Anyone with perimenopause symptoms diagnosed with something else instead?

[Itsnotlikemilkingacow]

Hi everyone.

I am struggling with symptoms which seem to partly fit perimenopause, but having been to gp and done blood tests etc, gp is not concerned and says all my levels are 'normal'. I have only just turned 40 so it could be a bit early.

My question is, has anyone been to the gp with these symptoms and its turned out to be something else? My symptoms are still there and really affecting daily life, despite the 'normal' verdict on my blood tests. I've also had ultrasound to check uterus.

I am struggling with brain fog, words seem to have just dropped out of my head. I always used to be really organised, now I can't even finish a sentence! Libido at zero. Periods have gone from long cycles being normal for me (about 35 days) to an average now of 24 days cycle. Spotting for up to a week before proper period arrives. Mood swings and panic attacks in the morning.

I don't get hot flushes in the day and have no joint pain. Not actually missing any periods, they've just changed.

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago, could it be related to that?

Can anyone shed any light? Thank you.

Following as I'm in a similar situation. I'm worried I might lose my job over the brain fog. It's really affecting my confidence.

That sounds like classic perimenopause. Your GP seems to believe there's a reliable blood test for it, which there isn't, so you should ignore them. You need to see someone else, try as many as you need to, or go privately if you can afford it. If you're medically ok to take it, trying HRT (once you find the right form and dose which can take a while) will tell you whether that's what's causing it or not, because your symptoms will improve.

It very much sounds like peri menopause. What age did your mum go through it ?
Can you afford to see a specialist privately ?

Have you had a full blood count OP? What were your Vit D and Calcium levels like?

There are a few of us on here who have had something called primary hyperparathyroidism, which is where one or more of 4 tiny little glands near the thyroid (but different function) goes a bit haywire and grows a benign tumour. Brain fog was the worst of my symptoms, but most of them are common to a number of other things like peri menopause, and it is most commonly diagnosed in women around that age - I was 39 - so can be difficult to get diagnosed. Not saying that’s what you’ve got, but it is worth checking. One little surgery 4yrs ago and I got my brain back, at least until peri menopause actually sets in!

menopause should be diagnosed on symptoms not blood tests

Yes - and there’s a thread on here somewhere where a lot of us with the brain dog and missing words were actually folate deficient rather than menopausal. Get full bloods done by your GP

Yes Me! I’ve just been diagnosed with ADHD.

It explains, brain fog, memory problems, anxiety, lack of motivation, exhaustion and lack of sex drive.

I had no clue. It’s under diagnosed in women and adults. I’m ‘severely impaired’, but ‘high functioning’. It explains why I was exhausted all the time as I was masking it from everyone and overcompensating.

Been on HRT for a year and testosterone for about 6 months and it didn’t do what I had hoped. Lots of women get diagnosed around menopause (in my case an early peri menopause), as the drop in hormones exacerbates ADHD symptoms.

If you have Spotify check out ADHDAF (ADHD as female). I think they are on instagram too. This website was useful too for women and masking.

https://www.theminiadhdcoach.com/

It explains all the problems I ever had and everything thing I’ve ever struggled with. I’m 45 ffs and had no idea that I’ve been essentially playing on ‘hard’ mode when everyone else got ‘easy’ mode. No wonder I felt shattered just living my life!!

I had the same symptoms you describe and am 33. Went to the nurse practitioner who referred to gynae and I was diagnosed with hypothalamic suppression.

My levels did come back abnormal though - I had undetectable oestrogen levels but apparently not peri.

I got put on the mini pill to manage the bleeding and so far so good. The other symptoms though are still there, wasn’t given any advice on the night sweats, night terrors, brain fog (I never know what day it is and once didn’t even recognise my own name being called!) and random panic attacks that go as quickly they come out of nowhere.

As well as been in peri meno I had my bloods done as felt soo exhausted never felt like that before and have underactive thyroid, so started on meds for that. As your doctor for full bloods to include thyroid and write down all your symptoms before you go to the doctor, hope you get sorted as it is horrible. Some people get all the symptoms in peri but not everyone does and you seem to have enough symptoms to start on hrt. My brain fog is gone and hot flushes also but bloods are not reliable for checking hormones as have to do them a few times. My doctor would not give me hrt twice, once in late 40's and once at 52. Went to family planning clinic where see a doctor there who treats women with menopause and has been good and did loads of research myself.

I started getting hot flushes (among other things) when I was 39 and it wasn't peri menopause but endometriosis.

Me! Lots of headaches, fatigue, brain fog. Turned out to be a large pituitary tumour!

Thyroid symptoms overlap with peri

Yes. Felt awful all the time. Bad brain etc etc. had to go on a special diet for my gallbladder. Basically I had to cut out all processed foods and eating clean foods and low fat. After a week I was stunned to feel totally different. The sheer exhaustion had gone. It had been so bad I couldn’t put one foot in front of another some days.

my brain has cleared and I just feel better. I tell people this all the time on here and in real life. But I don’t think people believe me. But it made a huge impact. And I had all the tests done as well.