Peri menopause or something else?

[DancingButterflies]

Hello, I’m 44 and have been feeling pretty miserable for a while. Symptoms gradually worsening.

Dizzy spells; terrible forgetfulness; brain fog; feeling ‘slow’; migraines; aches of joints, but particularly around the neck muscles; extreme tiredness…think lay on the floor and sleep there and then; ongoing awful constipation; my usual shiny silky hair is frazzled for no reason and snapping; libido vanished.

I’ve had blood tests for thyroid, B12, iron etc and all are normal. Blood pressure 115/60.

But I don’t feel happy or healthy or even human.

Is this familiar to anyone else?
GP tomorrow and don’t know what to say. I know I’ll be told ‘everything’s normal, everything is fine’.

Thank you

Oh forgot to mention that there is something that makes me feel slightly better…rehydration salts and extremely salty food, like fast food fries.

Yes a lot of these symptoms are typically peri.

😞 and we’re just expected to deal with it.

My doctor clearly doesn’t want to offer HRT. I’m a teacher and don’t feel safe in the classroom with such extreme fatigue and lack of focus and clarity.

This is awful.
Thanks for responding though.

But the lie on the floor tiredness might be something else as tiredness is a symptom but that does sound extreme.

You absolutely should be offered HRT, I found that oestrogen and testosterone has helped massively with all of the above except for the forgetfulness.

Do you sleep well? Do you have night sweats? Have you got any water retention or had weight gain?

You need a different GP and fast. Many GPs will offer HRT now. Please find someone who will take your symptoms seriously, it's awful.

I was on holiday last week and around midday I said to my husband that he’d have to take me back to the hotel as I couldn’t face another step. I managed to get into bed and was out like a light.

Sleep well - no not at all
Night sweats - none
Water retention - I do get this and bloat easily
Weight gain - yes, all around the middle and despite being on a calorie deficit.

My GP is useless and the alternative lady GP works one day a week…and it’s the day I have meetings after school and can’t make an appointment. Although, I might have to speak to someone at work and tell them I’m going to need some Thursday afternoons off.

Some of your symptoms sound like chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. I have a CFS diagnosis and didn't realise I had gone through the menopause because of the huge crossover of symptoms and having the coil which had stopped my periods.

How long have you been feeling this way? Have you had a virus or infection lately? How is your cycle? Sorry for the myriad of questions it just it can be tricky to unpick.

You could be me! I was fobbed off with chronic fatigue as a diagnosis for years. I had the same bone aching tiredness as you. I desperately wanted to lie down and go ro sleep every second of every day. HRT has turned things around for me.i still struggle a bit when I'm taking the progesterone but on the oestrogen only days it is bliss and I feel sharp and awake for the first time in years.

I’ve been feeling off for about 5-6 months, but it’s really ramped up since December.
Funnily enough I got that awful cold around Dec 6th and it didn’t leave me until mid January. I was really poorly with a cold, chest infection, sinus etc for at least 6 weeks. I thought I’d never feel better.
I got my first terrible migraine in late December and the rest of my symptoms seemed to become exaggerated and turbo charged since then. Thanks for responding.

I long to feel normal again. I’m just not myself at all. Thank you.

Cycle has never been regular so hard to tell.

Have you asked for HRT? I would go back and say that you want to try it. You may have a menopause clinic in your area you could be referred to. I would use phrases like “having a serious impact on my day to day life”, impacting my ability to do my job etc

And you can definitely ask for time off a meeting to attend a GP appointment. This is now at the point that it is impacting your life.

OK well first thing I did was take a strong vitamin d in a spray each morning and that was a quick win. I also applied a magnesium oil at night on my legs (which can feel very muscle sore) and that helped me relax. But what I would be doing is going to a menopause specialist ( I went to Newson, mixed feelings tbh) and getting some hrt. I'd also try and get a full set of bloods done at the GP.

Before I had the coil fitted (and was peri) I found my cycle length got a LOT longer and my periods were heavier. Hence the coil. I did find the progesterone helped with my sleep and it was brilliant not having periods anymore.

I am wondering if you are peri but also post viral and really you need a good GP. Could you change practices?

I suppose I could be. I could change practices. I will see what they say tomorrow and go from there. Perhaps I’ll need to take that plunge.

Thank you for the advice.

Good luck 👍

Insulin resistance.
Possible peri.
Difficult.

Boots have a menopause treatment consultation, I’m not sure you are old enough but you can check on the site. It’s £5.

I’ll try that thank you!

Hi
Just wondering if you have any update on this, did the HRT work out for you. Am 46 and have debilitating symptoms just as you have described. Extreme exhaustion which on a bad day manifests as sleepiness/drowsiness, on a good day a lack of motivation. I've felt like this for the last five years, have been to nine doctors in total including two menopause specialists and an endocrinologist. Have had multiple blood tests done, all normal. Sleep apnea test was normal. Tried HRT (patches and pills) early on but saw no benefits from it even though I was on the highest dose apparently. Thinking of asking to go on it again as my symptoms are acute and don't think I will be able to hold down a full time job. At my wits end with it. Only thing I can see is my progesterone levels are higher than normal and more akin to early stage pregnancy.

https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/how-to-talk-to-your-doctor-about-hrt---and-get-results

@Seo2022 do you know why you have the high progesterone levels? Are you taking a progesterone only.pill or on a supplement like agnus castus? Have you had you pituitary gland checked?