Perimenopause advice needed

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

I have been feeling like I am loosing my mind but after a bit of reading up realise I am in perimenopause cycle

i am 42 and had my last child 22 months ago.I have always had periods every 28 days that last 4 days bit last month and this they lasted 2 days

my mood has been awful,very stressed,anxious depressed (severe this month) and this month i have felt palpitations and dizzyness.I am over heating too

i am a bit worried as I have felt quite ill and i hate the mood swings as do my family

anyone in same position that can offer any advice?

Has anyone else had a period lasting nearly 5 weeks and still counting! im sure im peri menopause irregular periods for the last 18months and havent stopped bleeding since begining of last one im 51 so right age rather worried now got docs this week so hoping im told its normal!

Hey , just been prescribed climagest 1 mg anyone got their experiences to share ?

I've had two periods with10 days in between went docs today , peri menopause I'm told , had irregular periods last year at one point didn't have any for 3 months, I'm 49 x given climagest 1 mg today , hesitant to take them but can't cope with night sweats and I just 'don't feel like me ' for some time now

Thank goodness I found this thread :)
Age 44 - no period for 8 weeks and counting... night sweats on and off for two years, itchy skin at night, insomnia at times, tearful, exhausted and not feeling my usual strong self any more... :(
Went to doctors last week and he just said oh well, if you get no period for another couple of months I will give you a scan to see what's happening. This is prob because I have a small ie 8mm fibroid.
Anyone else had to have a scan because of their symptoms? Mine sound like a lot of yours - ie perimenopausal.
Any suggestions? Can I take HRT at my age? Don't want to keep feeling tearful and crap and shattered like I do now... it's taking its toll on the kids and my work.

Has anyone seen an endocrinologist to sort their perimenopausal hormones out and is it worth it?

"Anyone else had to have a scan because of their symptoms?"

Yes. If changes to bleeding would be indicative of investigation were you any other age, they still should be investing acted even if menopause suspected. For a number of other contibutions may come to the fore at this age too, and there are treatments. I had a benign polyp removed, which made a huge improvement to irregular bleeding, and everything else checked by scan.

Oh my god I wish I had found this earlier except I am SUCH a hypochondriac that I daren't even google my symptoms! I am 43 and if I am honest probably been having symptoms a couple of years but this last week feel like I have been hit by a bus. Lots of weird things have been going on like shorter period cycles, really heavy sore periods sometimes like when I was 12, other times periods that couldn't make their up whether they were coming or going, red face that no amount of Chanel could cover up, buzzing head like when you are really hammered and lie down, suddenly going hot etc etc. went to go couple of years ago re weird periods and she did say it was due to dipping hormone levels and not to worry. I tend to have a 24 ish day cycle now but with a brown build up and end! Also over last year kind of brown spotting half way through only for a day and not painful or blood. Worked myself into a frenzy with worry even though my mum has reassured me she had the same thing at the same age. But it's the personality side of things I am struggling with. I have always been really loud and chatty but noticed that only happens odd days like I am having a high somedays! Really weird like you don't know yourself anymore. Find myself staring into space for ages, alcohol intolerance - have always been able to put it away but even glass of wine makes me feel crap the next day. This last couple of weeks been awful really horrible. Daughter ironically started periods while still at junior school 15 year old dog is so poorly car set on fire vacuum set on fire washer broke seriously?! It's like the real me only surfaces once a month or less and then I am all nice and social able rest of time can't be arsed with anyone or anything. Aching elbows and hands really strange, inability to concentrate, suddenly terrified of flying and generally no confidence at all. wtf doesn't anyone WARN us?! It's just,like the year after my daughter was born but a million times worse. People come on tele, like really well known people, and I can't remember who they are, do eventually but it's so horrible. I used to be called the oracle at work as I had everything stored in my brain never forgot a thing and now I am a total spak! Boob pain during period was so bad last month I had to wear support vest in bed and seriously thought I was pregnant. Interestingly when I get like this I have the need to smell jasmine, I know I must sound totally screwball but it's like my body knows what it needs to calm me down. Wish I made the connection earlier would of saved even more anxiety! My bones creak and sometimes I have to literally peel my eyes open in morning and oh yes snoring! Causing major probs! Never done it before! Sat night felt like I was having a heart attack. Had to sleep with head propped up. I have the waking in the night thing too and buy loads of stuff normally from time to spa and Neal's yard at ridiculous hours of the night! In fact my spare room cupboard is no different to a therapists cupboard! As you can see slight verbal dioreah now. Just want to be the witty and jovial person I know I am all the time. St. John's wort has sorted things in the past so will give that a go. I seriously thought I was bi polar at one point but now realise what this is although it reassures me I feel for anyone else feeling like this. I even cried at the ceaser dog food ad the other night BONKERS!

Oh yes and I hate new technology and apologise I am crap at typing on an I pad!

