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?

I have read some of the post here and my god salvation... its not me going mad there are other people out there going through the same. two years i have been going to my gp, each test is normal to quote "we are at a loss to what is wrong with you" why has it taken for me to find Perimenopause, why has my gp not told me "well it could be..."
i went for an interview the other day and i felt like i was sat under a shower needless to say i didnt get the job! the hot flashes are driving me to dispear my mood swings are horrendus i am so angry all of the time! i feel exhausted going upstairs it may as well be mount everest. im sad all the time, an emotional wreck, cant sleep, my body hurts and the sweating! did i mention that..why wont my gp give me either a low dose contraceptive pill or a low dose HRT? why wont he aknowledge this? i have made yet again another appointment and i am going armed with information about the perimenopause
if he fails to treat me what can i do? i cannot go through another month of this, any advise would be welcomed warmly! :(

mum, is there anyway your GP can give you a referral to a gynaecologist?

how old are you? maybe your GP just looks at your age and dismisses menopause as a cause? I wouldn't be surprised if GPs are not very well informed about perimenopause....

omg, feel so relieved to know that I am not alone.. I came across this thread while googling my symptoms, they are, to name a few:RAGE, anxiety, backache, craving sugar and pastry, periods so heavy they keep me indoors for at least 2 days a month, a cycle that is now 21 days so very little respite, exhaustion, overheating, sweating, oh, and did I mention the uncontrollable RAGE? I have a 12 year old daughter, and sometimes I am ashamed to say, I scream in her face and call her names. It scares and upsets her and it terrifies me, but I feel so out of control and hormonal, I cant control it. I am 43 and have had ovarian cysts removed, I also have a history of mild depression related to deaths in my family and I feel 'labelled' whenever I have to see my GP as a hypochondriach and anxious depressive. I was put on the mirena coil to help with heavy periods and it did work for that, but it also caused pain and increased the ovarian cysts so not an option anymore. I have lost close friends and am driving my partner and daughter to despair with my moods and anger - any help or advice from those who have survived or are in the grips of this craziness??

I am 44 and my periods can be erratic but have been regular again lately.

i get the night sweats but not all the time, usually links with my period

I get tearful and ratty and feel depressed and have constant mood swings.

I also get itchy boobs at times

rubbish I know how you feel. I can be really horrible to my children too. It is not easy. My teenage dd's are not very nice at times and are quite bitchy.

I feel much calmer this week. I went away for the weekend and it did me a power of good.

Went to the doctors today and explained all of my symptoms to her. Her response? " so would you like some anti-depressants?" ffs was given prescription for hrt (prempak) but no advice or info. Will have a little think and investigate my options as this seems a bit slapdash! Grrrrrr. Thanks to everyone for all the common sense approaches and support offered via mumsnet so far, what a fabulous site full of 'normal' intelligent women. X

rubbisheeny I would have expected your -female- GP to be more understanding, but perhaps she is too young to be aware of how devastating the effects of hormonal turmoil can be. To truly understand, I think you need to have lived through it yourself or lived with someone who is experiencing it.

I identified completely with your symptoms. The terrible cravings I have for carbohydrates have made me put on weight and feel sluggish, my nights are spent alternating between hot flushes and then a feeling of being cold. As soon as I cover myself up again I get another hot flush. As for my feelings of rage...grrrr!

Im currently taking Starflower Oil, occasionally a calcium and magnesium supplement (although I find this irritates my stomach after a few days) but what helps most for the hot flushes is an occasional 10-day course of Abufene. I dont know if it is available in the uk (its French), it isnt HRT but makes me feel human again for sometimes weeks at a time.

Anyone taking soya in their food? Ive heard good reports.

I dont think Im there yet but, Im heading that way. Does anyone else keep forgetting things? I used to be so on the ball!

I forget stuff....soya is good I believe, but there is a safe amount you shouldn't go above. Don't know what it is sorry!

When I started with this stuff it was like a bolt from the blue. I felt like the rug had been pulled from under my feet and I was just swimming ..or drowning. Nothing about my body felt the same and I felt like I imagined 90 to be. I never thought aging would be so sudden and the feeling was so scary and depressing

This is an interesting thread! I have actually booked to see the GP tomorrow because of more frequent periods -- every two weeks over the last few months and a flare up of spots! Out of nowhere - very depressing.

I can tell it is some kind of hormonal change - my spots are always hormone related - so I started googling and found out about perimenstrual period.

I am 43 but have had no other symptoms.

