Peri menopause moans

[EAD]

Discovered this thread on another.....how helpful.

I am 48, periods still monthly, started having migraines in 2017 aged 43 once or twice per month, definitely hormone related, still have them. They are not as bad as they used to be thank goodness.

Other things I've noticed is irrational anxiety about things or things that haven't even happened, also indecisiveness and procrastination, not sure if those are hormone related or just me

 

[Baby Giraffe]

Since peri my ability to cope with things and to just manage to get on with things in a practical way just upped and left. I didn’t know it was hormonal and felt like I was falling apart and that I was totally useless. I had no idea how I would continue and got no joy from anything, even things I used to love. I actually started on HRT to mainly help with my sleep which was totally disrupted by night sweats and that improved within a few weeks but after about 6 months I realised I was me again, I didn’t feel numb and was able to deal with things rationally. I’m also protecting my body for the long term, unless there is a medical reason not to take HRT (which, with modern types is a lot rarer than often thought) then please don’t see it as giving in, you’re simply replacing something your body isn’t producing, the same as you would if you were a diabetic. I’m a much better person as a result.

 

[Notworthy]

Is anyone else getting words mixed up? Like I'll be talking and another word comes out instead - related, but not the word I wanted. I'm really worried that I've got early onset dementia. For example, I was talking about contact lenses and I said liquid rather than solution.

Another example - I typed 41 into a text instead of 40. I didn't even notice until someone mentioned it. And I had 40 in my head when I was texting. Didn't even notice I'd put 41.

I'm 45 in a few months, can you be perimenopausal at 44? Periods regular as clockwork

The most embarrassing thing happened to me. I was out running with a group and passed another group of Women walking, 1 of whom happened to be someone I hadn't seen in years but always got on well with. I hate running so when I saw her I thought how much I would prefer to be walking with them but as I ran past and my friend asked how I was I blurted out 'much better than you' It was literally the opposite of what I was thinking.
If it's any consolation things do improve although my brain isn't back to it's best.

 

[Suzesnooze]

I struggle with the same and take evening primrose oil. It takes couple of weeks to start seeing effect but I’ve only had a handful of nights I’ve woken up and been awake in the last month or so.

Yes, after a recommendation on here that evening primrose can help hot flushes/night sweats, I started taking it just over 3 weeks ago and it’s finally kicking in and I’m definitely waking up less with the night sweats and not having as many. Would recommend.

 

[kachoochoo]

hello! saw this thread pop up on the home page earlier and I'm so glad

I'm 39, I am childfree. I have always been ambivalent about having children, but realising I'm going through an early meno has kinda broken something in me

like, I've been saying to myself, for months now

"you're still spotting, no meno!"

"You're tired due to everything else, no meno!"

"You're not having hot flashes, no meno!"

(Although today I've learned all about *cold* flashes and they're definitely a thing )

then I thought I'd check my period app. I've read that the definition of menopause is 12m without a period and I can't remember shit

My last documented period was April 2022. I never even realised

 

[Delia Smith]

Absolutely knackered, with a underlying ‘nervous’ feeling most days

 

[veronica71]

I started HRT just over two weeks ago. I don’t have periods due to the mini pill so didn’t have issues with them but was having hot flushes, achy joints, anxiety, anger, brain fog….. have to say I feel so much better. I have more energy, my joints don’t ache, I’ve not had a hot flush in two weeks and I just feel more like myself - in a way I didn’t realise how I wasn’t myself until now if that makes sense.

My mum was very anti HRT and she suffered so much that I was willing to give anything a go and I’m very glad I have. Obviously isn’t and doesn’t work for everyone but just my experience

 

[blueblue]

Soooooo happy to have found this thread, could actually cry with relief!

 

[petitspois]

Stupid question but why do they deplete at such a young age.

I suppose it's one area that hasn't evolved as we live longer. We have a reproductive window so those hormones are needed for that purpose. We used to die a lot earlier so didn't have such a long period without our hormones.

I'm pretty sure testosterone levels drop in men as they get older but they drop as opposed to fall off a cliff and the effect on men is just to calm them down in my eyes whereas the absence of our hormones cause a whole body assault for women.

 

[Tangerine Cat]

Did anyone else's libido go through the roof? OMG the last year has been insane. Hubby's most uttered sentence has been ‘I’ll be glad when this bloody menopause is finished'. Honestly what a melt, there wasn’t enough before now there’s too much?

 

[Notworthy]

IIRC the NICE Guidelines say diagnosis can be made without bloods and on symptoms from the age of 45.
They do love a good hormone blood tests though these GPS.