Hi Kalkan28 - I'm feeling the same as you! Been to Dr again today with vague collection of symptoms and told yes now def perimenopause. Periods been odd (shorter then longer cycle, lasting 10 days - I even had a 6 week one, very heavy with flooding etc) for 3 years now. Very painful breasts all the time (I wear my bra to bed). Low low mood - I agree about the antisocial aspect - havnt seen anyone in months! Itching a lot and had the odd hot flush, but didnt think anything about it at the time. Had hormone tests back then but all seemed fine.
And I'm only just 40!
Anyway, I have Tranexamic acid for the ehavy periods, which hekps to a degree. I've just ordered Black Cohosh and Red Clover supplements on advice of Dr. She also said to try and eat more soya as it mimics oestrogen (not sure if this is true or if I got the right end of the stick). I cant use hormonal pill so HRT out.
I cant wait for this to be over - i HATE PERIODS!!!

Oh bless you thanks for replying and sorry you are feeling like this. I actually worked out today that it's the week after period I am ok and my normal self! Yes I have heard that about soya too. I know this might sound weird but I've always been told I look a lot younger than I am and I don't mean to sound like an arse when I say that. What's upset me and I am not a vain person by the way, is I can kind of cheat well I guess all women can with hair colour, make up, lifestyle, skincare etc but inside you've got no bloody control over. That's the thing getting to me. I do feel better for getting it off my (sore) chest though. Please message if you feel low. It does make the world of difference and take away some of the anxiety now I have shared it. Do you getting the word jumbling up thing too? God it's embarrassing. I have made apt with an alternative therapist type dude to try and calm me down next week. Take care amanda x

Thanks so much for your reply. I'm not so low today just a bit in shock! I've spent the last few years trying my hardest to lose weight and look the best I can (big 40 thing) now I'm worried I'll turn into a little old lady . I think alternative therapy is the way to go at the moment - I've found reflexology really helpful in the past (for insomnia). Off to Google recipes for tofu the family will eat now! Good luck with your appointment x

Hi all, I've been convinced for the past few months that I'm peri menopausal. Symptoms have been erratic periods, sometimes heavy, sometimes light. Worsening pmt. menstrual migraines. Spots on chin ( which I haven't had since adolescence). Buring/itching down below.

I gave up sugar six months ago which has really helped with the pmt symptoms. I could happily eat 6 bars of dairy milk in a day (hence my user name!) and would experience the highs and lows of each sugar fix. Now I still get angsty but not quite to the same degree. It's the migraines that bother me most now. If I'm lucky it's just a headache otherwise I'm in a darkened room with hard core drugs.

Hard core drugs as in migraine analgesics. Not illegal substances!

Hi to you both see we've cheered each other up already and mumelie course you won't turn into an old lady! Think of Cher! Funny you should say that queencadbury I started with migraines about 3 years ago not very often but christ they are horrible flashing lights and everything. I guess we all need to experiment and see what makes us feel better and keep it posted. I have never had zits even as a teenager but I do now and a greasy red nose it's gross! Also my psoriasis is really bad prob due to anxiety. Now that I have figured out what the chuff is wrong with me I will make it my mission to deal with it and find what works. It's important to embrace the times when you do feel cheery just silly things. Normally I wear really boring nail colour and had them done in a dead tarty pink today felt loads better! I've had my hair cut into a bob and it's been dead long for years but started to look like rats tails! Another symptom. Thing is when pregnant we go through all these crap things but it's so worth it but what's the prize at the end of this?! Guess we must think of friends and family who have REAL illnesses god knows there's so much horrible stuff in the world today. Amanda x x

Oh dear, I had the most awful morning yesterday. I normally take antidepressants for the 2 weeks before my period starts but this month my period decided to visit about 10 days early. I thought I'd been lucky and escaped the pmt but it came yesterday with a vengeance (and I've been bleeding for about a week). I was wild. Shouting, swearing, throwing things. I hate it. It's so not me. I haven't felt like that for months and thought I had it under control with the antidepressants and sugar free diet so it took me by surprise. Does anyone else turn into a raving lunatic and scared of their actions??

Bless you think you need some choc? Please be assured I am same and I am normally really mellow. Since all this crap started I have noticed MASSIVE personality disorder and have shouted in daughters face and scared her threw chopping board across kitchen when Dyson engineer was here last week and didn't give a ferk - not me at all. Am struggling to string a sentence together, feel really bleak - music helps massively for me just even in background honestly - I even thought the other day about stabbing myself just for the hell of it NO NO NO I have never done and never would do anything like that but I even like don't trust myself as I don't know what's going to come out my mouth! Am scared I will tell daughters teacher to f off or something really mad. Feel totally out of control. Yes I too have gone from reg as clockwork periods to all over place and figured out the only time I am me is for around 5 days after bleeding stops. I feel like my cycle isn't a cycle more like a tri cycle! It's not funny it's not nice it's not easy and it's not fair and I feel for you massively. I seriously though about getting in car last week flooring it and driving till it ran out of petrol then remembered it's broken and in the garage - that'll be my shite memory then! X x x

kalkan I shouldn't laugh at you throwing the chopping board but it honestly does make me feel better to know I'm not alone! The first time I threw something it was the handheld dyson with me shouting "I hate thus f-ing house" because I couldn't get it to work. Not my finest hour in front of the dc.

But seriously, what do we do about it? Ive got dome supplements which I'm going to try. Ages ago someone recommended CBT for my pmt. anyone tried it...?

