Perimenopause help needed understanding symptoms

[GentlemanJackie]

I’m early 40s and since I was 40 I’ve had a variety of issues that I now think are all linked to perimenopause.

The first was acne which was diagnosed as papulopustular rosacea.

The second was breathlessness and palpitations. Breathlessness was diagnosed as asthma.

I’ve been catching every cold and infection going round for the entire winter for a few years now except during lockdowns. General low immunity although I did catch covid as soon as it came to the UK and shook it off pretty quick with no lasting problems.

Mood swings. As one of life’s most placid, easy going, flexible, amenable people it has been a great shock to me and my family that I now suffer from uncontrollable rage. This comes along with depression, frustration and irritability. Often with things not people but sometimes with people. The rage typically comes in the middle of my cycle when I ought to be ovulating (but don’t think I am)

Insomnia. I originally thought this was caffeine related but whole nights awake feeling like I’m plugged into the mains have become a feature. Magnesium may have helped with making it less frequent.

Lighter periods and shorter cycles.

Exhaustion

I’ve been to the GP a few times and had a blood test but never really linked any of this up and it’s becoming apparent that all of the above could be perimenopause related. My questions are: why does the rage happen mid cycle? Is this a particular hormonal event? Do we know what causes insomnia? I read the term ‘fluctuating hormones’ a lot but what is fluctuating and how?

Lots of other questions but DD needs me…

Mid cycle the rise and fall in oestrogen and progesterone can cause mood fluctuations.

Insomnia is possibly progesterone iirc, I've got Lara Briden's book and the taurine and magnesium she suggests is for that I think. I believe that what actually happens is oestrogen fluctuates wildly rather than slowly dwindles and progesterone drops in the earlier stages. I've personally found that brilliant for sleep. But I don't think I'm that far along.

But it's actually really hard to get a good idea through blood tests as the cycles are unpredictable and can fluctuate.

There can be other insomnia causes too though, I think very low iron can cause issues too. So worth a general health check first.

larabriden.com/rescue-prescription-menopause-perimenopause-feel-better-fast/

She's NZ I think so I don't know if the progesterone and oestrogens she suggests are the right ones; body identical is what's used here.

This explains the crazy ups and downs

larabriden.com/what-estrogen-does-perimenopause-how-progesterone-can-help/

It sounds like perimenopause to me - the periods and the insomnia alone flag that up. I know someone in her mid forties who did get HRT with symptoms like this with no need for a blood test - she did the questionnaire on Louise Newsome's page and took that to a private doctor who was recommended.

I have had the opposite experience despite being older. My blood tests are normal, so my dr decided that my insomnia couldn't possibly be perimenopause .

I'd ask the Gp to try a trial of hrt tbh.

You could spend time trying more supplements such as b6 but it would be better to try ASAP.

I'm only trying supplements as I'm still bf a tiny bit and I actually think fluctuating thyroid has been half of my symptoms as it impacts cycle. Have struggled to get levels right after ds2.

Thanks @WarriorN and @HelenHywater. I’ve had iron checked so it’s not that despite the fact I don’t eat meat. I’ve been taking magnesium but I didn’t know about taurine. That’s interesting as I had a lot of problems digesting protein and tend to avoid it. I clearly need to get another GP appt and see what they offer. Not currently desperate or well off enough to go private but I will keep that in mind as an option.

I don’t think the blood test I had was for hormone levels actually come to think of it. Just the usual stuff like iron and vit D etc

The crazy up and down diagram is good thanks for the Laura Briden link. Does HRT just kind of even out the hormones even if they’re still fluctuating wildly underneath? If your estrogen is really high one day and you take HRT estrogen too isn’t that going to make it worse?

I’d love to find a solution that would act as a contraceptive too but I’ve been hesitant about the pill because I get aura migraines (that’s another symptom I forgot to add above) and family history of breast cancer. I looked at the mini pill but the likely side effects are all things I already have so I wasn’t keen. Bad history with coils too. Argh. If I could kill both birds with one stone though that would be great. I guess I’d just have to try something and see

I don't know the answer to that! I wonder if your own body calms down crazy output?

You can have progesterone on its own but must have both of have oestrogen too.

I believe testing hormones is a bit pointless.

I get frustrated with trying to work out answers to things, I feel like have had to do an awful lot if research to understand basics.

Dr Newson's website and menopause matters are great. The menopause matters fb group is really good too. I was sign posted there from here. They can answer a lot of the questions you have actually and give tips for how to manage.

@WarriorN the rescue page suggests magnesium + taurine + progesterone. I can buy the first two but presumably I can’t get natural progesterone without a prescription?

More questions: if you’re on HRT from perimenopause do you keep having periods after what would have been your menopause? If so how do you know when your fertility is over and you don’t need to worry about contraception?

Yes need a prescription for progesterone. I've seen the mag taurine combo for peri elsewhere though, without progesterone. Often with some b6. A b vit complex like berocca usually has the right amount of b6; I don't think you're supposed to have too much. That also has zinc and a little magnesium too.

I've found taurine v helpful for sleep. If you Google taurine for sleep there's loads of websites suggesting it. It's used in medicine for epilepsy and a few other things. They add it to energy drinks to counter act the caffeine and also body builders use it for muscle recovery (apparently!) I seem to take it for a while and then don't need it as my body is back in the swing of it.

I googled the hell out of it before starting! As it wasn't something I'd heard of before.

www.katepowe.com/taurine-the-lbd-of-womens-health/

But might be best to skip all that and head right to the Gp tbh for proper hrt.

@GentlemanJackie

More questions: if you’re on HRT from perimenopause do you keep having periods after what would have been your menopause? If so how do you know when your fertility is over and you don’t need to worry about contraception?

No idea!

It seems to be v hard to get info on peri.

Unsurprisingly given how badly women's health is often managed.

Well I’ll take all these questions to the GP and see what happens! It’s been helpful to write them down thanks for the chat. I’ll update if I learn more.

I’ve come on here to ask about similar questions. Perimenopause is no fun. Will look at taurine and magnesium. Dh is worried I’ll never want sex again and from browsing this board I think he might be right.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but can I ask how you've been getting on since posting this? I'm experiencing all your symptoms and get aura migraine so wary of what might set that off...