Am I alone?? Perimenopause so bad i've been hospitalized.

Hello Shylee,

Please be rest assured you are not alone, your story is very similar to my own.

My story, in brief ;o)... New Year 2018 and I discovered faint nerve sensation in my chin, left side only. Doctor diagnosed Trigeminal Neuralgia and sent me home with Carbamazepine. One month later, with droopy eyelids (I couldn't stay awake!) feeling low and suffering from extreme fatigue, I went back to my GP and demanded a full blood count. It came back Folate deficient and a B12 reading of 286. I came off the Carbamazepine at that point as I had no pain.

I dosed myself up with folic acid and B12 supplement and from the fatigue point of view, I felt a bit better. However, my symptoms then began to develop... initially pins and needles and numbness in my arms, hands, lower legs and feet. The nights I did get a sleep, I would wake up with a dead left arm and hand, they would go completely numb. Next came burning mouth syndrome, I suffered terribly with it (and still do some days, it has never really left me). From there came the burning soles of my feet and intense heat throughout my whole body, by then I was freaking out. Blood tests, MRI scan, ultrasound of my lymph nodes, dental x-rays, all came back normal.

I had ruled out everything a GP, Neurologist (2 of them!), Maxillofacial and ENT specialist could throw at me so in desperation I went to a private GP specialising in menopause... she put me on HRT and that was a life changer for me, the intense heat in my body and feet pretty much disappeared.

So, just when I thought I was getting back on track, the pain in my face and head started.... subtle to begin with, small electric jabs in my left cheek that developed into ear and jaw pain, electric sensation running through my teeth, eye socket and eye pain, headaches, neck pain etc. And the most bizarre thing is the symptoms move about, one minute I have ear pain, that will then stop and the jaw pain starts up, then in the afternoon I will have a burning face, neck pain and a headache (my symptoms as I type this ;o)... Like you, I am also on nerve blockers to calm the nerves.

Unfortunately, I can't give you an answer as to why we are suffering so badly with any of this, all I can tell you is you are not alone. How I feel today actually brought me to this forum as I know I will read much needed advice and support from the many wonderful people on here that understands what we are going through.

Shylee, I hope my brief ;o) story helps to comfort you in some way. Every day I just keep telling myself, I'm a day closer to getting better, I try to eat healthy, exercise, drink loads of water, etc. It's the small stuff but I find they can make a big difference.

Sending you a big virtual hug.

X

Your most definately not alone, I have suffered with the itching for 8 years so since the age of 43 Im now 51. I suffer from situational anxiety, have done on and off for 31 years, Im currently not working as had to quit my job but have look for a new one soon which is where my anxiety will kick in again but since peri it hits much more randomly not just situationally I refused AD as dont want to rely on them and how will I no i ve got through this if im taking those. My doc is useless so gave up going there, I take a Lorazapam once in a while in emergencys but nothing else. Hugs to you 🤗

thanks for the reply

right at this moment feel my left side tired, my left breast hurt like a dull pain, i feel cant breath, my left hip hurt, my left back, and i know is just after my period end it . i refused to go to the ER WHICH I have been going like since 2015 ( at 45) . Im now 49 and my headaches and neck pain is just crazy . i refuse to get on HRT so I am glad im not alone. I take ATIVAN when i need it. i also had every test i cam think of all normal the only thing is MY HEART HAVE AN EXTRA BEAT BUT IS benign.

Hello Shylee,

I totally agree when it comes to the medical field and their lack of menopause knowledge, the GPs in my local practice are totally clueless and that includes the 2 female GPs. I've been to both of them and they don't have a clue about symptoms outwith the norm, nor do I think they actually believe me when I tell them what the problem is. So sad when you consider we make up 50% of the population and there's no getting away from it!

And, like you, my friends and family haven't experienced anything I'm going through so can't relate, nor can they give me advice so thank god for forums like these to discover that there is other people out there going through the same thing (although I wouldn't wish this crap on anyone! ;o)

However, I noticed in one of your previous postings that you mentioned you were suffering from UTIs... apologies if this has been discussed already as I haven't had much time to read through the whole discussion but I just wanted to mention that UTIs are a primary symptom of Vaginal Atrophy, which is common in the menopause unfortunately. You most likely know all this already but just to say I don't think antibiotics will clear the UTI if it is caused by VA. I've read about many ladies suffering from this and Vagifem is a great help. Just wanted to share in case it helps you or anyone else reading this ;o)

Meantime, I'm trying to switch off from the burning sensation, which then flips to a freezing/numbing sensation going on in my scalp, and it's only 8 am... what the hell is that all about! ;o)

Take care xx

I'm sorry this is difficult for you. I often feel like I can't do it another day, but then I do. I am tired, achy, my vision is blurry, my migraines are intense, I see auras, I have room spinning vertigo, I have severe anxiety, concentrating is hard, finding words is difficult, sometimes I feel like I could faint, sometimes I panic, lots of times I cry, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., ETC. I don't understand what is happening to me physically or mentally. I was a normal working woman a few short months ago. Now, I am a mess. You are NOT alone. xoxo

Hi Shylee

First of all, I get so sad reading these posts. It is such a difficult time mainly because of the lack of appropriate care and recognition of this debilitating time a lot of us go through. I had most of what you talk about, over 4 years since it first hit in June 2015. I had NO idea what was happening to me. One day I was fine and the next day, my life was turned upside down and spent more time in doctors and hospitals than I care to remember. I was finally listened to and began HT but although some symptoms have improved, my hormones are dropping and I feel EVERY bit of it. I refused all types of anxiety and anti-depressant medications that they tried to throw at me (mainly to go away, I reckon, when bloods and tests kept returning with normal results) and I won't take them. I refused to allow these people who did not know me, to tell me that the only reason I was suffering was that I was depressed and anxious due to other factors in my life. No way! Wasn't accepting that! HT works fine for the anxiety, not always, but manageable on days when hormones go haywire again. What I wanted most during the bad days was recognition that what I was suffering was real, that I needed support, that I wasn't an anxious person (had not been previously ever, like most women state on these forums). That is ALL I ever really wanted, for someone in the medical profession to understand! It took me a long time to find those people, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY! It changes every aspect of your life and should not be a case of put up and shut up.. It is simply not possible.

The title of this posts sums it all up.

My life crashed 4 years ago. I had a headache but it was so extreme that I went to bed. I honestly didn't think I would wake up.

When I got up, my right side was numb and I could not breath.

Then my last period was extremely heavy.

Jump 4 years no periods, still can't breath, eat sleep, I urinate 20 times a day. I've had ecg, bloods, scans, ultrasound and 2 rounds of hrt to of no avail. I have just resigned myself that this is a slow death.

I can't work, wear mice clothes, feet are so painful that I wear granny shoes. It's a peragotory existence.

I may go back for a third round of hrt. Right now just typing this has my heart racing. I'm 53 and last month had a normal period albeit I felt like crap.