Dear doctor

I know and they are staring at their computer screen or leaving the room for 8 minutes of it 🙄.  I know you struggle with this awful fatigue too.  My periods are hardly anything nowadays...but my symptoms are horrible.  I cannot imagine the poor women who bleed heavily on top of all these symptoms.  I scaled back on my AD yesterday...really strange head feeling yesterday and zombie like fatigue.  I’m not liking this! 

Yes make sure if you’re going off it to taper it’s very important so you don’t crash and be prepared for different feelings . 

Why are you going off it now  ? I wish I could take them as my mood is so low but they don’t agree with me . 

I cut the pill in half the last 2 mornings to 5 mg.  I was on 10 mg for 21 days.  Just had my period Mon and Tues.  Wed, I crashed.  Awful fatigue, dizziness, faint.  Felt really weird, brain damaged, anxious, depressed.  Also, I have to be up at 5 am and drive my son to school.  Thank god not the whole way...I meet up with a friend.  Then, get my little one out the door afterwards.  I am not hungry that early and try to drink.  So nauseous!  I do not do well in the mornings anymore.  I’m just aggravated!  

5am! Gosh don’t know how you do it ... I wake up and lie in bed for hours .. literally CANNOT move ! 

I was like that before the AD...I felt dead for 2 months.  Literally exhausted, laying around but not sleepy.  I had no appetite, lost 15 lbs.  I was depressed, just didn’t know it, because I never felt tbat way before!  So, it has helped me a bit.  Just so confusing!  I get irritated because I’m on it, and I wish I felt better. Which is more evidence that it is clearly a hormone issue!  Seems around my cycle, I tank.  But, before the AD, I would just stay in that funk.  I just want to be normal, get back to work.  Converse with friends , lunch, etc.  I can only plan day to day.  I hate it. 😐

Well they say the Ad is just a band aid and that you must ‘go through it’ sometime but at this point if it’s making you feel better then go for it ! Wish I could take them as I’m at the lowest of the low .... but side effects too strong for me and there is something to be said for feeling the pain and getting through it naturally.  the body and mind is a powerful machine and I’m sure ‘it’ wants us to feel normal again too. Can’t wait to just feel content again 

Thanks Carol, I have my crumpled up paper in my purse with all my ailments.  At least this time around I will not cry for half the appointment.  I’m on an AD...dry mouth, dry eyes and unable to cry...good times🙄

Ah lou....you can always pray....without it ud be lost and ill pray that your doctor will listen and be sympathethic. You deserve it....God bless and let us know how it goes...keep looking up..😊 x

🤣 No kidding!  I had a 30 something intern and his 20 something nurse laugh at me in the ER once.   I waited 6 mo to see an endocrinologist only to be told “ I don’t deal with woman’s hormones”.  Healthcare right down the toilet.  My primary dr told me to seek counseling too.  Nothing against it, but just don’t feel like explaining all my crap to somebody else!  I save it for this forum!  Stay well! 🤗

I’m sick of drs ! Ended up at the emergency and when I told a very young female dr that ‘there’s something wrong I’m dizzy faint feel terrible cant stay awake ‘ she replied ‘you’re awake now ‘ with a smirk . B***h !

We are treated so poorly during this time we should be given extra special treatment not dismissed . It’s been HORRIBLE ! 

So true Lori!  I went to the ER also with fatigue, dizzy, heart palps, weak and I had lost my appetite. I got questioned about having an eating disorder and anorexia!  Then told me to eat more and get sleep 🙄Years ago, I used to just go once a year and regular check ups when I was pregnant.  It is such a mess!  I told my husband no more trips to the hospital unless I’m unconscious on the floor.  I worry now when we get really old how it is going to be. ??

Well let’s just worry about today and getting through this ! My mom is 82 and doing way better than me right now !

If we do everything right to the best of our ability ... eat healthy workout we should have many more good times in our future!

I’ll NEVER forget this time in my life ... EVER!

Hopefully when We’re better We’ll create new happy memories that will take the place of this horrendous lonely  incredibly scary time ! 

My mom is 78 and runs around doing errands etc.  She came to see me a couple months ago and her jaw dropped.  Tired, sickly looking, crying mess...down to 100 lbs.  I think she thought I was hiding some awful disease from her.  I’ve put back on some weight since then, thank god. 

Hi Lori!!! Same here sister!!! I've read so many of your post and I can relate 1000 percent!!!!   My moms 80 and she has more energy and feels better than me!!!!   I had a couple of good weeks and then BAM!!  Dizzy, motion sickness... off Balance... feels like I have the flu and stomach virus at the same time!!   I've swear I had fever but no!!! Ugh ugh ugh !!!   🙏🙏💕💕

I know ! I lost 25lbs and there is my 82 year old mom worried about me ? I don’t want to give her any worries but we are still children to them . 

My mouth flew open when I read the smart *** remark the young dr. made!!! I would've had to get up and leave...before I responded to her in an even more inappropriate manner than she did to you. What nerve!!!

I'm so sorry you went through that when you were there for help....

Yes snarky drs ... could have punched her. No sympathy no knowledge didn’t even equate my age with maybe menopause symptoms . I mean come on haven’t these drs learned yet that most women turning up over 50 just MAY be going through that ? 

Apparently it never enters their minds...some of them. Makes me wonder how much time - if any, is spent on menopause during medical school. I think the ones who know and care must be educating themselves by taking extra classes n conferences.

As a teacher, I have to go through a certain amount of hours of professional development each year in order to stay current or else my license gets suspended. But I WANT to be current!!

You would think that doctors would have to do at least the same.

Guess we'll have to keep each other informed by sharing information here on this forum...so grateful for you ladies!!

in my opinion the behavior of doctors is illogical and weird...

So many women are suffering and the medical community seems unable to give us relief and the most important they deny the existence and the intensity of perimenopause at least in front of us..maybe in their effort to reassure the patients, they react with indifference and skepticalness

I think they have the knowledge about the symptoms but they cannot reverse our nature..I do not know what to say anymore...

I find most of them very cocky...especially the interns...at teaching hospitals. I had 1 giving me a lumbar puncture once in the ER.  She kept poking and jabbing, hitting bone. Very painful, and I have a bad lower back to begin with. I told her she was hurting me...and she said oh it is supposed to hurt a little...Even the nurse looked appalled.  I freaked out and demanded the other dr come in...he did it, no problem.  Same when they are taking blood, so sick of being a pin cushion.  I’ve since learned my lesson...no experimenting on me anymore! 

I am sorry for your bad experiences! I have many, too 

I live in Greece...generally speaking the situation in ER is tragic...depends on the person but the majority of doctors have unacceptable behavior towards  us...I believe that they often become  irritated because ER are for serious immediate cases.

To be honest ,perimenopause anxiety makes us behaving and talking  like crazy women ...we loose our temper and others cannot understand that...

we feel that we are dying, they do the tests, everything seems normal and they think we are abnormal personalities spending their valuable  time on ER

some times at the ER they gave me 1/2 Xanax to calm and after some hour the doctors were very kind at me because I was sober

It is difficult to understand how we feel….but we need help!

Yes they look at us like we are pathetic ... and I’ve had other people not drs day ‘come on youre strong get over this ‘ I’ts like .... do you think I actually want this ? Not doing or going through this for attention ! If id never have to go to a dr again I’d be a happy camper ! My sister loves drs hospitals a true hypochondriac I’m the opposite ... they make you feel like you’re worthless and are so tough on us !