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Is this perimenopause?? I feel I am going crazy at times. 😢😩

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Guest

I am currently going thru many of the symptoms such as mood changes like anxiety and depression, crying spells. I feel tired all the time, no energy, fatigue, brain fog, memory problems at times, muscle aches, pains, tension, soreness (like after working out), headaches, and constipation. I have a history of both anxiety and depression from a traumatic event that took place in my life back in 2012, but now that my life is great, I have NO reason to feel this way. My Primary care physician told me it isn't perimenopause. I am not sure if I believe her. I google that word and I have most of the symptoms. The only thing I haven't experienced YET is the hot flashes. I literally feel like I'm going CRAZY! I'm only 38, but my mother went thru it around the same age I am now. I'm thinking of going to see an OB/GYN to get a second opinion. I currently have the Mirena IUD form of birth control which is known to stop your periods altogether. This is true for me. I spot occasionally but can't remember the last time I had a full blown period, at least a year. Maybe the IUD triggered the possible perimenopause because of the stopped periods/menstruation? ? Any thoughts or feedback is appreciated from anyone who reads this post. Thanks

~Rachel

2 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • gailannie
    gailannie Guest

    Posted

    While I have never used Mirena, I would like to caution you that it is a synthetic progestin.  The hormone progesterone is released in the second half of the month for a normal ovulating woman.  However, we normally do not get this hormone all month long in an significant amount.  Progesterone has an anti estrogen effect.  Therefore, it sounds like your birth control method is reducing the estrogen effect in your body.  For some woman, this can create many f the effects all too familiar with peri and menopause symptoms.  

    I think I would start a discussion with my physician about the side effects of this medication.  IMHO  you might feel better if you used something else.  But I would head for contraceptives that don't change your home grown production or alter your hormone balance.     

    • gailannie
      gailannie

      Posted

      And sorry for the typos, I've just never seen an edit button on this site.  
    • jo71306
      jo71306 gailannie

      Posted

      Hey Lara, I agree with Gail whole heartily! Everything she explains. You are not going crazy, it's Google textbook menopause. I mirror your symptoms. Never ever thought while eating lunch one day a chicken sandwich would make me cry my eyes out!! Hot flashes will be there soon too. Ugh. "The wonders of being a woman". Hang in there.
    • Guest
      Guest gailannie

      Posted

      Thanks Gail for the informative feedback. I know when I was searching for a birth control, I rushed into it, not giving it much thought, nor did I do enough research on the Mirena. Here I am over a year later with the Mirena, finding out that there are so many women around I the world, who are in the same situation as me. I dont like that it is a synthetic, or manmade hormone and am starting to think its "unnatural" to not have a monthly menstruation. I am in process of finding a good OB/GYN who will hear me out and take the darn thing out. I don't want it to cause any further problems. And even if it isnt what is triggering my symptoms, at least I'll have peace of mind using process of elimination.
    • Guest
      Guest jo71306

      Posted

      Hi Jo, thanks for the feedback. It is comforting to know that I'm not alone in this. I'm in process of finding an OB/GYN who will give me an honest 2nd opinion. I feel VERY strongly that perimenopause is what I'm going thru. I'm not looking forward to the hot flashes tho. sad
  • jamie50513
    jamie50513 Guest

    Posted

    I feel for you and you certainly sound peri. I too am 38 and experiencing everything that you are and I have not had the hot flushes yet either. My mom and other women in my family went through it around the same age as me and they had a rough time with it. I believe I was already in it for the past three years. You can start as early as 35. It never hurts to get a second opinion.
    • Guest
      Guest jamie50513

      Posted

      Jamie your situation sounds like mine. I feel that I was starting to have some of these symptoms back in mid 2014 (I was 26) and went to get blood work done to see if I was perimenopausal. But tests came back negative. sad My mom also went thru it around 35 yrs of age and I hear women usually follow suit to their mothers when it comes to our hormones. My mom got her period when she was 14 and I got it that age too. I am in process of finding a good OB/GYN to give me a good 2nd opinion and most likely remove my IUD. Thanks for the feedback. Good to hear that I'm not alone. What are you doing for your symptoms? My anxiety and depression symptoms have gotten so bad that I'm currently on medical leave from work and on medications. sad
    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 Guest

