Perimenopause moans #2

[Mammy2021]

Trying to enjoy myself on my solo break at Center Parcs but I have severe imposter syndrome being here on my own. Surrounded by families and groups of friends. I must ignore

Go and enjoy it! Reading books, chilling by the fire watching TV with a glass of something nice. Eating whenever and whatever you want!! Don’t be self conscious, enjoy the me time and have lots of pampering if you can and lie ins!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷

 

[Falkor]

THANK YOU to those of you who've mentioned sleep as a symptom over the past couple of days. It's made me realise that I haven't had more than a couple of full nights of sleep in the past 3 or 4 months and that, combined with a new symptom of itchy skin, plus the existing ones of night sweats, hot flushes, atrocious short-term memory, fat redistribution, crying at adverts and a cycle that's now anything from 3 to 6 weeks, meant I called the surgery at lunchtime today and have an appointment tomorrow to discuss starting HRT. I'm 49 next month, so hopefully won't be too much of a battle.

Oh Gods, I got a dinosaur locum Insisted on sending me for a blood test, even though NICE and NHS Scotland's guidelines both state that after 45 perimenopause should be diagnosed on symptoms. Then told me that difficulty sleeping and dry, itchy skin aren't symptoms of perimenopause, despite both being listed on NHS Scotland's website as such. He was pushing a variety of alternative medications to treat the individual symptoms and even said that my changed fat distribution could be because I might be pre-diabetic and they'd test for that in the bloods at the same time as the FSH levels.

Blood test is in 2 weeks' time and I shall go to it, but I'm also drafting a complaint letter to the practice manager just in case I need it after the follow-up appointment.

 

[didisaythatoutloudoops]

Well I'm 64, I've been bleeding on and off for six weeks now - and having very bad period-like pains. I never experienced any menopause symptoms but presumed I'd gone through it as my periods did stop, aside from a bit of bleeding here and there (usually if I spent a lot of time with my daughter while she was on her period, it seemed to 'give' me one).

I'm going for a biopsy on 5 December - it was meant to be Monday but the NHS have pushed it back. I have to say I'm really quite scared and hope nothing is wrong with me.

 

[Blockster]

I am noŵ nearly 3 years without a period so we'll and truly menopause and mostly I'm fine, alot calmer, no longer a slave to my hormones and I'm not on HRT. However earlier this year I developed vaginal atrophy and that was not good, I thought I had it sussed by moisturising with natural lubricants everyday but they didn't work.

Anyway I am now 3 months on ovestin oestrogen cream and its a miracle, I can't believe how well it works. Don't suffer ladies it makes you feel normal again. The menopause is cruel because you don't have periods anymore or the worry of pregnancy but you can't bloody have sex as your fanny feels like it's been put in the wash and shrunk! Anyway the cream solves all that.

 

[Roobarb]

225 period free days, was so hopeful it was done with, but no, have period so now back to zero!

 

[50sGirl]

Not sure it's perimenopause or just a cold January but I'm feeling incredibly depressed. I have chronic depression and take tablets for it but I'm so very low for past few days. I lost my dad in November so is this grief. I'm sleeping well but am aware I am thrashing around a lot, very vivid dreams, I'm sort of semi awake.

I take hrt and it takes the edge off. Sorry if this is the wrong thread

You lost your dad only a few months ago so go easy on yourself, it’s grief.
It is so very hard and I’m sorry for your loss. January is a hard month for most anyway without your grief and depression and peri menopause added into the mix.
There is no timeline for healing so try to take each day as it comes.

I cried every day for 3 months and, if I’m totally honest, it was a year before I felt I could properly function again.
That said, grief is like a fingerprint - everyone’s is different.
My friend lost her dad last year and she was out socialising and posting happy photos to Facebook within a week. Did she love her dad less than I love mine? Of course not, she just dealt with it differently. There is no wrong or right way, there is only your way.
Post on here if it helps xx

 

[ScotLass81]

I hope no one minds me joining in. I'm 43 and been having symptoms since I was 39 but no health professional I have seen will take me seriously enough to even do any tests and keep telling me I'm too young.

I know it's not an exact science but my Mum went in to peri at 36 and menopause at 46.

I'm struggling with various things and have a(nother) doctors appointment next week. Hopefully this time someone will listen!

 

[Bettyboo2475]

Trying to enjoy myself on my solo break at Center Parcs but I have severe imposter syndrome being here on my own. Surrounded by families and groups of friends. I must ignore

 

[petitspois]

Sorry I’m late to the Louise Newsom panorama chat, but I have really gone off her. She did an interview after with the Mail and it was such a manipulative PR piece. A huge sob story talking about things like how her dad died when she was 9 - what has that got to do with anything?! Then saying things like asking if people want her dead or in an asylum, and “My husband worries a lot about me,' she says. 'He feels very helpless. He'll text the girls to say, 'Check on your mum'.”
All implying she is going to hurt herself because she is being questioned rather than arguing back logically or with facts.
Major ‘off’ vibes from it all.

I agree to an extent but the program should really have focused on why so many women are going private and why the NHS is failing us. It could have touched on women’s healthcare in general being a shit show compared to men but don’t get me started on that!

 

[Bettyboo2475]

Not sure it's perimenopause or just a cold January but I'm feeling incredibly depressed. I have chronic depression and take tablets for it but I'm so very low for past few days. I lost my dad in November so is this grief. I'm sleeping well but am aware I am thrashing around a lot, very vivid dreams, I'm sort of semi awake.

