The Mad, Bad Menopause Thread

Jinx

cuddlymarm wrote: »

Hi Jinx

Sorry you are having a bad time at the moment but it will get better. Areeno is vey good and does shower gel as well as a nice creamy cream. Look for offers in B the chemist, they often do them.

Cuddles

Thanks for the recommendation, will give that a try!


Jinx x

Happier_Me

Happier_Me wrote: »

Hi All

Really pleased I found this thread. I am 41 and think I am peri menopausal.

For the last 18 months or so my periods have become less predictable and I now chart their comings and goings. It seems I am losing a day a month off my cycle and then at around a 23 or 24 day cycle length it kick starts back into a 29 day cycle for a month, for me to start the process of shortening cycle lengths again.

Worst of all are the symptoms which vary massively and are really unpredictable from month to month. This last period was awful. I battled a migraine for around 4 days then had severe PMT symptoms (anxiety, short tempered, tearful) for a further 3-4 days - I am a horrible person, you could lock me in a room with myself for five minutes and I would come out absolutely livid with myself:o.

Aunt Flo arrived, PMT symptoms eased and I spent the next two days feeling like I had been hit by a truck, flu type symptoms, extreme exhaustion, brain fog. My sleep is disturbed during this time and I am having night sweats and I struggle to manage my temperature during the day.

I can spend a fortnight a month feeling rubbish but there is no set pattern to the symptoms so I have no idea what to expect in the run up to or during a period. All I have learnt so far is to dread it!

Any thoughts, advice, ideas would be really appreciated.

I thought I would update this thread. I did go and see the doctor. She told me that hormone tests are unreliable and even if this did confirm I was peri menopausal it would not change the plan and that is to treat the symptoms

So no blood tests for me. The plan is treat the migraines first as these can be very debilitating. Once we have found the right drug to ease the migraines we can move onto treating the PMS type symptoms. The doctor tried to convince me that the migraines may be causing the disturbed sleep and PMS symptoms, whereas I think it is more likely the other way round. As I reach mid cycle my sleep becomes more and more disturbed and I start to feel anxious. I struggle to turn my brain off at night and I am more likely to wake up early due to a night sweat and then not fall back to sleep. A couple of nights of this and I am more prone to a migraine due to disturbed sleep.

We shall see how it goes. I have another appointment in five weeks time. Don't want to jinx anything but this month so far has been nowhere near as bad as last.

Mupette

Happier_Me wrote: »

I thought I would update this thread. I did go and see the doctor. She told me that hormone tests are unreliable and even if this did confirm I was peri menopausal it would not change the plan and that is to treat the symptoms

So no blood tests for me. The plan is treat the migraines first as these can be very debilitating. Once we have found the right drug to ease the migraines we can move onto treating the PMS type symptoms. The doctor tried to convince me that the migraines may be causing the disturbed sleep and PMS symptoms, whereas I think it is more likely the other way round. As I reach mid cycle my sleep becomes more and more disturbed and I start to feel anxious. I struggle to turn my brain off at night and I am more likely to wake up early due to a night sweat and then not fall back to sleep. A couple of nights of this and I am more prone to a migraine due to disturbed sleep.

We shall see how it goes. I have another appointment in five weeks time. Don't want to jinx anything but this month so far has been nowhere near as bad as last.

can i ask what medication they gave you for the migraines?

Becles

Just thought I would update this. I went back to the GP as suggested back in October due to the bleeding between periods. I was referred as a possible cancer case and rushed through to gynae. I had external and internal ultrasounds and biospies were taken from my cervix and womb lining. They did find some cervical errosion so I had that burnt off while they were busy. Thankfully there were no growths or anything found on the scan and the biopsies came back normal.

The bleeding continued so I went back to the GP who suggested the Mirena coil. I wasn't keen on it at all but the symptoms kept happening. I went back again and she said kept pushing me into a Mirena until I gave in and had it fitted.

Had read horror stories about insertion online but it wasn't too bad. There was a slight scratch type pain when it was put in and I had minor tummy cramps. I went home and had a cuppa and felt fine, so I went back to work for the rest of the day!

Since it was fitted, it's been horrendous. There was some blood loss every single day, enough to need to use panty liners all the time. The actual periods started coming every 16-21 days, were incredibly heavy and painful.

As well as that, I was getting horrific sides effects. I had a lot of stabbing pains down the left side of my abdomen, general tummy cramps, chronic headaches, insomnia, put weight on without changing my diet or exercise levels, swollen and sore boobs, really low mood, brain fog, anxiety and panic attacks. I also have Crohn's disease and the symptoms from that all flared up. I was really struggling with day to day life (single parent, work full time, part time carer for disabled parent) and couldn't cope with all of that but the GP said I needed to give it time to settle. After six months it clearly wasn't going to settle, so I insisted it was removed.