      Posted

      I was the youngest person in my family to start a menses at the age 10. Most of the women started peri at around 35 and one aunt was done completely with menses by the age of 40. My mom went through peri really bad but didn't know what it was and not into docs so she never went. She just endured it. I haven't been taking anything beside my scripts which is a BP pill, iron tablet, and a folic acid tablet. I've added eating a banana or a glass of OJ everyday for my potassium. I stopped the caffeine and eat more protein. That's pretty much it for me. My anxiety is the worst symptom. Which I have some good days and some are hard. I have Lorazepem for the anxiety but haven't started it yet. I recent resigned from my job. I was going and leaving early or not going at all. My anxiety was too rough at the time. I'm learning how to talk myself through it so it has gotten a little better but it still has me uncomfortable. I don't like being alone anymore and doing certain things automatically make me nervous. I had symptoms of peri that startes when I was 35 having my menses every 23 days, heavy bleeding and clotting which lead to my anemia and a lot of messed up clothing, heart palps, night sweats when I was on my menses, achy joints to the point I thought I had arthritis, and eating everything in sight epically during my menses, sore boobs to the point it hurt to have clothes on and I would cry all the time, and couldn't get enough sleep. Now I have developed the terrible anxiety, inside tremors and buzzing, occasional heart palps, terrible mood swings, doom and gloom feelings, weird head, dry skin and hair, sensitive teeth and gums, indegestion and terrible gas that gets in my chest and scares the hell out of me, you name it, I get it. I've taken a lot of the ladies suggestions and trying some. But other than that I'm just sticking it out.
  • gentleballads
    gentleballads Guest

    Posted

    lara,

    ive read many instances of hot flashes coming in a lot later....sometimes occuring as a symptom of early menopause ( later than late peri)

    they may start off as warm glows

    i read too that the the earlier they start the worse (unbearable) they get later

    but there is no fixed pattern as such, symptoms are different for each individual

    but there are certain general trends

     

    • Guest
      Guest gentleballads

      Posted

      Hi gentle, yes I'm thankful for not having the hot flashes yet but I'm sure they are headed my way soon. Ahh...the joys of being a woman. sad
  • sue976
    sue976 Guest

    Posted

    Hi Lara

    i have just had the Mirena taken out after 2 years, I had some terrible symptoms with it, yes it worked with regards to my heavy periods, but on my self for two years I felt awful, I got acne which I've never suffered before, I felt depressed and weepy, and I completely lost my sex drive.

    i have had it removed for 4 weeks now and do feel a lot better, I still have my peri symptoms but just feel generally better on myself. I know everyone is different with the mirena xx

    • Guest
      Guest sue976

      Posted

      Hi Sue, thanks for the feedback, it gives me some hope that maybe I'll start to feel better once I get the Mirena out. I am in process of finding a good OB/GYN who will hear my concerns and remove it. I have been reading up more on Mirena side effects and many women started feeling like you and me. Some women said even tho they had it removed, their perimenopause symptoms continued to progress. I hope and pray this isnt the case for me. My anxiety and depression symptoms have been so unbearable that I'm currently on a medical leave of absence from work and on medication. I can't get any worse. sad
    • sue976
      sue976 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Lara

      just today my hubby said there had been a massive difference in me, he said I was more like my old self, I really do feel better, I haven't been no were near as anxious or panicky, I am so glad I didn't let them talk me out of it this time, I went last year and they said not to have it out as it would help my peri symptoms, well that wasn't the case for me. I am still having night sweats but hey I can cope with them. It was the anxiety and panic attacks that we're getting me down. Good luck and stick with what you want, don't let them talk you out of it xx

  • elaine33371
    elaine33371 Guest

    Posted

    It does sound like peri yes, all your pms symptoms, increase during this time, its your first symptom, you should also come to get period changes, when that happens take it as read your in peri, blood tests during peri are highly unreliable, you will find reading other womens experiences, the drs all said the same to them during peri.
  • ImagineOneDay
    ImagineOneDay Guest

    Posted

    Dear Lara I had Mirena years ago. I had to take a blood thinning medication and mirena helped controlling heavy bleeding. When I was taken off using medication I thought there is no reason to have mirena, so meting artificial in me and got it taken out. This was around 2013. It seemed ok for a while and my periods cane back. But I startrd to have so many symptoms that you mentioned that I decided to have mirena put in again hoping that mirena would help by releasing some hormons. My GP didn't think mirena would help with mood or hormon balance etc. I only got it put in again before Xmas 2015. I have had all those symptoms that you mentioned before Mirena and now;after mirena. So I don't think mirena causes peri menapouse. I also feel happy that I have mirena during this time of my life because I wouldn't enjoy the hectic and unpredictable bleeding all over the place. Also if your family history is showing 38 then it sounds like you are going through perI. God luck with it. All the best
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