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I can't take it anymore!! Perimenopause horrible..HELP!

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jennifer85396
jennifer85396

I am 48 years old, stay at home mom with two children.  They are in school, I try to keep myself very busy.  I have had OCD and anxiety, I have been fighting it for years. But, now the Perimenopause is really terrible..depressed, mood swings, tension headaches, dry and itchy skin.

I have spoken to my sisters who are all past Menopause, they tell me their stories but I just cannot believe that hormones can cause all this havock.  I do not feel myself at all, my PMS is worse and the week of my period I actually feel like I have a disease and I am dying.  Feel like I am going crazy!! Please tell me if this is normal to feel this way at this time, because I am obsessing and cannot get my mind off of it.  Need Help!!!!

32 likes, 739 replies

739 Replies

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  • sarah63813
    sarah63813 jennifer85396

    Edited

    Hi Jennifer , I think unfortunately this is "normal" ,am 50 next month ! I have always suffered anxiety/panic attacks and depression on and off think 2 go hand in hand ! My anxiety was until recently well controlled with very low dose of Seroxat ,but suddenly noticed that I was experiencing heightened anxiety levels pre menstrually , didn't realise it at the time but this was obviously due to peri menopause ! Did have bloods taken a couple of years ago but they came bk inconclusive ! I used to have at least one week of the month when I felt (normal ) around ovulation but not even had that this month ! Haven't found any miracle cures as yet ! Think would def be onto a winner if I did , have read about so many women experiencing the same symptoms or an increase of them ! Like you I do feel like I am going mad , it is a truly scary feeling ! Take care of yourself ( you are not alone and you are not crazy ) best of luck !
    • imelda26569
      imelda26569 sarah63813

      Edited

      This is great what a brilliant thread I don't feel alone anymore. Tried everything nothing works but moral support here does. It is so normal for some of us to suffer badly. At least I know that now. Wish it was easy to find people around to talk. Sorry but the last thing I need to hear is its not so bad that's not true for me anyway. Thanks fellow heroines.
    • kathryn81522
      kathryn81522 sarah63813

      Posted

      I feel do lucky to have found this site. Had two visits to the ER this past month, SOB, sometimes my heart feels like it's about to beat out of my chest, crying, horrible, mean thoughts about people I care about, very depressed. What can I do, was using progesterone but it seemed to make me more depressed. I'm 48 I can't take years of thisrolleyes.
    • debbie83588
      debbie83588 kathryn81522

      Posted

      Same here i dread every day that i go to work i am soooo tired all the time x
  • laurie70017
    laurie70017 jennifer85396

    Posted

    Yes Jennifer this is all hormones and its no fun!!!Ive been feeling good last couple weeks but due for my period and the couch is my best friend today!!!!Bless you having to deal with symptoms and having two children at home...hormones are not nice at this time and really play with your anxiety and like you i would think there had to be something serious goin on and i would not make it...had bunch of testing and all normal but it still scares you even when you know your health is good...I had saliva test done and found estrogen low...nothing ever showed up on blood test so found a dr that cared and found why i felt so bad...nurse told me to think of a teen goin thru puberty and reverse it...well reverse feels alot worse then foward did from what i remember...lol hang in there and take care of yourself...hope you feel better soon....
    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 laurie70017

      Posted

      Thank you Lauri, It's hard to believe hormones can do this .  I wish it was more talked about and there were more solutions to the problem.  But, as women we are strong I know we can get through it.  It's just a hard road t travel...God Bless!! and thank you

       

    • laurie70017
      laurie70017 jennifer85396

      Posted

      Yes I would have most def lost my mind if I didnt find this site since i got no answers from Drs..It frustrates me that theres all kinds of research for pety littles things but our lives are turned inside out and sideways and we just need to deal with it and move on and lose our jobs and relationships!!!!Just burns my butt!!!!!Ok rant over....Yes thank god us ladies are strong....
    • jackie95472
      jackie95472 laurie70017