Had it taken out on the 5th July and felt light a weight had been lifted from me. Then the next day, I bled like I've never bled before. Whenever I stood up after sitting, I could feel the blood gushing out of me and I passed some scarily big clots. Apparently this is normal!

That's settled down now and a lot of the side effects like the stabbing pains, headaches and panic attacks have worn off now.

I'm still getting the usual PMT type cramps and spotting all the time though.

GP says I have to wait for three months to see if things settle down before she will do anything else.

Really fed up with these stupid hormone things. They're just mean!

Glad

Mupette wrote: »

can i ask what medication they gave you for the migraines?

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dandy-candy

Hi ladies (one of the threads where I can say that for sure!)
I'm wondering if I'm in perimonopause but I wanted to run this past people here who have a history of anxiety/depression and have experienced it.
About 2 years ago my periods became very heavy and after scans to check all was ok I was given tranexamic acid pills to lessen the flow. I used to get a bit crotchety the day before I came on but other than that all was ok
Over the last year I've noticed the gap between periods getting a few day's longer and my current one started a whole week late.
What worries me is that on my June period the day before I became unbelievably depressed, crying to the point I made myself sick, questioning my life etc. As soon as I came on I was ok again.
Yesterday I came on again and i had held my composure better by telling myself if I felt bad it was just hormones, but today a little thing agitated me and I was trembling and pacing and generally over reacting.
Do you think this could be perimonopause and does the menopause affect people with anxiety/depression more extremely? Is there any advice for people like me coping with this? I'm 43 btw

Artytarty

Yep, sounds lke I was. I had the same heavy flow, longer gaps and feelings of paranoia and extreme temper outbursts over minor issues.
Utterly horrible experience and I'm sorry to say that seven years later I'm still suffering hot flushes.
Damn the menopause!
Eta. Ps.s I'm now on a low due hrt and hints are better but I still ge a bit hot and flustered, moods calmed down though! Life is ok.

ERICS_MUM

dandy-candy wrote: »

Hi ladies (one of the threads where I can say that for sure!)
I'm wondering if I'm in perimonopause but I wanted to run this past people here who have a history of anxiety/depression and have experienced it.
About 2 years ago my periods became very heavy and after scans to check all was ok I was given tranexamic acid pills to lessen the flow. I used to get a bit crotchety the day before I came on but other than that all was ok
Over the last year I've noticed the gap between periods getting a few day's longer and my current one started a whole week late.
What worries me is that on my June period the day before I became unbelievably depressed, crying to the point I made myself sick, questioning my life etc. As soon as I came on I was ok again.
Yesterday I came on again and i had held my composure better by telling myself if I felt bad it was just hormones, but today a little thing agitated me and I was trembling and pacing and generally over reacting.
Do you think this could be perimonopause and does the menopause affect people with anxiety/depression more extremely? Is there any advice for people like me coping with this? I'm 43 btw

Well, I was being treated for depression for 2 years before I became peri-menopausal and it did get worse quite quickly, especially not being able to tolerate people (!) and taking things too personally to the point of crying most days if someone said anything a bit sarky or sharp.

I also had very strong pee just before my (less frequent) periods, which caused what I can only describe as nappy-rash in that area, I actually needed to use nappy rash cream for a couple of days every month. This made me very uncomfortable and irritable.

Instead of HRT, my GP tried me on different types of anti deppressants in different combos and doses until we found the most effective. I remain eternally grateful for his patience and care.

Once these 'emotional issues' were under control and I didn't feel I was battling my hormones just to get through the day, I sailed through the menopause. The only symptom I still get is the odd hot flush when I'm somewhere hot, stuffy or cramped. I don't get them daily and never at night.

I manage to keep my composure now by not putting myself into stressful or uncomfortable situations. I'm retired and lead a simple life and I'm happier than I have been for over 20 years. There is light and life at the end of the menopause tunnel.

Happier_Me

Hi dandy candy

Sounds like peri to me!

If you're planning on seeing your doctor for help please persevere, ensure you get the right support, it may take some time no matter how good your doctor is!

I went for my check up this week (I am on beta blockers for migraines) and I saw a different doctor (male). Normally I prefer to see a female for this sort of thing (I just think they 'get it' more, after all they have experienced periods!). But he was brilliant, very reassuring. He explained the hormones test more thoroughly, how unreliable they are and his words were 'we don't need to do the tests anyway because I believe you, I think you are peri menopausal'. It was a relief to hear this.

Now my migraines are well managed I am taking a watch and wait approach. Periods come and go with a cycle length of anything from 24 to 30 days, still experience the other PMS type symptoms and some months are worse than others but I am finding ways to deal with them.

The doctor told me to come back if there are any changes symptom wise. He has said that I will have to go onto HRT if and when my periods disappear due to my age (41) though.

dandy-candy

Happier Me can I ask why he wants to put you on HRT?