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Can fibroids cause peri menopausal symptoms?

Posted , 8 users are following.

angel368
angel368

Hello all,

I have been experiencing night sweats a few days before my period for years but in the past 6 months the night sweats are now occurring 3 to 4 times a week. This was accompanied by erratic mood swings, constant fatigue, extremely heavy periods, flooding and clots. I have also recently started feeling a heaviness and tenderness in my abdomen and find it hard to walk a couple of days a month. I am 44 and have been on tranxenamenic acid for years which helps and started anti depressants in January as I was finding it very difficult to cope and felt like I was going mad.

I went to the doctor as I suspected perimenopause and he initially agreed. I went for a scan and found out I have multiple fibroids. Doctors are suggesting a hysterectomy and said the night sweats etc might go when fibroids are removed.

How do I know if my symptoms are caused by fibroids or if I am premenopausal?

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • Scampi18
    Scampi18 angel368

    Posted

    Hi angel

    i have fibroids 5 of them, I have been asking for a hysterectomy, just keep getting refused, it's my body and I want it gone.

    your probably getting peri, mine started at about that age, all day and night sweats, I can't tolerate hrt it makes me ill, clotting, heavy periods, pain in hips, tiredness angry moods, violent, crying, I have been taking sertraline for a about a month and a half and I feel 70% better, the sweating is still there but not as bad, wake up soaked like I have just showered, I take sage and flaxseed, it may help.

    i didn't know fibroids can cause sweating, good luck and ask your gp for Fsh test to see if you are peri. 😊

    • angel368
      angel368 Scampi18

      Posted

      I feel your pain. Why is it so hard to get doctors to follow your wishes? I totally agree with you, it's your body. Try getting another opinion until you get a doctor willing to listen.

      I am thinking of taking some natural methods to see if it helps, I will try your suggestion.

  • marlene21102
    marlene21102 angel368

    Posted

    Hi Angel not sure as to that ,but Jay will .she clued up .Id say at a guess it's the beginning of menopause ,only thing is to get FSH test ,if that comes zero ,give it 3 months ,then get another ,you can buy menopause sticks from a chemists or of Amazon ,use them as you would do a pregnancy testing kit  do it yourself .

       Fibroids will give you clots ,one in my family has that ,and your age .

     What does your gut feeling say doing it ? 

    • angel368
      angel368 marlene21102

      Posted

      I am just very confused. Most symptoms seem to fit with fibroids except mood swings and night sweats. Could it be both? But I guess it seems regardless of the cause I might need a hysterectomy which I don't really want right now as I am a working single mother of a 10 year old. I just want to feel back to my old self and not have my life controlled by my period or my hormones.
    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 angel368

      Posted

      Angel I guess yours is both going on  I can see why your reluctant to get hysterectomy ,but sometimes if it's so bad ,it's the last resort ,try and get into a Gyne clinic ,think they deal better with issues .

         Those FSH sticks are cheaper off of Amazon,you get extra also .If in UK the biggest chemist Boots sell them ,go get some in ,my relative has who has Fibroids got the in .Go look them up to .Wish they were around when I went into menopause .Know the feeling when you say just want to be back to how you were,all ladies on here do to .Its wearing to say the least. Feel like your life's on hold .Hope you get it sorted the fibroids .Go look up the symptoms Jay put up on menopause,it was still up on menopause few days ago ,will surprise you .Go check it out  see how many applies to you .

  • susan21149
    susan21149 angel368

    Posted

    I'm sorry you are going through this. It could be peri menopause you are going through I never had or dealt with fibroids but you must be in pain. 

    I hope you feel better just hang in there hugs to you

    • angel368
      angel368 susan21149

      Posted

      Thank you, I appreciate the sentiments and it helps to moan sometimes. Gonna order the test kit that Marlene mentioned.
  • annieschaefer
    annieschaefer angel368

    Posted

    Wow Angel!

