Hormone imbalance - tried everything!
Posted , 7 users are following.
I'm 32 years old and for the last 3 years I have been suffering with some sort of hormone imbalance. I'm reaching the point now where it is having a severe impact on my life, and I'd say 80% of the time I feel unwell - so any help is greatly appreciated!
I'll try and keep it brief but there's a lot to say! I took the pill 3 years ago for 3 months to help with period pain, but had to come off as I have migraines. The first period I had after this made me feel very sick, dizzy and on edge, but I assumed this was normal when coming off. Ever since then I suffer from lightheadedness, nausea, bloating, big and sore boobs, anxiety, the need to cry at anything, food cravings and extreme tiredness, and I also have cold chills often.
This isn't just a few days before my period, as this happens around ovulation and lasts until the period itself. Currently I have just finished a cycle and I feel really unwell again.(currently in bed feeling sick and lightheaded and this is day 7 of my cycle!) so the pattern goes, 5 day period, maybe a week feeling ok if I'm lucky, then unwell again. The symptoms are at the extreme end of the scale, so every PMS symptom is magnified!
I've had tests for hormones and menopause, been scanned for other issues and all comes back fine. Doctors tell me to take the pill or Prozac but I am not willing to go down that route. I'm currently having acupuncture which did help, but now I'm not too sure as I feel so bad again.
Has anyone got any ideas what it could be? Or anything I could try to help cure it? It seems I'm dominant in one hormone (after research online) but I cannot seem to pinpoint what's causing my body to be so out of sync.
Id really appreciate any advice as I'm really struggling at the moment.
Thanks
Kelly
1 like, 13 replies
tricia51298 kolgs75
Posted
Toooo_ kolgs75
Posted
Hi Kelly..
I am currently going through the exact same thing and it is horrible!
Im not sure if you also get these symptoms but I become extremely anti-social, anxious, self conscious, depressed and I even have suicidal thoughts! Physically my breasts and stomach swells, and when I do come on its an extremely heavy flow and painful which lasts for 7 days!
Once my period starts all the psychological symptoms go and I'm fine until ovulation (other than pain etc)..
It is taking over my life! I have convinced my doc to refer me to the pmt clinic as after doing my own research I believe I suffer with pmdd (severe pmt). I have also only been recommended antidepressants or the pill, which I do not want to take..
I have recently been recommended Tryptophan which is supposed to be very good for pmt/pmdd symptoms, but it's early days so I'm waiting to see the effects.. I am wandering what type of accupunture you tried and how long for? I have tried Chinese herbal tea in the past which regulates the hormones etc but it was very expensive so I couldn't keep it up..
Sorry I can't advise you much on what can help but I just wanted you to know your not alone - this is an awful, life altering condition and there really should be more support around this area.
Hope you feel better and pls let me know if you find anything that may help as I'd like to relieve my symptoms also.. X
Toooo_ kolgs75
Posted
BTW I'm 34 so also similar age.. X
jen1977 kolgs75
Posted
Hi ladies, DITTO!! feel like I'm going mad. Keep getting brushed off with a diagnosis of stress and anxiety, but I know my body and have all these symptoms (won't list them!). I'm excluded from work because of the repeated outbursts and crying. I'm horrid at home too. It started about 3 years ago and has just steadily worsened. I am 39.
I'm sorry to hear you are going through this too but selfishly glad I'm not alone if that makes sense.
I hope you get the answers and support you need... good luck ??
Crazydaisy72 kolgs75
Posted
Hello ladies it sounds like you are hitting early on perimenopause which comes before the menopause. The joy of hitting your 30's is your hormones start to go wild and then when you hit your 40's it's like being a teenager all over again!!
If I were you I would go back onto an oral contraceptive combined pill because it will at least let you know when it's coming. Through my 30's I took 3 packs back to back had a 5 day break and continue. I got to 38 decided to come off the pill and I have gone straight into perimenopause with 7day periods, no periods, light periods, heavy periods and all the PMS symptoms you can imagine. Never had sore boobs to OMG they hurt all the time, joints ache, skin ITCHES argh! can't sleep, dog tired, can't get up oh yes it's been fun.
Anyway at 41 I had blood tests etc after a 4 month period (don't panic you will get used to it!) and no I wasn't menopausal, my womb lining was slightly thickened but I was okay and did I want Mirena? Err no not really.....
Decided to suck it up and deal with it and I have done really well until the last 6 months. I went from last September to February with no period, had a 5 day period, then 3 weeks later had a 17 day period with the last 3 days flooding so I couldn't come out the house. And then in May I started the period from hell. 14 days into that period, having flooded badly for 5 days I went to the GP. She gave me nortithisterone (progesterone - stopped the period but OMG the side effects!) carried on bleeding/ flooding for another 7 days during which time I had had bloods done which said I was perimeno (hallelujah!) and then took tranexamic acid for 3 days which did reduce bleeding and the period did stop within the week.