Diagnosis should be made by symptoms alone after 45. IMO the FSH test can only confirm that you are in peri, it cannot be used to confirm you aren't regardless of age due to the nature of peri ie our hormones are fluctuating abnormally.
Basically any GP that uses the FSH test on any Woman over 45 has not bothered to read the NICE guidelines!!! I'd put a complaint in, time these Drs were hauled over the coals for this. We're not talking about some illness that they might see once in their working life, we're talking about something that will affect 50% of their patients at some point. IT ISN'T ACCEPTABLE.

 

[petitspois]

My wee smells different. My first wee of a morning is so strong smelling it nearly knocks my patch off

Haha, I randomly clicked on a thread with a new post without looking and thought ‘what the fuck is this?’

 

[petitspois]

We’re all supposed to be wise now we’re older but what would we be like if nature had it’s way? Forgetful, with thinning hair and night sweats, anxious and depressed and looking like an egg on legs. Women draw the short straw!

 

[petitspois]

Can anyone recommend a decent supplement they have had success with? I have been overwhelmed when searching; the peri-menopause market now seems to be very crowded. I feel we have just become a marketing opportunity

I have had success with symptom-relief from weight training, improves sleep and mood plus benefit of gaining muscle mass. Next steps are trying to get my diet into order. I work in higher education and I am finding my compassion fatigue is significant, I just DON'T CARE about your problems

I think it's wise to avoid anything marketed specifically as for the menopause but do your research about ingredients that you are interested in then go for those. For example, buy a vit d and magnesium tablet as opposed to something marketed as a 'menopause support' tablet. The only supplements I take that I feel confident in recommending (jury is still out on the others) are vit d, magnesium and evening primrose. I also take calcium but that's possibly more an ageing thing as opposed to specifically for menopause.

 

[Aberscot]

Anyone got any suggestions for sleep issues, I am awake god knows how many times per night and constantly shattered.
Not particularly hot and sweaty, I had an op so went into surgical menopause 5 weeks ago but had sleep issues before but definitely worse now.

 

[Upintheair83]

Why? Why? Why? Aren't students taught about this in school??? You just reach middle age and your life turns upside down and you're left to flounder wondering what to do, where to go and end up trying to sort your life out on an anonymous website?! Wtf????
I'm not going into my own experiences but half the population goes through this and it's all still some big fucking mystery
Pissed off with myself always down playing the shite that peri and menopause cause. It's a big deal for most and it's so weird how there isn't a package of offered help and advice when we get to this stage.

This 100% I'm so shocked too. I also still can't believe my own mum never talked to me about it. She went through early menopause at 40 and never thought to tell me until I was 38! Like wtf??? I'm so glad more women feel comfortable talking about it now

 

[Hold my beans]

I've mentioned it before but I was having breast pain, just the right one which convinced me there was something very wrong. The GP referred me to the breast clinic and thankfully everything was fine. The consultant recommended evening primrose which totally worked - no more breast pain! Has helped so much with joint pain and definitely sleep better. I also take Boots' own women's multi vitamin

 

[zetta buttons]

So, I stopped taking my mini pill because to be quite frank I’d had enough and I needed to see how my body was without extra stuff before I went raging to the dr.

The last month has been symptom free. No secondary period after main period. No sore breasts for 2 weeks leading up to it. No Incredible Hulk anger. Yesterday (exactly a month to the day since the previous one started) I started feeling a bit meh,( sad and crap and basically rubbish) and lo and behold it started in the evening. It’s not really heavy and I feel like a different person.

My wife says I’m not angry/stressed as much as I was. I still look old AF but I think that’s a hangover from a shit time 2019-2021. I’ve never recovered.

More ammunition to the “WTF is going on”

 

[Louby@21]

I second exercise, boring but not preachy. I need some hiit to keep my emotional state/anxiety ticking. It’s like a release. So I do spin but I like exercise and I also do yoga, resistance training and walking. I think it’s important to move our bodies but in ways that we enjoy. Nutrition and what we eat plays a part too.

I’m also a big advocate for walking outside and in nature when possible, the day light and nature noises/ sights annd smells are so soothing.

I take kalms night for my sleep which seem to help keep me asleep but not all the time. Insomnia still wins sometimes. I did get headaches so only take them 3/4 times a week.

I’ve been on evening primrose oil for a couple of months alongside Menopace and vit d and I really think that’s helped some of the joint aches and other pains. I try and get other things from what I eat.

 

[zetta buttons]

When they come out of moles in threes…

Or when you go into the work loo and notice you’ve missed one for a few days and it’s over a cm long 🫣.