I take hrt and it takes the edge off. Sorry if this is the wrong thread

 

[louderforthecheapseats]

Drives me insane, it’s like they’ve suddenly decided there’s £££ to be made and it p’s me off as they’re preying on women at a time when they’re feeling vulnerable. A friend told me yesterday that’s she’s ‘investing’ £1k into a programme with a menopause coach to stop her feeling so tired. Refuses to go to her GP (a qualified medical professional) and try HRT but happy to lay out ££ to some charlatan she found on the internet. She’s an intelligent woman but she’s being had here

 

[Mammy2021]

So I found out today, following my heavy post-menopause bleeding investigations, that I have pre-cancerous cells in my uterus. I'm too at-risk for a hysterectomy due to other medical reasons, so they've implanted a coil, are going to do a CT scan in January and biopsies every 3 months.

I have to say I am just completely freaking out. Has anyone had similar?

Please try and not worry about this. Pre cancerous means if it’s left without treatment for a long time , it could possibly develop into cancerous cells. Saying that, it still doesn’t mean you’ll get cancer. Great thing is they’ve flagged it and you’re on their system to be treated now. You will probably have to have a more detailed exam of your cervix - a colposcopy and they might worse case scenario have cells lazered off - can’t remember what the term is. But it’s a very very common thing for women. Smear results
range from CIN 1 (very mild) to CIN3. I would highly doubt this would require a hysterectomy.
Please do one thing. Stop panicking. It’s pre cancerous cells and the good news is that they haven’t said it’s developed into cancer. Loads
of women, myself included have had abnormal pre cancerous cells.
Get your GP or hospital to talk to you and try ease your worries.
🩷🩷🩷🩷

 

[It’s The Truman Show]

how many days are you when it is over?
Sorry to be nosy but how old are you?
I think I’m about 90 days but went around 150 2 years ago. I’m nearly 51.

I went 199 days and had a period start on Thursday. Bloomin annoying. I’m 55!! Like piss off!!

 

[Falkor]

Blood test done, practice nurse firmly on my side that it shouldn't have been necessary 'but don't get me started on women's health matters up here, if you were a bloke wanting viagra you'd have been prescribed it no questions' and she says there's a sympathetic female locum in next week so has booked me an appointment with her next Monday to discuss the results and, hopefully, get a prescription.

And I did have to stand on the scales and get my blood pressure taken as well.

 

[MariaMariaSoContrary]

Has anyone tried to raise their estrogen levels via diet or supplements? I'm in the early stages of peri menopause and just trying to plan ahead a bit. Thanks

I'm vegan, and consume quite a bit of soy (edamame beans, tofu, miso soup, natto, soy yogurt and soy milk). I'm 51 and feeling good! They say that soy might be the reason why Japanese women tend to said through the menopause. Not sure if this is true, but this, together with daily exercise, is certainly working for me.

 

[Drea1984]

Terrible rage!! Frightening almost- I walked out of work last week. I felt that if I hadn’t I’d have completely lost it. I have had a murderously difficult 3 years so it’s hard to know if it’s menopause or just being pissed off!

 

[ChineseAlan]

Waking up and as soon as your eyes open you’ve surging anxiety. The last few days over ovulation have been brutal. I’ve had anxiety all my life but this is just horrible. I just needed to let that out, I’ve been crying since 7am. Waking up feeling this surging adrenaline for no damn reason is so hard. 🥲🥲🥲

I haven’t yet had hot flushes or night sweats, I’ve had cycles getting shorter over the last 2 years, then back to normal, then this year long cycles 45-55 days, then back to normal like they are now. Anxiety and depression this year, I feel totally lost in my head. Lost my umph for my hobbies and anything I enjoy. I feel isolated and alone. I’ve no Mum to talk to about this as we don’t have a close relationship, I tried to talk to her but she said basically suck it up.

My gp only let you do online econsult and I got told you’re 44 we don’t give treatment and it won’t be peri at my age despite telling them I’ve had pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, cycles all over the place, crippling anxiety at ovulation, sleep issues…Is it worth taking HRT once I’m 45 if my cycles currently have settled again? For now. Should I wait out until the hot flushes start and haywire cycles kick in again?

 

[Anotherdayanotherwalk]

It’s just bandwagon jumping and feels so belittling for some reason,

I think you're right. I think the reason it feels belittling is that because it's a women's issue medical research (like all other things specifically related to the female body) is much more limited die to the bias towards the male body. This means the only broader interest in the menopause is from those who wish to exploit women at a vulnerable stage in their lives and extract money from them. Every "expert" or "spokesperson" is shilling something so it all feels very disingenuous. I imagine it must be similar to living in the US where every element of healthcare has been monetised!

 

[Retro80s]

I’m on my period AGAIN, can’t sleep (been over a week now where I just can’t sleep at night), aching all over (osteoarthritis), and just miserable as my anxiety is back through the roof even though I’m on meds for it.
I’m on cocodamol for the pain but that makes me constipated so giving them a wide berth for now.

Isn’t it just shit being a woman sometimes…and I’m not even 50 yet

 

[petitspois]

I’m knee deep into the perimenopause and wholeheartedly support it being talked about more but even I’m sick of it all now. Maybe it’s the accounts I follow but everyone seems to be sharing and trying to make a buck out of it.