Is there a general chat thread for peri sufferers waiting to start HRT?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Admittedly, quite a niche group demographic, but anyone who wants a general chat really.

I’ve been struggling since my “diagnosis” 2 weeks ago, and I’m waiting to see my gp again. She has said she will prescribe hRT, I was waiting for some bloods to come back but she wasn’t expecting anything in the bloods to change her decision . My previous bloods showed Subclinical hypothyroidism as well, which could also be contributing to my symptoms. I was doing ok but then today I’ve had a total anxiety attack driving my car with my dc in the back and it just feels so overwhelming and awful. The anxiety bubbling away is so draining and I feel like I just would like to talk to people who understand how hideous this is.

so if there’s anyone out there who would like a chat thread, please say hi 👋

Seems another reason to give it a go!

Does anyone else question whether they are “imagining” their symptoms ?

I’ve read so much & listened to so many podcasts about peri I almost question what’s real and what I’m convincing myself of?!

I am getting ready to start my HRT next week. I’m also worried about cancer risks. I know the risks aren’t as bad as they were previously thought to be, but it’s not completely risk free so I’m not without anxiety about it.

@LovefromPickles I get what you mean about ‘imagining’ the symptoms- when I have a good day I can’t really remember his bad I was feeling, and all last week waiting to start my meds I was thinking maybe I’ve imagined it all and it’s all in my mind. But then I have an occasional really bad anxiety day and it literally floors me and it feels very real. With the minor symptoms it feels like you go to the gp with a shopping list of things and wonder if they think you’ve just read a list of peri symptoms- but then I think a lot of the cases are ‘textbook’ and we put them down to normal aging because everyone we know has them too!

day 3 for me today. A little bit fluttery in my chest again this evening but nothing like it had been, I also drove to work on the highway today (which I haven’t done for 6 weeks) and so I felt very pleased with myself. I did feel nervous getting into the lane but I didn’t feel anywhere near the strong anxiety I’d been having recently. I do have a dull, mild headache and feel really tired - could be just a busy day at work but I’m going to have a bath and get to bed early. I’d like to run tomorrow morning and that will be a good test of my aching joints, I don’t know if I’m imagining it but they feel a lot less heavy and achy.

all in all, I’m pleased so far. I know it’s very early days, I’m still apprehensive about the progesterone weeks and how that will make me feel, but so far, so good.

Wow this thread just popped up and I've only just been to the docs today.

Basically my periods are all over the place 112 day cycles earlier this year followed by 3 week cycles with 2 week mega periods and bleeding in between. Mild flushes, achy joints, heart palpitations, cystic acne, rage, depression.

So I've been booked for a scan, bloods and an internal exam and ref'd to a menopause specialist as I have a family history of breast cancer.

My symptoms are just about manageable but there are some days when I'm on the edge.

I'm not quite ready for hrt as I'm not quite sure of the risks/benefits but I reckon by the time I get an appt I'll be begging for it! Meanwhile I have had a lot of relief from sleeping and eating well and supplementing.

Oh yes and I thought I was imagining it too a few years ago.

Got to wait till my last d September fir telephone consultation so will be another month at least till I can start 😢

Day 4 for me today, I have had a dull headache and felt just a bit off all
day, a bit of nausea and just generally quite ‘low’. I think that’s all normal in the first few months and it wasn’t awful, just there.

I did run this morning but I didn’t feel particularly fit, but that’s nothing new!

Hi, can I join in? Waiting to see the Dr this week and quite nervous about it all. I’m 49 and accepted a few months back that I’m now in peri (autocorrect wanted to change it to peril which seems quite apt..!) as had been in denial about it all previously.

I’m using the Balance app which is quite helpful as a way of logging sleep, periods, moods, symptoms etc, and looking at the list of symptoms for the first time made me feel so relieved, as up until that point, I’d been feeling like it was all in my head.

It was this morning’s rage storm that made me look for a menopause thread on Mumsnet, and here we all are 😅 and I now feel that bit less alone. I also left my job and have been struggling to find a new one, especially as I’m looking for something part time and that I can work from home on, as for the most part, I feel so incredibly tired, dizzy and sick. No idea how I’d manage a new office-based job right now. But also I need to get one as my savings are dwindling fast.

So thank you for starting this thread @thenewaveragebear1983 its so helpful to hear your, and everyone else’s, experience so far.

Day 7 today, I feel much better, with energy and motivation, I’ve actually deep cleaned my house today, like properly cleaned the house. I had some chest pains last night, I do have them a fair bit under my ribs, docs aren’t bothered by them but I think it’s to do with my low heart rate (which is still quite low but had probably raised a few bpm this week). Obviously the old health anxiety kicked in, and I self diagnosed a variety of both terminal and curable diseases…. 🤦‍♀️ I did have a glass of wine last night but I didn’t really fancy it, and only had one. I am really trying to just take it as it comes, I’m writing symptoms according to day of both my HRT cycle and my normal cycle. I definitely could tell this week that I was ovulating as my anxiety was heightened, however it wasn’t as bad as it had been previously so that was interesting. One side effect I have had a lot is nausea, just a weird taste in my mouth and a feeling of being very unsettled in my stomach, (which my body reads as anxiety as well I think) so I bought some antacids to see if they settle my stomach if it happens again.

so anyway, I’m sitting out in the sunshine, after a super productive day, just enjoying some relative calm. It’s nice. I think for such a long time I’ve just not been myself, it’s like I’ve been viewing life through a lens or from behind a screen, that feeling is starting to shift now. I feel like I’m a bit clearer and a bit more ‘there’ if that Makes sense.