Hi Ladies,
Every once in a while I like to refresh my thoughts knowing when I get a Symptom of Perimenopause thats all it is. I am now 48 but my first "REAL" symptom happened 4 months into my 45th birthday. Mood swings, facial hair, off balance spotting mid cycle happened eariler then 45 but as I said the worst symptom was 4 mos. after my 45th birthday. I was sound asleep and I woke to a really hard beating heart, once I realized my heart was beating hard, it started beating FAST, I mean really fast. Talk about a scary feeling, this IS! I see some post heart Palpitations which is what I had. I found taking Cal/Mag 2 times a day really helped. Magneisum is one of the best minerals our heart needs, especially at a time like this! Its also the most overlooked! I had heart palpations almost everynight after that for a few months. It made me almost afraid to go to bed. Cause it only happened at night in bed. But I truly believe once our hormones settle down so do the palpitations. I havent woke at night in months with Heart Palpitations. THANK GOD! I will never forget them once I realized my heart was beating strong, it was instant that the beats would get faster and faster I think close to 180-200 bpm. yes SCARY! I am not one to have night sweats, I get hot but never sweaty. If you ladies ever get palpitations try to relax until they pass, otherwise anxiety kicks in with it and you have a hard time getting rid of the racing heart. I have not missed a period to date. My periods come every 33-34 days, they use to be every 37-41, so a little closer together, a little heavier but not like Women I know so many say they bleed very heavy, not me.. I still have a 6 day period. Though the first 3 are a period the last are just annoying almost nothing there. How many ladies get the racing heart, and do you remember the first time it happened. ALL DOCTORS want to send you to a cardiologist, understandably so but everyone I know that has had palps. all tests come back normal, and hormones are the problem. I remember having blood tests done showing I have low progesterone, I was told to buy Progensa20 by allvia, which is a Bioidentical Progesterone cream. I used it for about a year until they changed the packaging and INGREDIENTS, when I recieved a new bottle with the new label a half hour after rubbing the cream on my heart started racing, I havent used it since its been over a year ago. As I said hormones level out. I am hope one day when I turn 51 the periods just STOP. I also have episodes of lightheadedness, thats scary especially IF it happens while driving, and it can, it did to me twice now. If anyone has any questions feel free to post them.
Take care
Sue2U

This is reassuring for me. I'm 38, and I've been having lots of these symptoms for at least a year. The hot flushes have been going on a while longer than that though; I thought they were from one of several conditions I have which can mess with your temperature control. But putting all the pieces together, I'm pretty certain that I'm going through the peri-menopause. The main symptoms I've had are as follows:

My periods have become more frequent (they used to be every 32 days, now they're down to every 25), and they seem a bit lighter.
My premenstrual mood swings have got worse.
I get terrible hot flushes, definitely much worse these last few months. They start inside my head/ears/face then often spread, and they sometimes last all or most of a day/night (is this normal - or can it be normal??),
Itchiness - which is worse in the winter, (my theory here is that it's because I wear more clothes, causing more irritation ?)
Forgetfullness. So annoying, and I worry I will forget something important one of these days.
Severe breast pain and swelling.
Tiredness, where it's a real effort to do anything.
Deodorant not working so well, (but mainly on one side!)
Lack of interest in sex, but I think that is sometimes due to feeling hot, sticky and a bit disgusting. :(

There are probably some things I've forgotten, but my memory isn't so good, (as I mentioned!)

I had a hormone test last year which came out normal, but it seems like that's not very reliable. Mostly doctors say that it can't be to do with the menopause as I'm still have regular periods. I think I might need to see another doctor..

I tried agnus castus a few years ago for fertility issues and it made me feel crazy with really extreme moods, so I'm wary of trying that again. But I have found that ground flaxseed - 1 tablespoon twice a day - seems to be helping a bit with certain things, like flushes, mood swings and breast pain. I've been taking it for a month, and will continue with that to see how it goes.

It's interesting to see other women with these symptoms at similar ages to me. Makes me feel less like I'm going completely crazy. :)

(Sorry for the really long post! It feels better to get this all down).

Oh, and palpitations, and anxious feelings. Knew I'd forget something!

I also tried Angus castus and it gave me terrible mood swings. My periods have gone from every 28 days to about every 20 days. Sometimes I think that I am spotting mid period at about day 16 but then I realise that this is just a gradual start to my period! I am 40 and can not bear for this to go on for another 10 years.

I am 40 and in the menopause. Ha a test and the fsh (I think) had to be over 9 to be classed as going that way, mine was 60 something.

