in that for 10 years and was still v young, I have had numerous blood tests over the pst year and a half due to many symptoms, very heavy periods two weeks apart for some time, bloating, constant cramps, general feeling of being run down, each time I would ring up after and be told that the blood tests showed nothing abnormal. Had those redone about 2 months ago and again told on phone nothing abnormal, at this stage I have completey convinced myself I have some undetectable form of cancer or some other awful illness either that or I am a hopeless hypochondriac. Spoke to gp on the phone and happened to get a different gp from normal, and a female gp. The first thing she did was relook at blood test results when I said they came back normal. She said they’re not normal and my fsh levels show someone at advanced stage of menopause/perimenopause (not sure of difference or that I took this in) my fsh levels 6 weeks apart were 37 and then 100.

I am not planning any more kids so not sure why I have been thrown so much by this news but I have been, but also relieved that I’m not either going mad or dying. I have been referred to a menopause clinic but apparently there is quite a long waiting list so it may be a few months yet.
My symptoms include being a million degrees at night and randomly through the day.
Not sleeping
memory of a goldfish, accompanied by massive stress over the constant brain fog
Feeling of constant pms
Exacerbated depression
General feeling of being physically run down
Exhaustion
Very dry skin
Many months between periods

Looking at them all it seems so obvious now but as I kept being told they weren’t abnormal I couldn’t work it out. I also realise looking at the above list I look like a real bundle of fun!! Just wondering if anyone else going through/has gone through similar and did the clinic help?
I have felt like I have been just pushing through to the end of the day for over a year and really hope there is something that can be done, but don’t want to get my hopes up, is this just what life is like now?

It will get better! All of your symptoms can be caused by low oestrogen.
As you have got to this point so young it will be advisable to have HRT to protect your health for the future, if you are happy to have it. I would try to find how long the wait is for the menopause clinic as the GP may start it ahead of your appointment if it is going to be too long

@flippityflip Now you have a diagnosis, the treatment is fairly simple. All you need is HRT to replace your estrogen. I suggest you read up on early menopause - look at the website of Dr Louise Newson (it's called My Menopause Dr) and use the search box for early menopause OR look at resources/ info and there are some great fact sheets.

Your GP could treat you. It's not complicated.
The treatment is HRT . There are many types and it may take a little while to find one that you feel good on ( the rule is to try each one for 3 months.)

This is prescribed until you are at least 51 which is the average age of menopause in UK. The small risks of HRT do not apply to women your age because you are replacing what you ought to have to age 51.

Maybe your GP can step up and offer you HRT without waiting for the clinic? It's not a complicated issue if your GP knows a little about prescribing HRT.

Your other option if they can't is to find a private meno consultant if you don't want to wait.

You can also find info on The Daisy Network, a charity run by drs, on early meno.

Hiya I have just been told I have an fsh of 60.5 (this time last year it was 15) whilst our plan was always to adopt I still feel upset about "getting older" and keep reading scary stories online( which I am banning myself from doing except on this forum) I'm hoping its just shock but I'm feeling very down by it all....

Lizzy I get that, I don’t know why it upset me as doesn’t interfere with any children plans but I burst into tears when the doc told me.

Thankyou all so much for the advice, mumsnet as usual a font of knowledge!

@jinglinghellsbells Can I ask in taking HRT do I then have to go through this all again at the other end on stopping it? (I’m not sure I could take having to do it all again! I say that mid stupid insomnia and awful hot flushes!)

[quote flippityflip]@jinglinghellsbells Can I ask in taking HRT do I then have to go through this all again at the other end on stopping it? (I’m not sure I could take having to do it all again! I say that mid stupid insomnia and awful hot flushes!)[/quote]
No.

It's a myth that women 'go through the menopause again' after stopping HRT.

If your symptoms came back after stopping hrt, it shows you would have been having those symptoms anyway for all those years and still are.

Again, it's annoying that most media sites say flushes etc last for 2-5 years. Many women ( something like 1 in 4) have symptoms for 10-15 years and some for life. My consultant told me that some women never see the end of insomnia and flushes, (and they can use hrt for life is they want to.)

It might be worth reading some of the fact sheets on the website of Dr Louise Newson. There is probably everything here you ever need to know :)

www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/resources/booklets-fact-sheets

@JinglingHellsBells thankyou! I was a bit worried about that. The waiting list was v long so I managed to get an appointment in a private clinic, I’ve been put on femoston 2/10 and have been on it for the last couple of weeks. I feel some improvement over the last few days, mainly with the hot flushes but no real improvement yet with anything else. I have no idea what sort of dose this is and am a little concerned that the private clinic didn’t ask for bloods results from my gp or do their own tests but I have no real reason to question that, maybe they have standard dosages by the age you are?

Hi flip! I diagnosed with early meno at 42 and I am on Femoston 2/10 too. No problems and no symptoms. I also tried cyclacur and livial.

@CrystalTits

OP from similar experience I’d advise making sure your GP prescribes a dosage of HRT appropriate to the hormone levels expected at your age. These will be significantly higher at 38 than if you’d gone to your GP at 51, and this is one of the reasons why it’s good to get on the list for the meno clinic as you need clinical advice specific to premature ovarian failure. When I finally got to the meno clinic the consultant quadrupled the HRT dosage prescribed by my (clueless) GP!

Reading this and the replies from Emerald and the OP just above has got me worried.

I have been on HRT over a decade after being diagnosed with early menopause in my late 30s. Since hitting 51 the GP has suggested I come off it but I'm nervous about that as my life feels v stressful currently (elderly parents, work, pandemic restrictions making life less enjoyable). I came on here to find some evidence to support me staying on it when I request my next prescription in a few weeks.

But I'm now worried as I think I have only ever been on regular HRT and I never attended a menopause clinic. I started off on Premique 0.625 / 5mg and am now on Kliovance 1 / 0.5mg. Should I have been on something stronger due to my age (youth!)?

I didn't have any real menopause symptoms other than missing periods when diagnosed and the HRT I took didn't cause any side effects so never really researched this. But as part of the follow up into my early menopause I had a Dexa scan and was told I was osteopenic so am now concerned I may not have kept my bones strong if on the wrong HRT dose.

Should I ask the GP for another Dexa scan?

I was 43 when I had the menopause. Went to the Dr at 48 refused to give me hrt, tried again at 49 still refused
Started on evorel conti 50 privately
Never seen a specialist though.
What fsh levels should they be?

Hi there, I’m 52yrs old & not really sure if I’m pre menopausal. I’ve been taking setraline tablets for about 2yrs because I was very tearful all the time, they have helped with that. I’m still having periods tho, I can go weeks without 1 but when I do have them they are so heavy & painful. I’ve started having hot flushes as well. Also has anyone experienced a pain in the groin on both sides? I was hoping it was my ovaries shrivelling up so the periods would finally stop! I’m not sure what my next step should be? Any advice would be gratefully appreciated