I'm 40 and have been suffering noticeable peri symptoms for about a year but only realised about 6 months ago that it's not me going mad and my pill not working anymore for my PMT, skin, rage etc. tonight I have just done my first dose of estrogel and started on desogestrel. Am also on the 14 day progesterone pill which I will start in 2 weeks. Feeling pretty nervous changing my contraceptive pill as have always had bad bleeding and mood swings with anything but the combined pill but I'm hoping the mixture of all the drugs will help 🤷🏻‍♀️. If anyone has any experience of this combination I'd love to hear from you x

@thenewaveragebear1983 good to hear its going well. I am still waiting to start hrt but feel so much better today after a very heavy period. Been able to concentrate again seem to be loosing a week or two a month now. Anyone else been like that? Trying to decide how much stress and how much is peri !

@Weedoormatnomore I was thinking only today that I “lose” two weeks each month to brain fog, lack of focus & productivity and anxiety. I totally hear you.

@LovefromPickles thank you feel better knowing its not my imagination.

I agree about the scatty/can’t concentrate feeling, I had/have that a lot. It’s hard to define exactly what it is isn’t it?

Hello everyone I'm 41 and have a laundry list of symptoms that an older friend pointed out are likely to be peri: brain fog, short term memory shot, dry eyes, insomnia, anxiety over tiny things, fight or flight kicking in for no real reason, completely dead libido. And I dunno just having a feeling of lost 'me'.

I haven't gone to the GP because I can't face the hurdles to get an appointment and then I can't stand to be fobbed off once there. I think I'd just cry with rage and sadness! A friend told me to grow red clover micro greens but honestly it all just requires too much executive function.

I have a new job that is very entrepreneurial and there's no chance of cruising, DH has just been diagnosed w autism so lots of supporting to do, kid is gender nonconforming... there's always just so very much to deal with and I just feel like going to bed and not coming out again.

Blimey @PictureFrameWindow that’s a lot to be dealing with. Could you afford to pay to visit a menopause clinic so that you can get some answers and support more quickly?

I’ve also heard about red clover, but didn’t know you could grow it yourself.

@Weedoormatnomore I know exactly what you mean by the difficulty in knowing which symptoms are stress and which symptoms are perimenopausal.

@PictureFrameWindow sending hugs you have a lot going on.
@thenewaveragebear1983 thank you for starting this at least I know I ain't going mad 😂 how are you doing now?
@Melminiani feel bad for feeling relieved when other people say they feel like that too.

@Weedoormatnomore me too! 😆

I’m on day 10 today and it’s the first day I have felt quite hormonal. Really fat and uncomfortable. I’m not physically bloated, I just feel horrible. You know that feeling where you could try on a hundred outfits and not feel nice in a single one? That!
its probably partly down to the heat, I was really hot and bothered today and struggled to concentrate at work. I’ve eaten crap on the last few days as well and that doesn’t help me at all. I think for the next few days I need to just eat well, get more sleep, try to keep cool and hopefully feel better.

@thenewaveragebear1983 hope your feeling better today.
Are you still having periods? Just asking as your description is how I feel ever month. Saying that feeling bloated and very hot today so could just be weather.

@Weedoormatnomore yes I am, they are becoming increasingly irregular though. I assume that the HRT cycle will override my natural cycle eventually and make them more regular

Hi everyone. I've not had a chance to actually read through the thread yet but I am only day 4 into HRT (Evorel Sequi patches). Obviously not noticed anything yet but my main symptoms were low mood, anxiety, itchy skin, headaches and irregular and painful periods.

I started my progesterone patches on Sunday and <touch wood> have felt ok, except I do feel a little more tired, and I guess a little bit more irritable although nothing noticeable really. I feel quite heavy and bloated, but it’s day 20 of my cycle anyway so I’d expect to be due on in 5/6 days so bloating would be expected anyway. I’ve also had a dull headache today, but it hadn’t really impacted my day. That’s really positive, of course it is early days but I feel positive about it because I was really apprehensive. Hope it continues.

Can I join?
I'm 43. Starting a trial of HRT tomorrow. The oestriol pump and progesterone tablet I think. I have other chronic health conditions so it's tricky to know what is what to be honest and whether it will help but am wanting to give it a go as have had some new unwelcome symptoms over the last few months like bad anxiety/panic worse before ovulation, night sweats, joint pain, worse insomnia etc
Am a bit apprehensive about side effects as am just generally having a really rubbish time with my health, going through a relationship breakup and other family issues but I think it's worth a try.