      Posted

      Well put!!  I've been having the same thoughts.  This transition has cost me a lot of money, test, doctors, therapist and pills.  This is huge and it seems no one really understands the gravity of it.  Just WOW!  Think of the money that could be made with one magical pill!!
  • sharon1984
    sharon1984 jennifer85396

    Posted

    I am the same age- 48 and yes, it is terrible and yes, it can be normal-  although some lucky women have few symptons.    I have had terrible symptoms especially since turning 48.  Achy, dizzy, dragged down feeling - you name it, especially around period time.  My mother had a difficult menopause, so I believe it is part genetic.  Add to that, I did not have children, which I believe, makes menopause even harder.  I have talked with many women who had children and said their periods got better after childbirth.  Mine never got better and were always hard and now are unbelieveable.  Even though you are thinking about it more at home, be glad you can take it easy more staying at home.  I hold down a teaching profession and it is not easy to do that job feeling like this.  I would be lying if I said it has not affected my job performance.

     I should really be on some medication- but breast cancer and blood clots are both in my immediate family.  I've done a little alternative but not much help.  Good luck and keep plugging away and know that some women understand.  Last week, I felt so normal it was great.  Then bam, they hit and last week was a distant memory.  

  • michelle50768
    michelle50768 jennifer85396

    Edited

    My heart goes out to you all. Ive been in perimenopause eight long years im now48. It has been the worst time in my life. Ive had every symptom there is to have

    My periods now coming between 6 weeks and two months apart with no end in sight. The anxiety and depression have been the worst for me leaving me exhausted from panic attacks and thinking im going insane! !!!! Finally went on mirtazapine in Nov 2014. They did help but ive now cut the dose to hslf as I was gaining weight. Tbh I feel awful so not sure im ready to cut down yet. I

    now feel like I cant breath all the time. Had my heart and lungs tested and like every other test ive had.... all clear!!! Im married with five grown up children soon to be a grandmother which I fret over because I canb barely look after myself right now. I work as a carer and am really struggling. My family think im a hypochondriac. All I van say ladies is hang on in there. Ive been told this too shall pass. It does get better!!!

    Oh yes and terrible acid reflux now on omeprazolesad)

    • lisa215
      lisa215 michelle50768

      Posted

      Hi Michelle

      I too am getting pretty bad digestive issues mostly indigestion and acid. How does yours manifest itself cos I'm getting lots of chest pressure and pain with bloating? I've tried lansoprazole but they didn't work, my Dr has now given me rabeprazole but I've not tried them yet.

      Have you had any improvement with the omaprazole? I'm at my wits end with all this.

    • michelle50768
      michelle50768 lisa215

      Edited

      Hi Lisa

      Yes I get awful bloating almost every day now to the point it just hurts. I have chest pressure and shortness of breath and also wake up with a sore throat. im on omeprazole but only been three days so not sure if its working or not. My period is three weeks late so its just awful at the minute. Anxiety is through the roof!!!

      Hope you get something to work soon x

    • lisa215
      lisa215 michelle50768

      Edited

      Hi

      Know how you feel regarding the anxiety. I convince myself in dying at least once a day!

      My periods are all over the place. I can go 60 days without one then have 3 or 4 regular ones. At the moment mine are closer together but much lighter. My hair feels thin, my skin is dull and dry and my scalp is itchy.

      I hope your tablets work for you.

      Best wishes x

    • michelle50768
      michelle50768 lisa215

      Posted

      Yes I also have all you have mentioned. Im also on 15mg of mertizapine reduced from 30mg.

      Do you ever get that doom gloom feeling! !! Its horrid. Likeoyou I convince myself im dying. Too much symptoms to mention

    • lisa215
      lisa215 michelle50768

      Edited

      I absolutely do get that doom and gloom feeling.

      I miss my old self. I'm hoping she's still in there somewhere.

