What symptom of meno really surprised you?

[menopausalfart]

I've had most symptoms associated with perimenopause, including some really nasty ones.
The symptom that surprised me the most was the memory loss. If I don't do something the moment it enters my brain, it's gone.
I've been taking HRT, vitamins, collagen, and I exercise regularly. This symptom, along with anxiety, has stubbornly persisted.

Driving anxiety! I literally woke up one Monday am and couldn’t face the 20 min drive to work! I felt sick and was sweating. Couldn’t drive anywhere eventually. This went on for years!

I’ve since had a full hysterectomy and HRT withdrawn. No driving anxiety. Other issues yes, but the fear of getting in my car has gone.

Seriously? I think I know my own body and body fluids and this happened for several years up to my hysterectomy!

I didn't intend to offend you.

when you had scans for your fibroids any fluid in your uterus (the amount you're talking about) would usually show up and be discussed. I just wondered if it was something you and your consultant talked about. One of the main reasons women have a hysterectomy for fibroids is because they press on the bowel and bladder or cause horrendous periods.

So grateful for this thread. It’s been over 4 years now. Started off with oestrogen gel and mirena coil. When the mirena got to 5 years I was given patches but they made me suicidal. Went back to gel and was given utrogestan.
I think that it’s causing the awful mood swings and hormone fluctuations.
I stopped taking it last week and feel a bit better.
I still have the mirena but tempted to pull it out as I’ve no idea if I’m still having periods or not. I did bleed for 5 days last week but that doesn’t happen often.
GP told me that I need progesterone for womb protection. I don’t know what else it does or if I need testosterone or what

i do know that I’m sick of all the symptoms and don’t understand how some can sail through. The only symptom my friend had is her eyebrows fell out….I would take that any day over all my daily crap

As for the liquid dispensing vagina I seem to remember having this at puberty quite a lot as did a friend of mine who was the same age I remember us discussing this at that time as we didn't quite understand back then what was happening. I think it was just the regular cleansing discharge but just in excessive amounts that felt very liquidy. Is the menopause version the same thing?

For me, sertraline. But as others have said, you don’t want to be prescribed anti-depressants as a default.

I thought I was sailing through it with the odd hot flush/night sweat. For the last year or so I've had a lightish period every 3 months or so, after several years of quite heavy periods (from about the age of 42, although they were never light).

Anyway I'm 53 and it's more than three months since my last period now so I might have finished, or I might not.

Last year I had a colonoscopy which didn't find anything worrying and the symptoms subsided. But the symptoms have come back. And in recent weeks they've got really bad. I am needing the loo several times a day and when I go out for a run I often need to find a loo en-route which has never been the case. I really hope it subsides but fear it might not. My grandmother had IBS but I don't know if it was late onset. Apparently 50 somethings don't get IBS and it's more likely to be ovarian cancer. Nobody even mentions menopause as a cause!

I have this too. I was trying to remember the word "spatial" the other day in the context of spatial awareness and couldn't!

It used to be worse though, it's actually not been as bad in recent years. I used to dread having to give presentations because I knew I'd forget words.

As for the lack of knowledge of GPs, if I know things from reading the newspapers, why don't they? It's ridiculous.

And no, I don't just know about HRT and menopause because it affects me, I read stuff about other health conditions such as blood pressure or needing statins as well. I would expect GPs to be at least as well informed as I am!

“It used to be worse though, it's actually not been as bad in recent years. I used to dread having to give presentations because I knew I'd forget words.”

I’m always glad to hear hopeful stories! My friend (now 80ish) promised my brain would recover from menopause and the memory issues would subside but I’m still waiting 🫠

Gynae problems.

Never had a moment's problem, until post meno.

Now the relevant bits have stopped working they have gone rogue.

Post meno bleeding, pelvic pain, blood tests, intravaginal scans, two hysteroscopies, polypectomies & biopsies (all ok)

Incidentally if you are ever faced with having a hysteroscopy be aware you have the right - the RIGHT - to the anaesthetic of your choice.

Do not let the lying fuckers coerce you into the stirrups without anything. And no ... two paracetamol WILL NOT HELP.

The Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy is a thing:

https://www.hysteroscopyaction.org.uk/

I’ve thought of another one. I have Achenbach syndrome, a benign vascular condition that causes small vessels to swell painfully and then bleed. I’ve only ever had this in my fingers, but since becoming peri have started to get it in the palms of my hands and balls of my feet.

Same here and that's not something that is mentioned in the "specialist" information about Achenbachs. Actually I find it generally poorly described online, even by people who imply that they know what they are talking about.

Proctalgia Fugax

Do you mean Javelin arse? I have this too but think I started suffering from it just a few years before I hit peri. Awful pain especially when it wakes you in the middle of the night. I have to breath through the pain as though I'm in labour lol. it's definitely not fun!

Stomach fat, for the first time ever, appearing literally overnight.

Thanks to those who’ve mentioned Achenbach syndrome, I’ve been trying to get a name for that for years (have discussed with more than one GP!). On a day where peri menopause has all got a bit much for me, that was a moment of relief - it has a name and I could google it!

The surprise for me is how many symptoms and for how long (given my mum and gran apparently sailed through it). 8 years in so far, the constant migraines, depression, anxiety and vaginal atrophy are currently the worst symptoms. I take a lot of medications and supplements, but I’m still struggling. Today I made a GP appt and have started a list of things to discuss - achenbach sydrome has been added.

I don't get Javelin Arse now (it is SUCH a good description) but used to get it a lot during periods when I was younger. Sometimes when I was driving, which isn't good! I'd have to pull over.

Javelin arse lol good description.
I also get achenbachs in my fingers, random blood shot eyes and plantar fasciitis. That's on top of the expected anxiety, rage, insomnia etc grim isn't it.
Thats with HRT before that I was a lot worse with moods and aching joints.

yep, I've always been and still am slim but have developed thinking around the middle. my body shape has changed and my waist disappearing. I especially notice it when I see my teen dd in her short cropped tops showing her belly off and lovely waist and shape. I always tell her I remember when I used to look like that.

there is a thread on here....actually a shedload, google "mumsnet achenbach"

The dreams! I literally woke up this morning questioning whether I actually did what I dreamt about.

Always needing a wee. My family think I'm a joke because I struggle with days out because I always need the loo.

The rage has subsided now but wow that was quite surprising when it first hit. The insomnia was the worst for me. I need my sleep, at least 9hrs. When I was waking at 2am and not managing to go back until 5.30/6am I was a wreck for the whole day.

The wee thing does go away with a lot of kegels and estriol cream. I promise! Plus HRT.

I've been on HRT for a year but I must work on kegels