Any thoughts??

It seems to just be the luck (or bad luck!) of the draw.  I wish I had had a heads up that it could be this bad, this varying, and this terrifying. Hang in there ladies. I am so grateful for you all!!

I think sometimes women just don't discuss it. Not that everyone deals with this, but I think more do suffer and just don't talk about it. My friend texted me today to ask if I ever had postpartum blues. I told her I did, but that was over 13 years ago, lol. She said, "Well, I know it's crazy, because my kids are 22 and 19, but I feel like I have baby blues again. We're both weepy one minute, cranky the next, and fine five minutes later for a little while, then BOOM out of no where; anxiety. Our lives are blessed. Long, happy marriages, good kids, yet when we talk about them, we cry. We both find ourselves crying over everything happy or sad. I was like this in the 2-3 weeks after I give birth, yet, now, I've felt like this for over a year. I've had physical symptoms (erratic and heavy bleeding, heart palps, shortness of breath, joint pain, headaches, and reflux) for several years, but the emotional stuff hit about a year ago with a vengeance.  All that to say, if my friend hadn't texted me and asked that question, I wouldn't have known she was suffering from all this too.

Wow, really great responses!  I just started this nightmare last year at 40.  I was on Birth control for 20 years, went off by suggestion of my dr.  All down hill from there.  My symptoms started as almost out of nowhere...stomach upset, exhaustion, no energy, nausea, no appetite, weight loss, migraines, heart palps, GERD, numbness, tingles, freezing feet, sweats, sudden anxiety especially in stores, dizzyness.  Racing all over to all the “specialists” and numerous ER visits.  All of them baffled.  Saw a integrative practitioner , she thought I had Lyme disease ..that thankfully was negative.  

When I suggested perimenopause and long term BCP use,  they all seem to think 40 is too young...nonsense!  

I have kids...easy pregnancies, do not smoke, drink, not overweight, anxious but more like detail orientated, not scared.  I deal with stress, my son has special needs and drains me mentally and physically. I worked a physically demanding job.  But, i could always handle it. I use to be strong, energetic.  HAppy, Now I am just worn out! 

I think in my case, this force called  perimenopause is a wake up call to slow down.  I will be 41 next week.  Most of the weird symptoms have subsided, or I just don’t worry about them as much.  Mostly, I am fatigued and dizzy these days...practically bedridden around my period ( whether or not it comes). Periods are irregular.  When I’ve had enough, I hide in my room and read. Tried BCP again, could not tolerate them...even though I spent half my life on them!  TRied mini pill, was sad and crying all the time.  Started the low dose AD after months of deliberation.  Too soon to tell if it is helping...just got through the horrible side effects.  I had a dizzy spell while driving with my son and it scared me...anxiety.

Although, I know anxiety is just a branch on the tree...hormones are at the root of all of it.  I am hoping the AD works enough to give me some energy, so I can get more help with my hormones.  My last gyno told me i was too young for HRT.  Right now, I can barely muster up the energy to check the mail, let alone trudge around to more dr appointments.  Oh yeah, just got over strep throat too...never had it before! 😊.  Good luck to all of you ladies, so nice to be understood!  😀

I've read that it is all about emotions. Perhaps unhappy marriage or other stresses, all build up over the years and when the hormones change it all comes spilling out in all kinds of different symptoms. I know my life hasnt been a particularly easy one...but who knows.

That is a good question. My mom said she had some hot flashes, but never really paid attention to anything else. It really wasn't talked about much back then. I think lifestyle and genetics may have something to do with it. Some people probably can put up with a lot while others are sensitive to pain and other symptoms. It is not fun to have all these issues and not get help from some doctors. It's all about taking a pill to solve everything. Yes I do realize some do help, I'm not against women trying different options.

Before this happened my physical life was optimal. I always ate well...was strong, able bodied and healthy in every way. I always ate well...prepared home made meals. My babies all came fast...longest labor was 3 hours from the first twinge...shortest was two labor pains and a push. Pregnancies were easy. Then one day I was tearing down a barn and I had a sheet of plywood come down from the ceiling and hit me on the head. Four staples and a tetanus shot...one month later full peri symptoms...bowel issues...anxiety, you name it. My active life fell apart. That was about 8 years ago. For the first three years I blamed it on that tetanus shot...lol