It's About Year 5 For Me and I'm Sicker Than Ever

Posted , 6 users are following.

After getting my period at 12 and having it for nearly 40 years (I am 51), my last one was about a year and a half ago. Since then I've only spotted from super light pink to brown and only about every three months for one day at the most. At 43, I was sterilized by my choice, having had no children.

In the prior two to three years I had heavy and frequent periods and then virtually none at all; light hot flashes, weight loss of 20+ lbs in the last year, and a bit of drying of the vagina.

But for the past two months I've had what felt like flu. I was actually diagnosed with walking pneumonia, had multiple tests, came out clear just a few weeks ago, and yet the following symptoms remain: head fullness, watery or sticky ears that pop, swollen sinuses, tonsillitis-like symptoms, shortness of breath, wheezing, panic attacks, constant anxiety, super-hot flashes followed by chills, mild nausea that comes and quickly disappears, lethargy, fatigue, and depression.

No medicines seem to take these symptoms away, even after they clear up anything that was coincidentally there. And yes, I've had that POP that happens in my head, twice, and only while driving, that is so scary I have to pull over. Everything goes black for a few seconds, then stars, and then I'm normal again. Again, doctors can't find anything abnormal.

So, each day I get worse and feel more isolated. I am single, childless, and live 25 miles from my family, which consists of two people now. I look and used to feel very young and vibrant. Now, I can't mow my own lawn, take walks, or do heavy household chores, and all this in the span of two or three months! Sometimes I feel so helpless. I've taken every natural menopause supplement I know about (soy isoflavones, black cohosh, vitex, dong quai, evening primrose, etc.) for over two years now. They no longer work.

I am being pushed by a co-worker who has a naturopath friend to take BHRT, but I have been resistant because I heard the source was porcine hormones. I'm not interested in that nor Botox nor anything else from an animal, not that I am a vegan. It just seems sketchy to me. I find that valerian and skullcap and other remedies are also not working to calm my anxiety. Does anyone have suggestions for this and for the other horrible symptoms?

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    From the sounds of it it seems like you must still have something going on from the pneumonia. Could you have a sinus infection that has resisted meds? The other symptoms do sound like perimeno stuff. 

    BHRT is not made from porcine hormones, it's made from plants. Maybe you are thinking about the natural thyroid medication which is made from pigs. Also, I have never done botox, but I don't think that is animal based either, and it won't do anything for perimeno symptoms except help the ego when all the wrinkles start showing up. Ha!

    I had very severe symptoms and felt like I had the flu all the time, drop in hormones made my immune system low, which caused things like EBV to reactivate. The only thing you can do is to support your immune system the best you can which would be to get enough rest and proper nutrition. Cut out dairy (especially eggs), add foods like celery juice, wild Maine blueberries, etc. This is where a naturopath can help by giving you supplements that may help.

    I'm 53 and it's taken me two years to finally start feeling a little better. I'm not 100% but at least I can function now and am enjoying doing things again.  The anxiety and depression finally lifted and the most severe symptoms like the flu feelings are finally lessening. I put back the 30 pounds I lost as well. 

    I hope you start feeling better soon! 

    • Posted

      The doc and I have changed the antibiotic and KNOCK ON WOOD, today, after 48 hours on it, I feel a tad better. However, the weird asthma-like stuff and nasal jazz continues without actual congestion/mucus. So, I am chalking it up to the wonderful world of menopause and trying to chill. I've learned breathing exercises that I now do spontaneously. My breathing in general has changed.

      For months I was having anxiety attacks----actually, I have had four or five fairly severe ones in the last 14 months. Not knowing how to breath (stomach out on inhale, in on exhale) properly didn't help. Now that I do I feel better in general. But the humidity here and all these meds plus herbs plus meno symptoms anyway are wearying. Thanks for your kind words!

  • Posted

    You poor thing .... you are not alone ! I’m going through the same symptoms and too had last year a very severe upper respitory infection possible pneumonia . It lasted  over 4 weeks and I never get sick .

    I did not want to go on hormones either but I cannot stand this life and these feelings ! 

    Life is too short and AT THIS POINT  I’ll take anything !!!

    I started on the combo patch estrogen and progesterone for 4,weeks but the progesterone gave me very dark thoughts . So now on estrogen patch only just 3 days .... but I pray it works . Nothing natural as in vitamins can replace estrogen . 

    I have no desire to do anything and unless I get a sold 10 hours sleep uninterrupted I’m screwed the next day . Just waiting all day to go to bed . I’ve been this way since April so watched spring and most of summer now pass me by ..... it was so bad at one point could not drive visit friends ... could do NOTHING ! This is a very serious illness the worst thing I’ve ever encountered .

    • Posted

      Keep me posted on how your estrogen-only patch works for you. If my symptoms become unbearable and interfere with my worklife I will try them. And yes, I wait to go to bed, too. In the past two months I've fallen asleep on the sofa more times than I can count, something I never, ever used to do.

    • Posted

      I will ! Started the patch Friday had an amazing day Saturday so normal NOT tired happy it was great.  Sunday so so and today crappy . Just put a new patch on so see how I do Manana. It says change 2x a week but the way I feel I want to put a new one on every day ! Early days yet . 
  • Posted

    I know I'm a couple days out but you might want to try a good natural path,  also my grandma has been on hormones her whole life and she is 85,  there is a natural hormone that U can take, u have to get them from a compounding pharmacy,  I'm not sure if u are familiar with that.. But a good natural path can ck you, and your other symptoms of you sickness,  mine is a natural path/MD so both

    • Posted

      Yes I tried the natural vaginal cream but my new ‘women’s dr’ said the mg was too low so.... it did nothing for me . The new patch I think is too high as was interfering with my sleep so I’ve cut it in half ... would rather go slowly can’t stand anymore moods . Once I get stable I’ll go back to the natural way . It’s all so confusing . 

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