Peri menopause at 38

[BuddyTheElfOnAnEscalator]

I’ve recently been confirmed as perimenopausal at the age of 38 after a few months of investigations by my GP (who has been brilliant).

My symptoms are manageable at the moment (varying levels anxiety, low mood, irritability around my period and issues sleeping) but she has offered HRT whenever I feel that I need it. As I’m still having periods, she’s recommended a Mirena coil for progesterone and oestrogen gel.

My only hesitancy is that I’ve never heard anything good about a Mirena coil. The alternative of remembering to take tablets on and off is probably not quite compatible with full time working, two young kids and all the chaos that they bring.

I would love it if you could tell me how great it the Mirena coil is and how it’s changed your life.

And if anyone else has gone through this at a younger age, solidarity and support would be appreciated. It’s hereditary so I’m not surprised, but also the majority of my friends have a few years to go before they reach this stage. And I can’t talk to my sister as she has the same worries and isn’t in a place to start a family.

My mirena is my best friend and I value it over all my children and family
Only vaguely joking!
I'm my 2nd, which I now pair with oestrogen gel. The 1st was to try to stop increasingly heavy periods with a shortening cycle, which I didn't at the time attribute to peri menopause. It was only after other symptoms arrived that the light bulb went on!
I have no bleeding now, haven't for 7 years. My periods may have stopped or they may not have...I certainly don't intent to remove this 2nd one and find out.
2nd fitting had stronger after pains but nothing like my period cramps used to be.

@nc1013 I would ask about adding oestrogen

@FiftyNotNifty I initially got the Mirena fitted for the same reason and periods now completely stopped which is great.

Do you mind if I ask, when you had the light bulb moment due to other symptoms - did you experience PMT/anger/irritability?

I'm wondering if it's possible I need something in addition to mirena to help with this or if the mirena has been good in terms of stopping my period but is causing the other issues?

Thanks

Sorry crossed post!

For HRT you need the oestrogen too.

You could have the mini pill instead of the coil - and you can then have oestrogel and utrogestan 100mg every night (as opposed to the 2 week thing): that’s what I do. I went into early menopause aged 37 due to autoimmune issues. For various reasons I didn’t want the coil so I went with the mini pill and the regime works really well for me. If you search the menopause forum there’s quite a few threads about using the mini pill as part of HRT.

I'm using the patches and getting on really well with them. I wish I hadn't waited as long, as the anxiety got really bad. But I started them when I was 40 and they've helped a lot.

Thanks @Xrays I'm loving mirena from the pov I no longer have any bleeding whatsoever. Prior to mirena I had extremely heavy periods/flooding/clots and was also anaemic as a result.

My worry is if I got the coil out and replaced with the mini pill this could return.

However I've now been reading on other threads that for some people it's the mirena causing the pmt/anger/rage symptoms.

For me I now don't know if it's peri causing my moods or the mirena.

Who knew it was so complicated 🤯

I was all over the place...angry, low mood, anxious, tearful, rage, you name it! Also a few physical things, aches and pains, hot flashes at night etc. The oestrogen gel has helped massively with the physical stuff, and a little bit with the other stuff...I feel more balanced but still not "normal" whatever that is! I'm on a low dose though so I am thinking I might ask about increasing it.

Thanks @FiftyNotNifty I have a few physical things too but I find them a bit easier to live with then the emotional side.

I'm constantly full of rage and snappy. Currently feeling like the worlds worst mum and partner (it's a relatively new relationship I'm in which isn't helping!). I'm constantly in tears and over reacting - I just can't help myself in the moment then I calm down and realise how unreasonable I've been.

Got a blood test at the GP today (to rule out thyroid issues etc) but this then needs to be repeated in 6 weeks. Once the GP has the results of both we can then discuss HRT. The thought of waiting another 6/7 weeks to even discuss HRT seems impossible as I don't feel I can continue like this. Not much I can do in the meantime though.....