Falling to pieces

[Justkoko]

I don't know if it's peri, grief or just getting old but I feel like I'm falling apart. Sacroiliac pain in my back seeming to radiate down my legs and even my pelvis, emotionally imbalanced, absolutely and utterly exhausted yet waking multiple times every night, feeling like I've just lost joy. I did ask about hrt about 12 months ago but was fobbed off. I don't know if I even want it, there's breast cancer in my family. I do know that I feel really low, unmotivated, sad, and find it hard to get enthused about anything. I'm falling apart. Could it be peri? I have had a bereavement recently which is definitely affecting me but these are all the outward physical things.

What about the coil? Could that help?

and also what is your social life like? Friends?

I have lovely friends but we all have children and busy lives so it's occasional that we meet. I'm too exhausted to do much anyway, I just don't have the motivation and enthusiasm for much more than curling up, im an introvert and happily sit on my own, socialising tires me even though it is nice.
Don't know much about the coil tbh, always thought it sounds a bit brutal!

It is brutal but i was told mirena coil is the first thing to do for peri symptoms by my doctor when she was ripping out my copper one and telling me i needed this one.

Mirena can be good for heavy bleeding and can be used as the progesterone part of hrt, however for other symptoms some form of oestrogen needs to be used alongside this as these symptoms are caused by falling/ fluctuating oestrogen levels AFAIK.

I just wanted to say I know exactly how you are feeling. My youngest just left home and I’m sad and achey and struggle to find the joy in every day. I’m fully menopausal and on HRT. I’ve no solution but I just wanted to let you know you are not alone x

How old are you OP? Ive recently been diagnosed with peri menopause but im early 40s. Hip pain was so bad around my period that I would need to lie down and I had zero motivation

Why not try HRT for a few months and see if it helps? You can stop it with no lasting effects if it doesn’t suit you. But be aware that you’ll start on the lowest dose of oestrogen which may not be enough.

See if your gp practice has a menopause specialist. Don’t get fobbed off because of your age.

45 so right on time for peri probably. I just don't know much about hrt and the risks that go with it. I'm so bloody tired and achy every single day, surely it can't be like this forever? Taking vit d and k, magnesium and feroglobin or whatever it's called when I remember. I could be depleted of iron or vit d or b12, I really don't know.

Dear woman this sounds exactly like the symptoms a good old top up of oestrogen can sort. I didn't realise all the colour had soaked out of the world until my HRT (Mirena/oestrogen gel) kicked in and everything started to be more vibrant and I suddenly had an interest in things again. I sleep better, feel better, AM better.

Go kick down a door until someone will give you a prescription. You are doing GREAT things with the supplements but nothing kicks like getting back your oestrogen levels.

That's exactly how I felt before I went on HRT, as someone said in a podcast I felt like a ghost, just going through the motions but with no real feeling. My mum had BC so I was also cautious about starting it but after doing my research I learned that the issues relating to BC are based on the old style HRT, the newer modern stuff that body identical is much less risky and actually very beneficial for the heart, brain and general body. I started in a low dose of estrogen, I chose the spray for ease, and micronised progesterone GP put me on 200mg 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, which is the normal for someone in Peri. The coil should be avoided as it's synthetic progestin and linked to increased anxiety and doesn't offer the health benefits of body identical progesterone. I felt a lot better once I started but still not 100%, after 6 months or so GP said I could take 100mg of P continuously, but was still feeling a bit down, so I trialed 200mg continuously and felt loads better, GP agreed to higher dose.

It's definitely worth a try and taking the P at night also helps with sleeping as it knocks you out a bit!

I agree about the progesterone, I'm going to try and get mine changed to the better one when my coil runs out soon.

I was having severe muscle pain and soreness and started taking magnesium so you could give that a try for your back. It also help with energy and exhaustion. I was fibbed off by the GP so went private for a diagnosis. Now my GO takes me seriously but their knowledge is very low so best to do your own research. It is critical that you advocate for yourself!

I felt exactly like this about 3 years ago, the world was grey and flat and there was no joy. I went onto elevorel Sequi patches and they have been ace. It took a few weeks but they have really really helped.

talk to your doc, look at the Balance app, it has a symptom questionnaire which is really helpful. Do some reading around it, and don’t take no for an answer. Good luck.

I'm in exactly the same boat as you, I'm hoping things will rebalancing and it will pass it's bad a the moment. I'm also nervous about HRT for the same reasons.

Definitely sounds like peri. Getting fobbed off is infuriating. Arm yourself with the facts. Go on amazon and get “The New Menopause” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver. When you’re done reading it, give it to the fobber to educate him or her.

Sounds like typical perimenopause but please go to your gp and get other issues ruled out. Thyroid problems, cysts on ovaries, all sorts can also play havoc with your body.

absolutely do pursue HRT if you feel that it’s right for you.

in the meanwhile there’s lots that could help.

What has definitely helped for me is cutting out caffeine after 12. Good sleep habits. Pilates - I feel stronger and more stable and less old.
making a point of taking time out during the day to just sit alone in silence with my eyes closed. Sometimes with a cold flannel in my face. (In my car at lunchtime if I’m working). It stops me losing the plot at about 3pm.

more protein, less crap.

be careful with alcohol. It can ruin the following 24’hours for me.

fresh air, exercise, ranting with friends.