    If having a hysterectomy (I also have fibroids) would end the night sweats that would be great. I have never heard of that one, I do know fibroids can be troublesome, mine never to the point I really wanted to have the surgery though.

    Your symptoms are most likely Perimenopausal and the fibroids are simply a nuisance until menopause when they generally shrink up a bit on their own.

    Annie xx

  • jennifer01077
    jennifer01077 angel368

    Posted

    Hi Angel,

    From what I understand, the night sweats are caused by the brain's heat sensors getting confused by the falling hormones (perimenopause). I don't think (of course I am not sure) that a hysterectomy would stop them. 

    I have a lot of the same symptoms as you, and have some solutions. I actually suffer from depression anyway, so I have been on anti-depressants since before peri-menopause. When peri-menopause came on, I tried increasing my dosage, but it didn't really helped. 

    Progesterone cream, twice a day, really DID help.

    As for the night sweats, I found that controlling my carbohydrate intake really helps. I used to eat a LOT of carbs at night, and I learned not to do that. I try to eat carbs five times a day, breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, evening meal. Otherwise I would wake up in the middle of the night hungry!!

    I am on the Pill to control the heaviness of my periods, and I was using tranxenamic acid for a few years as well. 

    I have massive fibroids (my doctor says 'uncountable'). My uterus is swollen up to the size of a grapefruit and should be the size of an egg. And I remember that feeling you are describing, the painful heaviness in my tummy. It was the progesterone that really helped.

    Twice now I have found myself anemic, and that REALLY affected my mood, my memory, everything. 

    I do recommend you start using progesterone cream. And check your iron levels.

    I think it is your choice whether or not to have a hysterectomy. I don't think it will affect the night sweats, but you won't have to deal with the blood and cramps, and I am sure that will relieve your stress. 

    Stress is a real killer during perimenopause, it causes progesterone deficiency in and by itself. 

    It sounds to me like your symptoms are really difficult right now, and my heart really goes out to you. If I were you I would stay on the anti-depressants for the next five years, because I have read that that will give your brain a really good resetting. But really, do try the progesterone. I was lathering it on. It really helped.

    I am fifty now, and the clotting has really gone down. I went of the transexamic acid (I don't know how to spell that!) about six months ago. 

    I just want you to know that I really sympathize with how difficult it is for you right now, especially with a ten year old child to take care of. If you have time to do meditation, or guided meditation, it can help a little. Have courage and breathe and breathe.

    • angel368
      angel368 jennifer01077

      Posted

      Thanks Jennifer,

      I woke up half way through the night to a soaking wet top ( I have started keeping a change of clothes under my pillow) and have been researching products this morning. I will put progesterone cream on the list. Can you buy it overnight the counter or do you need a prescription?

      The night sweats and day time sweating are annoying but hopefully one of the remedies I have heard about on this site will help. The other symptoms are more difficult. I have to think do I want to take a variety of different pills, potions and creams for the next 6 to 10 years?

      I was told the hysterectomy would solve all my problems but I see now that it will only be a small part. Even though I am glad I am becoming more educated about these problems it fills me with more uncertainty about my future health prospects.

    • annieschaefer
      annieschaefer angel368

      Posted

      Hi Angel,

      I was told to use the progesterone cream (spraringly) by my doctor. And I have. You have to be careful with it as too much can throw things really out of balance as well. It may be helpful in alleviating some of your symptoms, does work for me, but my symptoms are a little different than what you are experiencing right now.

      I understand how confusing this all is and having these uncomfortable symptoms don't help. Be sure to let your doctor know that you are using the cream. I know in the US it can be bought over the counter and online, not sure about UK.

      Hope you feel better soon.smile

      Annie

    • jennifer01077
      jennifer01077 angel368

      Posted

      Hi Angel,

      I am not sure about the UK. I order mine from the States, I think.  And I appreciate annieschaefer's advice. There is so much info about it online, and it is all really confusing and contradictory. I just kinda threw up my arms, and do what works. Also, actually, I have always had estrogen dominance, since I started menstruating.

