Potential Peri-Menopause and struggling

[CoastalMummy]

Ladies,

I need help and guidance.

I've been struggling with, what I believe to be, peri-menopause symptoms for the best part of a year now:

• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Brain Fog
• Anxiety
• Irregular periods
• Etc.

I'm in my late thirties and have been repeatedly dismissed by my GP because I'm under 40, therefore it couldn't possibly be peri-men.

I'm close to insanity. I'm sat in tears because no one will take me seriously. I'm so tired because I haven't slept in a week. I'm changing my PJs every night because I'm soaked through. This isn't normal.

Does anyone have any experience with early peri-men? Or any guidance?

I've looked at going private but the best specialist in Scotland (where I am) is in Glasgow which is hours away 🙄

Please help,

A despondent and tired CoastalMummy

Ask for a different doctor/second opinion.

Take a list of your symptoms and ask what else they could possibly be and why it would be wrong to test so you can rule out menopause.

Apparently 1% of women go through menopause under 40 - maybe you're in the 1%. If it's not menopause, what is it?

Take a look at NICE guidlines https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosis-of-perimenopause-and-menopause

1.1 says doctors should use individualised approach at all times

which is set out in
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg138/chapter/Recommendations#knowing-the-patient-as-an-individual

this covers things like respect for patient and listening to their concerns

Print these out, highlight and take them down if you can't see a different doctor. Say 'I have menopausal symptoms, NICE guidelines say you should listen to my concerns, I feel you are not doing this or respecting me and you're not proposing anything to address my symptoms, I would like to complain about this'

You don't need to get very stressed or upset with them, just be assertive in asking for what you want. Be harder to fob off, basically.

After a bit of experience with NHS - sometimes you need to stand your ground and be a little bit of a pain in the arse. Not rude or aggressive, just asking enough questions and being assertive enough that you don't get anywhere.

I started mine at 38 OP and can relate to a lot of what you’re saying. I’ve found navigating it really challenging and exhausting. I often feel like I’m going insane, and I’m well medicated now.

@NoCloudsAllowed post nails the practical side of things.

I would definitely recommend a second opinion. Also does your local health board have a specialist menopause clinic? You’d likely qualify for a referral due to age.

The Daisy network has helpful information on early menopause, and there are some excellent podcasts out there.

I hope you get some help with it, it’s crippling.

Feel free to DM me.

Is this normal ?? I'm 42 and I think I may be perimenopausal, for a little while now my periods have become much heavier , they are still fairly regular but have definitely changed in terms of flow and in length .
This month I had my period which was particularly heavy and it should have finished 13 days ago !! I'm still bleeding on and off , not heavily and not enough to be constantly changing my sanitary towel usually only a bit of blood each day after I've used the loo when I wipe - sorry if TMI , I'm getting worried that it could be something else more serious .
I've also been waking up in the night feeling very hot and my anxiety has been through the roof .
Has anyone else experienced these symptoms ? Any advice or shared experiences would be much appreciated 👍🏻

Hi
yes I have the same symptoms and am TTC. NHS told me all was normal. Fertility dr told me last month this was peri menopause and the tests showed me it was (high fsh) they advised me to get my AMh tested which I did and came back very low. My uterine lining is also thin which will make harder to hold a pregnancy. All these apparently are part of this joyous time. I sleep with a fan as although I don’t get flashes as per the internet I do get very warm at night and this disrupts my sleep , I have been for a bout a year now. My symptoms also mimic pregnancy sore boobs for 3 weeks but negative tests so not! It’s so unfair!

This is now an old thread. Has @CoastalMummy come back?