Questions for those who have been through menopause

[Notworthy]

Sorry for keep dipping in and out of this thread . I have been taking the health & her perimenopause tablets. Really no idea if they are working or not. I have been carrying on taking them just in case they are.

I also have another appointment booked with a different GP on the 4th November ( and I am armed with a symptom list). I am praying that something happens because I have just been fobbed off time and time again for the last year.
I feel like I’m going crazy - if I’m not feeling rage then I’m at work sat in front of my pc like I have never used one before . Can’t describe the panic I felt just looking at a screen and wondering why my brain wasn’t working.

I am struggling to remember what things are ( that I would have easily recalled previously ). It is like the words are just not there but yet they should be.

Sleep is all over the place - moods all over the place. I feel hungry all the time . Periods have been hit and miss all year . If I do have one then it’s very light ( so light I’d argue it’s not even a period - more like spotting).
Have to get up for work now .. this will be another day of feeling exhausted all day.

That is 100% peri, it was telling my friend that I had become so forgetful that led her to ask me my age and tell me what was going on. I used to be a natural speller, all of a sudden i was having to google the simplest of words

 

[GetOffMyLawn]

Well, I’ll let you know the outcome of my appointment tomorrow morning ladies. Should find out definitively what is going on xx

 

[wifeyfaefife]

Random but has anyone ever experienced dizziness with menopause? I feel like I’m going crazy

Yip, heart palpitations too. Used to happen in the shower mostly. Then would get all anxious about it. All three are included in the long list of symptoms

 

[Snowjoke]

This is really embarrassing but here goes 🫤
Iv noticed recently after going to the toilet for a pee there’s a smell left behind, I shower every day so it’s not that I’m dirty. Does this happen to anyone else and if so what have you done to change this ?? All recommendations welcome I’m so paranoid

It’s not embarrassing at all Sometimes the changes in hormones in our bodies during peri/menopause can cause a smell or odour in your urine. But as it’s a change for you and your noticing it, I would definitely get on to your gp to check a urine sample to make sure it’s not from an infection

 

[YetAnotherObsessionx]

I’ve been buying lots of ice (we have no food just ice) for the freezer, I take them out and I lay in n the kitchen floor with ice bags on me. Or I put my feet in ice cold water. I look unhinged but happy

Feet in a bowl of cold water is a winner, isn't it. Give it a few months & I'll have my feet on a hot water bottle instead.

 

[Notworthy]

I found this interesting. Also" Megs Menopause" is great on Instagram, she has a range of products "MM" especially for menopause in Boots, Superdrug etc.

No doubt over priced like the day she did in London that was around £170 for entry.

 

[HitnMiss]

HRT has helped me with sleep.

 

[Cupcakemum]

what was your initial cycle length if you don’t mind sharing?

mines gone from clockwork 32 to anything from 20-37. The thing I noticed the most was how the flow has changed. It’s gone from being heavy my entire life (I have endometriosis) to almost scant! I actually did pregnancy tests as I thought it was breakthrough bleeding because it was so light, but then I’d have a massive bleed the next time to almost make up for it?

All my life I've been bang on 28 days. I've had one month where it went 32, but now it's settled at 25.
I've been through phases where it's been really heavy for me, and now it's hardly anything.
I never thought I'd want the heavy days back, but I feel my body needs that even though its not doing it.
I'm weeing every hour, sometimes more, and most nights I'm up for the loo when I've never had to do that.
I've never felt the need to do any pregnancy tests, but funny you should say that because I said to my husband the other day that with my feet and ankles feeling so hot and fat, bloated belly, sore boobs and constant weeing that I feel pregnant.
It's all delightful isn't it!!

 

[Notworthy]

Hey lovelies
I usually hang out on the Hinch thread but wanted to find others who are going through this perimenopausal crap.

I am 50 but have struggled for around 5 years with hot flushes, horrible mood swings, random blubbing sessions, heavy bleeding (to the point i needed a spare change of clothing if I left home) and itchy skin.

The last straw was a very public meltdown and uncharacteristic rant at some random rude little man. I saw red mist and just verbally let rip!
I saw a lovely Gynaecology consultant mid September and prescribed Combined continual HRT - Oestrogel (rub onto inner thighs, one pump each side a day and Provera 10mg (progesterone) tablets until I get a Mirena IUD fitted.

I was undergoing diagnostics for suspected blood cancer for 4 months over the summer, which, thankfully turned out negative but they found Ovarian cysts and Adenomyosis on the CT & internal ultrasound.

So far, no bleeding, so a relief in itself, side effects, boobs ache and seem to have expanded! The only thing I really want rid of is the skin crawling sensation. Hopefully the Oestrogel will help In time.
Due another Ultrasound next few weeks.

I hope everyone here gets any help they need. It's taken years for me - fobbed off by my GP & put on Sertraline which achieved diddly squat.
It's a really hard and confusing time in a woman's life. Thankfully it is being addressed much more nowadays. Xx

As much as I love my mirena, I am not onboard with the idea that the progestin in it compensates adequately. I was on estrogen only due to my mirena and it was horrendous. I suspect I was estrogen dominant and it was progesterone that I actually required.
When I had my mirena fitted I was told the progesterone is only released locally so why, when we hit menopause does that suddenly change!
Also re Sertralne you need to take that up with your GP. Guidelines are very clear that AD's should not be given for menopause symptoms and there is absolutely no excuse for a GP not to be keeping up with guidelines that affect 50% of their patients. Menopause isn't some niche illness.

