Perimenopausal?

[KittyVonCatsworth]

Posted initially in AIBU because I didn't realise this board existed This.

This is shit. I am bleeding every 10 days or so, on between I'm having the boob pain, bloated, niggly ovaries, tiredness, insomnia as I do with what I used to get with periods. In addition, I'm extremely fucking emotional, every day is a lottery between feeling ragey or a weeping mess; it takes a lot of effort to manage this. I'm hot and sweaty a lot more, itchy as fuck, I can have a conversation with someone and not remember for the life of me their name, can't find words, just foggy.

I'm 45. I called the doctor, the first thing she said was "oh, you're too young to be going through the menopause", regardless of the fact that I said my gran was 39 and my mum 41. They did some blood tests and she said "great news, you're not going through the menopause" and offered me tablets to stop the bleeding so often (not contraceptive). I suggested a smear test, my last one was 2 years ago but she said no. I also said it feels like she's just treating the symptoms rather than addressing the cause.

Am I an absolute lunatic, am I psychosomatically imagining these symptoms because my hormone levels are "normal"? They tested for thyroid and aneamia but all OK.

I know someone on MN will have gone through this too so wanted to get a bit of advice or personal perspectives. I've an appointment next week for her to take some swabs so I'd like to get some perspective before I go in either ragey or crying.

Thank you x

I'm afraid I have no real advice for you OP. I am 32 and have been having some of the same symptoms as you. All except the bleeding, mine as still once a month but nowhere near as predictable as they have always been and some months I have no pain at all and then others I get crippling cramps. So I am following this thread closely.

I’d try a different GP if I was you. And I’d go armed with info - the NICE guidelines are useful as is using an app like Balance that you can record daily symptoms and produces a report you can print off for your GP.

If it’s any consolation my GP just tried to put me on anti-depressants and then at the second appointment they told me to take Vitamin D for 3 months. FFS.
I’m planning on going to another GP when I summon up the energy.

Get a new GP pronto. The NICE guidelines say diagnosis for 45+ should be on the basis of symptoms not a blood test. You have tonnes of symptoms. Or go back to the GP and ask why they are not following the NICE guidelines and ask for a referral to a menopause clinic if there's one near you.

Or if you have cash there are some private options. Bupa offers a video consultation and can prescribe hrt.