I went to the GP with a long list of random symptoms, here it is (copied out) Symptoms

Hot flush, night sweats. Flushes 6 or more times a day breaking out into all over sweat with palpitations, night sweats, waking up at 4am dying... Inability to get back to sleep
Dizziness constant sensation of falling forwards especially when on stairs. When lying down, bed spin
Headaches back of head in hairline and front lobes
Neck and back ache but think this is not related
Noise in ears, like the hum of an air conditioner unit or high pitched ringing
Palpitations often

Vitamin b, c and e
Black cohosh no effect
No alcohol
Diet better
Exercise walking, can't do anything else

There you go, am on HRT now and a lot better. I feel older though

Frankie, I get that feeling as well around mid-cycle. "Pre-menstrual" is pretty early for me too..

OneLieIn, think I need another blood test to see if my levels have changed in a year. My symptoms certainly feel a lot worse. Getting it confirmed would mean I'd have to admit it to myself, and I'd probably feel rubbish about being menopausal (or nearly), at 38. But at least I'd know the reason for all this crap stuff. I also get dizziness and light-headedness and insomnia. (My list just keeps getting longer!!)

I'm finding each post fascinating. And feeling less alone...

Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned:

I use natural progesterone cream to help with my symptoms. It hasn't eradicated them completely but they're a lot better including hot flushes and night sweats as well as headaches and migraines.

It's worth reading up on it to see if its suitable for you.

There is a really simple solution to everyone's problems!!!!!! Go on the pill. I spent several years going to doctors in the uk and the use with my multiple symptoms (same as everyone else has described) and finally around the same time got referred to hormone specialists in both the uk and the use and they both said..."you are peri-menopausal" and the easy fix is to go on the pill. It's important that it's a mono-phasic (same dosage all the time) pill. So I did and within a month pretty much all my awful symptoms were gone and on top of that a few extra that I didn't even realize were hormone related (like the bad hair day I had been having for the previous 4 years which I had blamed on the humid english weather...). It got rid of bladder leakage, migraines, depression, painful, heavy periods, cramps soreness, asthma attacks, irritable bowel to just name a few symptoms I was experiencing. In addition, the water gain that you get on the pill that makes you look fat when you are 20, does remarkable nice things to a haggard, wrinkly face when you are in your 40's and everyone kept telling me how healthy I looked!

Interesting! I BEGGED to be put on the pill but GP refused - I'm on HRT, reasonably happy with it, but would love to know how many of my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms may be hormone-related. You've listed a bunch of them!

Now doctors aren't so scared of HRT, I think I'll try a second onslaught. As I say every time they try to take me off the HRT - I've got less than half a lifetime left and would rather live fewer years with fewer symptoms than drag it out in misery ...

I was amazed at how little my gp's in both the uk and the usa knew about peri-menopause. My symptoms and age were classic clues....how could they not have known right away what was wrong, and even more upsetting, how simply they could have solved my problem by putting me on the pill (instead of mirena coil which is what i was using at the time) instead of sending me on wild goose chases (expensive ones in the use) to urologists and psychiatrists and bio feed back (that was a disaster...stupid gel on stupid wand gave me thrush and urinary tract infections for months!).

Thank god for this thread.

SofiaAmes, my GP will not prescribe the pill because he has decided that I have high blood pressure.

In fact he has been bloody useless all round. I have told my kids (teenagers) that I will see another doctor next week as they are really worried about me. I think they think that I am seriously ill, that I might be dying.

I am up at night - like now - exhausted but unable to sleep.
I fall asleep during the day, sometimes twice a day. Sometimes my kids have come home from school and found me on my bed, asleep.
I am just so, so tired.
My periods are very heavy and I bleed lightly in between constantly.
I am forgetful, anxious, dizzy.
Headaches.
Forgetfulness.

I am approaching 50.

Oh yes, I forgot about the insomnia, dizziness and exhaustion at inappropriate times...
You could really do your gp's head in and ask that he takes your blood pressure in both arms which is now the LATEST word ( american link, but uk study) on accurate blood pressure measurement and probably something your gp knows nothing about :)

AND the risk of HRT has been recently shown to be not quite as bad as the original study said a link to an article, but google for more and definitely looking fairly safe for younger women as study was done on much older women who had been menopausal for some years.

I get so riled up about this because I was so miserable for so many years when I didn't need to be....

I think I would be a good candidate for HRT, then? Thanks for the links.

A also have a changed appetite, and feel quite nauseous sometimes.

Also worth checking Louann Brizendine's website here and her book The Female Brain. It really does help you understand what is going on and not feel quite so crazy and useless! (I do want to disclose that she is a family friend)