 

[Notworthy]

I couldn’t care less if a private specialist makes a profit from my misery- good! As long I feel better. I’m sick of wasting my time or money on GPs and other holistic practitioners who think yoga, seed cycling and wafting a bit of sage about my ovaries twice a month to exorcise the demons is going to help. The amount of money I’ve wasted this year on shite that’s supposed to help and did absolutely nothing. Nope. Take my money menopause expert and give me that HRT. My hormones have always been fucked and I’ve always been sensitive to them in extreme ways so I suspected menopause would be a beast for me but I must admit when I passed 35 I thought I’d missed the early menopause that plagued my mother, but clearly not. I can not WAIT to go on HRT. I have zero quality of life and can barely function. I don’t just feel like I’m suicidal at times, I feel like I’m dying… and I’ve actually been quite seriously ill a number of times but nothing has ever been as bad as this. So if I get a few tuts and shakes of the head from people who think I’ve been exploited and I just needed to exercise more and improve my sleep hygiene they can kiss my ass. You think I’ve not tried those things already?!!!

I'm with you sister.

 

[RoseRazor]

Absolutely agree!

I won’t be changing my mind nor defending myself. I only hope anyone else considering HRT doesn’t feel intimidated to speak up now. We need more safe places to discuss ALL options! I hope everyone here finds the solution that helps them the best (HRT or holistic) but yeah, I can’t wait for my appointment tomorrow and to get my life back on track

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, does anyone have deodorant recommendations? Because I stink and nothing seems to help right now Mens deodorant?

 

[Jwren]

I'm struggling too. It's all around my middle and I look pregnant!

Not sure if this helps but I cut down on gluten and that’s made a difference to me. I eat less bread and eat more rice, baked potatoes, gluten free pasta and sourdough bread which contains less gluten (as gluten free bread doesn’t taste great, it’s also quite expensive).
I also take vitamins/supplements to help balance my hormones which have helped and walking whenever I can, sometimes just a 15 minute fast walk.

 

[House of Tea]

My friends GP recommended ‘ menopace max’ tablets. Herbal things. Not HRT. You can get them from a chemist. He specified the max ones as they are loads in the range. I got 3 for 2 in boots.
It is made up of 26 nutrients yes it probably does nothing but I feel it can’t make any peri symptoms worse

Could you please report back on them once you have taken them for a while?

 

[Woolmercardington]

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel I have a real intolerance to exercise. I never seem to feel any better off.

 

[Base2019]

Would HRT have any effect on slowing down ageing and the dreaded loss of collagen ?

I don’t think it does. Although it does stop me from being a mental bitch so that’s probably anti ageing in itself

 

[Woolmercardington]

I took a vitB complex last year, but realised quite quickly I didn't need when it turned my pee neon yellow I get annual bloods done as part of my diabetes review and asked to get iron studies, ferratin, bone profile, etc, done as well, and they were all normal.

Speaking of diabetes, I'm Type 1 and have come to realise there is a massive information gap when it comes to T1 and menopause. Hormones have such an impact on blood glucose. For example, most women become insulin resistant prior to her period and this is "thought" to be due to an increase in progesterone. I would often run an annoyingly high BG a couple of days prior to my period. Now however, it's more like two weeks!! My bloods are all over the shop and terribly difficult to control.

I still don't think I'm exhibiting many obvious peri symptoms, but this is definitely one I've noticed over the past year.

 

[House of Tea]

Mine hasn’t reached the cardigan stage, and tea stirring isn’t on the agenda. But boy is he moody.

 

[If i told you …]

Thank you for your reply. I think I’ll make an appointment for the GP and see what he says. Think I’ve put it off because of covid, because my doctor is in his 70’s and I dont feel like Im ‘suffering’ enough if you know what I mean.

Good luck today and let us know how you get on

So I have just had a great consultation with the GP and she has told me to stop taking Elleste solo now and has prescribed oestrogel. You apply it to your thigh at night. One pump on each. She said it’s stronger than tablets and safer in terms of clots. Fingers crossed that it suits me

Let me know how you get on with your doctor. I would just say to him that you would very much like to try hrt and see how it works for you x

l this thread

 

[Suzesnooze]

I've just turned 52. My Dr has referred me for testing at a cancer clinic which has terrified me. I've also been reading online that lots are reporting periods restarting after having vaccine.

They will refer any woman who bleeds after menopause. Are you on HRT? Sometimes it can be slight thickening of the womb lining, fibroids or polyps.

 

[Libbylulu]

Sorry if this is a ridiculous question but how can you know if you are oestrogen dominant? Can you be oestrogen or progesterone dominant then? Blood test? Or are there also signs?

The mysteries of estrogen dominance

Learn about this form of hormonal imbalance — estrogen dominance sn't just about having too much estrogen.

www.womenshealthnetwork.com

there’s lots online hopefully this helps