Just thought I would add my tuppence worth here - am 53 and haven't had a period since October. I had been suffering horrendous breast pain for years and read on here to take Evening Primrose and Magnesium - this helped me instantly - I find if I forget even one night the pain can start again very quickly. I only recently (2/3 months) started with hot flushes and night sweats. A colleague suggested Vitamin B6 for this - I have been taking this for about three weeks now - am not sure if it is just coincidence but I think the flushes and sweats are (almost) gone - still having the odd flush but no night sweats since. My libido is non-existent and the last couple of times we have tried I have been too sore - this doesn't seem to be about dryness but more one area that seems quite raw "up there" resulting in a bit of bleeding - when I say attempted that is exactly what it was - we couldn't continue:(. I am lucky that I don't have mood swings as such however there are times I could cry at the drop of a hat. I intend seeing the doc about the bleeding after our attempts at sex but am not particularly worried about it - it would ve lovely if I could find my libido somewhere and then be able to do something about it without pain ...

... Oh yes nearly forgot the joint pain - I can hardly walk if I have to get up in the middle of the night of have been still for any length of time - my feet/ankles are so painful - the pain resolves quickly once I am moving but it so wearing. If anyone has any remedies for this I would be grateful.

Hi, I'm in the club too, I fear. Am just turned 36 and have been having an ever increasing list of symptoms of peri-menoupause for about 4 years, I now realise. Turns out I've family history of early menopause that I knew nothing of .

The symptoms have become unbearably intense these last couple of months and I've finally been to the GP. I'm now awaiting test results for FSH, thyroid function (although I've had that tested as fine several times in the last years) and diabetes. Am swinging between being somewhat terrified and rather relieved that some sort of clarity and help may be at hand.

I've taken control and fished out the leaflet that my GP gave me and I've booked onto a stress and mood management course in July.

Hi everyone. All our symptoms sound so awful but it feels good to not be alone going through this.
My mood swings are not horrendous as yet (bar PMT - I get help from those Calms tablets) but my mood is generally low. I'm hoping I'm a bit anemic (from all the random bleeding) so have started taking a menopause supplement which includes iron.
Since coming back from the dr last week and being told my symptoms were menopause I've had a hard time getting my head round it. DH has been really supportive (which I was surprised at). Damn period arrived a week early too just to prove a point I think!

Will be trying evening primrose and magnesium for breast pain - Thanks for that tip - I'm really suffering with that

im 49 have been diagnosed as peri for a few years now, but periods were wildly erratic for a few years before i went to drs for a blood test, last year went 7 monthes period free, one period end of july, nothing since except a slight spotting on going toilet for a no2, to say i was gutted is an understatement, felt like i was so close to the 12 month mark but so far away, however im not sure if that can be classed as a period as it only happened twice. i have gone through the night sweats, waking in the night for loo, vivid dreams some rather rude ones, insomnia, hot flashes although reducing are more intense now, not sure if its due to the weather or not, walked out of work dr gave me antidepressants, another dr took me of them and gave me diazapam, then month later took me of those and gave me sleeping tablets and a referal for a mental health assesment, which im still waiting for nearly 2 monthes on, im currently taking menopace, vitamin b complex, calcium, omega 3 6 and 9, and glucasamine, to help keep me calm have tried kalms work at times, to sleep have used kalms night, nytol, st johns wort and noctura. currently trying meditation to help sleep and have bought a lumie body clock. i am normally the most placid of person ever now im like i wont take crap anymore i speak my mind when i feel the need to and if others want to argue the point i say my piece then go mute, im loving watching my collegues pick holes in everything i say and do, for the first time in my life i told a collegue to butt out of something she had no buisness getting involved in and boy it didnt go down well with her but later in day we were fine with each other, i who normally could be talked into changing her mind over a belief just for the peace and quiet now refuses to even if it annoys others, do i feel bad for it no. i say the menopause can be a great exscuse for having a tantrum lol

49.5 Missed 2 periods over the last 18 months, missed one again last month. If I'm due to have a period this month, would it have come 28 days after the missed one was due? Am wanting to wear my white linen trousers but I'm on constant alert so they're stuck in the cupboard.

Oh man I am so grateful to this thread and all you fellow loons sufferers.

I posted on here ages ago, and after a couple of horrendous months with awful pmt where I thought I was going MAD, literally insane.. I have re read my posts above, and have taken up the B6 again.

I find that on day 7 (or thereabouts) before my period is due I descend into the most awful bleak black moods, I am horrible to my family and almost suicidally depressed. It lifts after a few days but I really feel like I'm going off my head. I also have a terrible memory and it's such a comfort to read that it's a common problem - I was worried I had some kind of brain tumour (overreact? me???).

I'm 46 btw and my periods although a bit erratic aren't really yet at the bonkers unpredictable all over the place stage. It's really the mental effects that are really hard to deal with.

I'll keep taking the B6 but am interested in the poster further up (sorry I can't find your post now) who was on Anti D's for a couple of weeks prior to her period. I don't really want to go down the Anti d route really, but neither do I want to throw myself off a bridge in a moment of Menopause related insanity . . .