      You might be able to get progesterone from your doctor, on the medical system. 

      Older friends have said this: perimenopause is a few years in a long life. A few pills a day, an application of cream before bedtime, this is not so difficult, especially when you consider what people with major disabilities have to deal with. I think you are just worn out from the lack of sleep and stress, and so your imagination is painting things in dark colors. 

      I am so sorry you woke up, and I hope you get back to sleep.

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product/company names as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

    • jennifer01077
      jennifer01077 angel368

      Posted

      Hi Angel, I am sorry you woke up. I appreciate annieschaefer's comment below. I sent a longer post for you, but it is being moderated (I mentioned a company, I am not used to the rules on this site).

      But you know, taking a few medications or supplements, or putting on some cream, or all the above - it's a lot easier than you are imagining. I think your stress and fatigue are making you paint things much darker than they are. And so would I be, if I were waking up in the night covered with sweat. And I was! only a few months ago. But I started taking iron supplements, I was just anemic, and now I sleep much better. So there are solutions, and when you find yours, you will feel much better. 

    • angel368
      angel368 jennifer01077

      Posted

      Thank you I am trying to bear that all in mind. I have been taking iron supplements (floradix) for a few years now. Had to up my dosage in January , which has helped a bit. I always feel tired and have no problem falling asleep when I lay down but it does help me get through the day ( I used to feel drowsy by 11/12 o'clock and found it hard to keep my eyes open)

      I guess I am just afraid and fed up. But this site is encouraging and I am trying to be positive (kinda failing at the moment) but I will do it somehow, just have to prepare myself for an uphill battle.

    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 jennifer01077

      Posted

      Hi jennifer

      I read your replies with interest.

      Interesting what you say about using progestrone cream.  Here in the UK we'd have to go to a Private Practitioner at a Private Clinic, to buy this stuff:  its not certified here in the UK so not available on our NHS.

      But I'm using it tho', and found a company - like many other women on this forum - that actually has its adverts on this very sitesmile!!!!

      I had 'toyed' with it over a 3-mth period last summer: felt OK.  Had a break and began to 'trial' it again from 1st Jan to see if it really was of any benefit to me.  Since then I've also started taking a vit/min supplement, Menopace Original. 

      I think its fair to say that I really don't think I've actually had a 'proper' bout of hot flushes, judging by my sisters' experiences and those described on this site.  Thank Gawd for that, is all I can say!! 

      Don't get me wrong, when I was going through some horrible times: grieving lost parents/in-laws, selling a Business etc I had bouts of long-term insomnia, waking up worrying in the night and not being able to get back to sleep, fretting/worrying, over-breathing (don't know if I can say it was proper hyperventilating, but you get my drift) and sweating, so the fool in me is hoping these were all part of the Peri, and that I'm sorta over the worse??!!! 

      I'm 54, getting periods as regular as a teenager, and keeping Kotex in business!  But I can honestly say that both my mood generally, and my physical symptoms seem to be OK to deal with, and have been really improved since I started my new 'Peri Regime' in Jan.  

      I do get incredibly hot: not sweaty like my sister before she started HRT, but like an inner furnace.  Even last night I was sleeping on top of the duvet for a while. 

      How much of this 'control' of the sweats is down to the progesterone cream, I don't know.  But the truth is I'm not brave enough to stop with what I'm doing, going cold turkey/commando with no Peri help whatsoever, just in case all the crappy symptoms come back.....with some more of their mates to boot!!

      I'll keep taking my little dab of progesterone twice a day from day 14 to 28, and hope that the fool in me has got it right, and I am over the worse!

      What really p*sses me off is that all my 3 sisters were actually in full-blown menopause at my age (54).  I think they were right in that as the spoilt baby of the family, I'm now paying the price for that now privilege now ha, hacheesygrin!!

      Chin Up jennifer, you too will find this a wonderful lifeline to share experiences/get advice.  Better than any GP I'll have the misfortunate to meet during this 'orrible journey.

      Sx

       

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