More coping tips needed

[BumblingBanana]

I know this has been done to death but how are you all coping with peri?

I'm in the early stages so think that my progesterone is dropping, giving me more headaches.

Plan is:

Mindfulness
Nutrition
Exercise
Try and avoid stress
Multivitamin supplements

This is the state of play each month:

1-5 a bit low and slightly confused
6-10 low level anxious
11-15 higher level anxious
16-19 panic stations
20-22 tired
23-29 normal, calm
30-33 hideously irritable

I didn't like the progesterone only pill. Antidepressants made me tired.

HRT not an option, unless I had a hysterectomy, which I may consider.

Estrogen has dropped a little but got used to that fairly quickly.

I'm thinking of going back on the anti depressants. Really need to fix the headaches too.

I didn't like the progesterone only pill. Antidepressants made me tired.
HRT not an option, unless I had a hysterectomy, which I may consider.

Could you explain a bit more with this?

You seem to have ruled out HRT based on the experience of the POP.
If this isn't what you mean, be good to have more detail.

I have the impression you have not tried HRT.

HRT progesterone is not like the POP or the Pill.
Totally different product.

Happy to chip in with more info if you can clarify.

Anti depressants are not prescribed now for peri and no decent GP should be prescribing those. The guidance is HRT and continue to try to find the right sort.

I have condition that they think might be linked to excess estrogen, so it may be estrogen sensitive. No one really knows.

Condition is stable atm due to another med.

Some people with the condition do take HRT, with some fine tuning from a specialist it has been okay. Having a hysterectomy then having HRT would also work as the estrogen would just be topped back up to what it currently is.

From what I've read about peri it starts with lower progesterone. Think that's why I'm getting so many headaches. It's now like three a month for three days a time. They are also stress linked to my job. But I have to work. Was thinking of asking GP about an acupuncture referral. Was also given Naproxen which works for stress headaches. Doesn't work so much when it's a hormonal tension headache - tried Migraleve for that today. Didn't so much get rid of the pain but it has codeine so it just dulled it. Doesn't last though.

It’s fucking hard isn’t it.

I haven’t done anything to help with my peri yet so no tips sorry.

i do get lots of migraines though and taking sumatriptan at the onset helps as well as ibuprofen/cocodamol. Avoiding stress too but that’s virtually impossible to be honest so meds and management.

im listening in though. I’m 42. Hot flushes all the time, achey, tired. Meh.

From what I've read about peri it starts with lower progesterone. Think that's why I'm getting so many headaches.

The headaches are part of PMS and they occur after ovulation and when progesterone falls. This is cyclical and it's incredibly common, even in women who use the Pill.

You would probably benefit from HRT because it gives you a steady dose of hormones without the fluctuations you have now.

What condition do you have linked to excess estrogen?

Hrt is off the table for me too. I feel your pain that it’s seen as the answer for everyone.

i have a lot of headaches. I saw a gp who was very happy prescribing and have codeine and an anti sickness for when the headaches start. Other than that, I have a lot of cooling hats and find a strong scent really helps, normally lavender or mint.
and 20 minutes sleep.

my neurologist thought the headaches were hormonal/peri and would stop when I finished riding the menopause rollercoaster

My coping things are:

Notes, post it’s, to do lists and phone reminders. Memory is shot.

For insomnia.. nothing, I have nothing. How I’m surviving on 4-5 hours sleep a night while working full time with a child I just don’t know.

Brain fog.. coffee obv.

Accelerated and out of control weight gain… hmm eating is probably my ONLY comfort as I don’t touch alcohol or smoke so try to control that and eat healthy.

Itchy skin, scalp and ears, yes ears. I suffer, nothing helps this at all.

Irritability, probably due to insomnia fatigue and exhaustion from a full on job, I do a lot of being on my own, remove myself from stuff that bugs me. I’m also introvert so have to do this a lot to survive.

Horrendous heavy painful periods, well, I just can’t leave the house and take paracetamol during this monthly festival of joy.

Hot sweats, cool clothing, fans, baby wipes, frequent showers, again, suffer. Not even HRT helps with this.

Anxiety, just have to fucking embrace that shit with the knowledge that it’s in my brain, not justified or real, so shove it the fuck down because it’s annoying.

Low mood. Huge problem because I do have very dark very suicidal thoughts. Humour, distraction and weathering the storm because these times although regular are transient.

nearly 6 years in, 55 years old with no signs of ending.
HRT making little difference if I’m honest.
Periods need to fuck off now.

Are you missing periods yet @BumblingBanana ?
Progesterone is only 'low' if you're not ovulating and then the cycle isn't complete (no period.)

From what I've read about peri it starts with lower progesterone.

No, it isn't that. Peri is missing periods, so no ovulation and low estrogen.

If you had a hysterectomy, you'd not use progesterone. So I can't see how that would help you - because your post says you think your symptoms are caused by low progesterone.

I've never heard of anyone with a condition caused by too much estrogen- what is it you have?

I've never missed a period.

My cycle, for a few years in my early 40s, went from 31-33 days to 35 days. It's now somewhere between 31 - 35 days, so not as predictable as it was.

I will ask the GP about this sumitriptan. The pharmacist gave me migraleve.

I'm not sure about codeine- it's addictive isn't it? Mind you migraleve also has opioid. I tend to sweat a lot from frequent opioid use. And makes me slightly euphoric. But swings and roundabouts.

What is the cooling hat? In what format do you take lavender or mint?

It is an incredibly rare, very serious disease that only affects women. Because it only affects women they think it might be connected to estrogen, but no one knows. I take an orphan drug for it that was found to prevent the disease progressing. The drug is normally used for transplant patients but puts a block in the Mtor pathway which seems to stop the rogue cells from proliferating and prevents further destruction of healthy organ tissue.

@Cliffedge25 that sounds like me a lot - I decluttered a lot and have lists for everything. Am trying camomile tea for sleep. Trying to avoid sugar. Avoid triggers.

Am going to take mindfulness back up again. Maybe yoga. Possibly try acupuncture for the migraines.

Thanks for listening. Has sort of cemented my thoughts that it's either HRT or get a handle on whatever natural coping mechanism that I can for each symptom.

It is an incredibly rare, very serious disease that only affects women. Because it only affects women they think it might be connected to estrogen, but no one knows. I take an orphan drug for it that was found to prevent the disease progressing. The drug is normally used for transplant patients but puts a block in the Mtor pathway which seems to stop the rogue cells from proliferating and prevents further destruction of healthy organ tissue.

what's the name of the disease, out of interest?

Honestly you can just Google it and find out based on what I have posted. I don't really want to name it here as there are only a few hundred people who have it in my country, maybe 80,000 worldwide, so it's quite outing.

Ok- got it!

These are my hats. They are so helpful. Also as a sign to my family that I’m struggling.
https://amzn.eu/d/agfUHVm

for scent. I have roll on oils, a vapouriser ans pillow sprays!