    • ellen20088
      ellen20088 michelle50768

      Posted

      I wish my periods were 6 weeks apart.  Mines are 20 days apart.and very heavy to the point of being an anemic needing a blood transfusion.I have fibroids but you would think they will shrinking due to the hormones getting lower.
    • jackie95472
      jackie95472 michelle50768

      Posted

      Me too, terrible acid reflux!!  I'm on delixant.  Still has not gone away.  Again doctors look at me like "what"  never heard of acid reflux with perimenopuase!!  I want to punch them in the face.  It is so bad and came on all of a sudden.
    • debbie83588
      debbie83588 michelle50768

      Posted

      Oh my goodness you sound like me im a carer too and i cant handle it but cant afford to be off,every day is a struggle x
    • colleen90305
      colleen90305 lisa215

      Posted

      For the past few days, my scalp has been really itchy too. I'm tempted to use my dogs furminator which had metel teeth. I just want to scrap my skull

    • Nautigirl
      Nautigirl colleen90305

      Posted

      Mine does too at this time. I just got original head and shoulders and it works fine!
    • traci78291
      traci78291

      Posted

      This Perimenapause is litterally making me feel like I am loosing my mind!!
    • elizabeth10993
      elizabeth10993 michelle50768

      Posted

      Me too

      Rushed myself to ER for heart and lungs Ct scan because of some pain in my ribs which I found out to be my GERD

    • rebecca_68782
      rebecca_68782 michelle50768

      Posted

      Hi,

      I agree, the breathing thing is awful. I feel like I need to yawn constantly. I am trying inositol right now, a little better, but not gone. Am looking forward to this particular symptom to go AWAY....Blessings to you. Thanks for sharing.

    • annette27370
      annette27370 rebecca_68782

      Posted

      Hi Rebecca I'm 48 have been to the gynecologist and had blood test showing my hormones are fine. I have so many of the symptoms I've heard all the ladies talking about and have even experienced the one you are talking about feeling like I can't get a good breath of air. I looked up anxiety symptoms and this is probably part of it as we can be hyperventilating ourselves when we take in a deep breath because we feel we are not getting enough air just try to breathe normal and not think about it not continuously taking in deeper breaths only to hyperventilate I tried this and it worked for me about 2 weeks ago I was going to take myself to the ER because of this. I relaxed and stop taking such deep breaths and calmed with my breathing and things return to normal, anxiety sucks especially health anxiety which I think I must have along with these perimenopausal symptoms. I hope you feel better soon and I'm so glad to have found this site. I also struggle with low iron anemia

    • dhj117
      dhj117 jackie95472

      Posted

      I know your post was a couple of years ago, but I, too had acid reflux and heartburn come on all of the sudden.  Didn't matter what or how much I ate.  Are you still struggling with that?  I found Betaine HCL.  It's what our stomach's already make but I read that as we age and particularly women going through peri our stomach's make much less of it.  So, it's not too much stomach acid, but not enough causing the pain and reflux.  I starting taking one and also a couple of good stomach enzymes every time I eat and the heartburn and reflux disappeared completely.  Just wanted to share in case it may help.   I still have a zillion of the other perimenopause symptoms that I haven't found a "fix" for:  bloating, itchy scalp, feeling like something is stuck in my throat, low back pain, sleep interrupted in the middle of the night, anxiety, mood swings, etc.   I'm happy to have found this group so I don't feel alone and like I'm crazy.  

    • julie39600
      julie39600 dhj117

      Posted

      Hi good advice about gastric problems. For bloating anything with Simeticone in is good. Black cohosh and Agnus castus good for anxiety and mood swings also Sage leaf good for sweats and flushes. Vitamin e can help itching and keeping cool. If skin gets dry and itchy find coconut oil works well. Yet to find cure for the sleep issues. Imsonia my biggest bug bear lately.

      Good luck with it all. Biggest help is knowing we are not going mad 

    • rebecca_68782
      rebecca_68782 michelle50768

      Posted

      Michelle are you still on this? How are you now? I feel like I am where you were when you wrote this.

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