Scan said I had a simple and small ovarian cyst on left ovary so I am having that scanned again next week to see if it grew but apparently it doesn't cause terrible flooding. The womb lining was still thick but I had no period until I started up again on 25th October. I am now day whatever I am - tried tranexamic acid again late last week but still bleeding - it's either a gush with clots, a steady tap running or nothing at all.
It's a wonder we don't all go mad....anyway my advice is get on the pill and give yourself a break from all the feelings you have because it will osrt your hormones out. You might get about 5 years before it all starts cranking up and I can tell you nothing sorts it out when it does, you do just have to live with it. But there is a great meno forum in here which will keep you going. I understand you don't want the pill I hear you because I don't want the mirena - but I am nearly through this with my big granny pants and tena lady to catch all on the bad days, you are still only young.
Only other thing I can suggest is raspberry leaf tea (tablets or tea) which I am going to try as they did work in late pregnancy for me. If they work I will come back and let you know.
Take care xxxx
Toooo_ Crazydaisy72
Posted
Hi thanks for the advice but I'm a little worried by your reply..
If I'm going thru an early menopause I'm assuming my chances of conceiving will decrease? I am currently trying for a baby and of course do not want extra worry of maybe I'm not conceiving bcus I'm going thru the early menopause.. I've had these symptoms for as far back as I can remember and have heard of women suffering from pmdd of all ages.. So I'm really hoping as awful as the symptoms are this is NOT the beginnings of the menopause. X
tricia51298 Toooo_
Posted
Tar4. It's not early menopause it's peri menopause which can last for 10-15 years prior to true menopause. You can get pregnant. It's just that your body starts changing. It may take a little longer to get pregnant but maybe not. But you can still become pregnant don't worry 😉
Toooo_ tricia51298
Posted
tricia51298 Toooo_
Posted
You're very welcome. Now get to creating the beautiful baby 😊
kolgs75 tricia51298
Posted
Hi both, thanks for your replies.
Its nice to know I'm not alone! I'm not going through peri menopause as I've already had many tests to flag this, and I've been told it isn't this as my estrogen levels are normal.
I hear what you are saying about the pill, but I am very against this as to me it is like sticking a plaster over a wound. Plus, I did try it again to see if it helped and it resulted in no periods but also no change, plus bleeding after sex and many trips to the hospital!
I notice a shift during ovulation, so there is an imbalance but I cannot pinpoint what's causing it.
I'm carrying on with acupuncture, which isn't cheap! But I've set a goal of the end of the year to assess if it or making much of a difference.
I bought some vitamins yesterday called 'Wassen We Support Magnesium OK' which have rave reviews on Amazon. So fingers crossed.
Toooo_ kolgs75
Posted
Hi
What tests did you have to check for Peri menopause?
I defo don't want to go for the pill as I'm trying for a baby and I don't want to take anti depressants for the same reason but also bcus this is not depression.. Plus I tried fluoxetine for a few years on and off but they did nothing, as soon as I ovulated it was the same pattern of symptoms month after month, it's awful..
Pls keep me up to date about the vitamins..
Have you been checked for fybroids as this can also cause an imbalance x
kolgs75 Toooo_
Posted
Sorry for the late reply.
I had a full hormone test (bloods) at the doctors and it came back fine.
I'm having a really terrible time lately, as acupuncture isn't working so I have stopped the treatment. I have spent £700 on this so feel pretty deflated. I am back at the doctors again tomorrow to request a B12 deficiency test, as my acupuncturist said it is worth looking into.
I am also going to request to see a specialist on the NHS, and also pay to have saliva tests done privately.
I refuse to take the pill, no matter how bad I feel, as this isn't healing the initial problem.
I've also had a food intolerence test done.
I've been taking the supplements for 5 days now, so obviously no change. But this month is very bad - I started having symptoms on day 7 of my cycle! now we are on day 17 and I feel the worst I have done in a very long time.
Keep me posted on your journey.
o87763 kolgs75
Posted
Hello,
I know your post is a few years old now and I hope, with all my heart, that you discovered the cause of your symptoms and that you sorted them out. But, if you haven't... Well, I read your post and I immediately related to everything you wrote. I started having all the symptoms you described after getting diagnosed with Lyme disease 2yrs ago. My symptoms improved after taking magnesium complex with vitamin D3 and zinc. The problem is that Lyme mimics many conditions so, it could not be lyme that you have had. I only wanted to give you a suggestion as many doctors don't think of lyme when diagnosing their patients. All the best!