Perimenopause or Anxiety or ???

Oh my goodness, how have I not found this site earlier.

My symptoms started at 38 in 2005. I started having anxiety, sound sensitivity, feeling faint, stomach problems (probably caused by the anxiety) and lots of the other symptoms you all are describing here along with some very negative thoughts and I tried to ignore it all for a year until a full blown depression set in. It was horrendous.

I finally plucked up the courage to go to the doctor and they prescribed 10mg ad's and I took these for around 6 months along with some private CBT. At the time I never thought it could be hormone related and never progressed that option, even though my mum and her sisters all started peri-menopause in their late 30's early 40's.

After 18 months, I had mild symptoms return and had another 6 month course. Since then until November 2013 I've been free and clear of symptoms.

However last year they came back and hit me like a train, much worse than the first time. I was devastated as I thought it was just regular depression and that I had beaten it. I went back to the doctor and she prescribed 10mg ad's again, and this time I had a pretty rough reaction to them, and spent 10 days not eating, feeling nauseous, I lost over a stone in weight and didn't sleep hardly at all. In fact it was so bad, I pretty much moved to the sofa, with the tv as my sanity box. During this time, I also was prescribed diazepam, which frankly made thinks even worse, I took around 3 pills over the course of the 10 days then threw the box away!

So that was November. Since then I decided that this maybe was being caused by peri-menopause after all. I let the ad's settle in and in January went back to the quack to ask about whether HRT would level out my hormones to see if that was what was causing the drastic changes - in fairness she did suggest this would probably alleviate my menopausal symptoms but not necessarily my (assumed) hormonal imbalance. The doctor initially wanted to prescribe more ad's but I was insistent and started taking prempak-C (conjugated estrogens and norgesterel). In the first month I had a 3 week period however they did seem to be taking the edge off the symptoms and things were chugging along quite nicely with me feeling like things were improving.

However about 14 days ago I started getting the negative thoughts going on in my head again, which in turn leads to anxiety and subsequently the very mild depression (I describe mild depression as a feeling of not being inside yourself, but outside looking in, not being able to be enthusiastic about life in general). My biggest fear through all of this is that my symptoms will get so bad, that I will do something to harm myself, even though that is my biggest fear - does that make sense!

I get so bad that I can't travel for work, as I can't bear to be alone in a hotel room. I'm a very positive person in general so this is scary. I'm looking forward to spending my retirement travelling the world with my husband, I have two great kids who are grown up and finding their own way in the world, I have a relatively close knit family and really love my job and we don't have any financial worries. I just don't understand what might make me want to feel this way, I'm convinced it's not environmental.

Anyway getting back on point, Thursday and Friday last week were awful. Although things aren't as bad as November, I'm getting anxious again, sleep is being interrupted and anxiety is mildly debilitating in that occasionally I am agitated. From this I can determine that the HRT isn't really working as I would have hoped, but I do still feel that my symptoms are due to peri-menopause and that my monthly cycle is causing some kind of problem with my moods. I've had some spotting and mild cramps so I know my period isn't far away, and prior to taking the HRT, this was exactly the time I would start with these symptoms.

I'm going back to the doctor this week, to increase my ad's to 15mg as I think this will help in the short term. But to also discuss what are my other options for trying to level out my hormones. Does anyone think coming off the HRT and just trying the pill might work?

I've never had any blood tests, most of this is just complete guesswork.

I'm positive about the future - when I haven't got the negative thoughts (which you know if you get them, are impossible to control and difficult to ignore) but I do talk to myself and say "you know this won't last, when it stops life is lovely and I'm happy and I'm looking forward to an exciting future - just keep swimming!" - this is my mantra!

I don't drink alcohol or smoke. I don't drink caffeine either. I'm a couple of stones overweight but fit. I walk everyday and cycle often. Getting outdoors does lift my mood a little but exercise in itself does not improve things.

If anyone can offer any advice on any other things I can try to help with my symptoms, I would be most appreciative.

I should finally say, my husband, daughter (who still lives at home and is nearly 18) and other family members are fabulous and so incredibly supportive I don't know where I would be without them.

Just keep swimming.

I agree, a supportive family makes a huge difference as like you its all guess work and so hard to explain to anyone else exactly how you are feeling.I too did not want to be alone. I too had the negative thoughts especially about harming myeslf, which I most definitely didnt want to do as I have a wonderful life ( except when the peri kicks in )but felt my brain would make me do it, if that makes sense. I didnt say anything for fear of being locked up in a mental hospital! I wouldnt take the ad's as I was frightened they may have a negative effect, in fact I was frightened of taking anything because of side effects. The best thing I did was to stop eating wheat. it was purely by chance that it was wheat as I read that foods can effect hormones. I was to eliminate one food and keep a diary of symptoms then re start after a week to see the difference. After just 3 days I felt like a huge cloud had lifted from me and I have been 95% wheat free for 2 1/2 years now. All I can say is you just need to find the right thing for you. You seem to be doing all the positive things, I play music alot and sind a long and dance! We have to keep saying 'it will pass' but its hard when the fear and negative thoughts are there. You are def not alone. xxx

Hi Campervanqueen ( Sharon)

weight loss also with me, especially in early peri.. Sharon, I take a Jarrows Vit B12 tablet occasionally, do you have a Vit B12 injection ? also Iron, with you saying this is a problem, I have mentioned this on other heading s on here, about a month ago when I was rock bottom low with anxiety and feeling dread etc and no energy, I took it upon myself to try iron tabs, ( my bloods were okayish last time they were taken) the FSH the hormone one which tells you if your menopausal or not said I was menopausal ... hahaha

anyway I take half an iron tab daily on waking ... empty stomach, Vit C helps absorption, anyway since taking I have feel amazing, energy up, and no stopping me, which is good as I moved house a couple of weeks ago and needed all the energy I can get, I live in Spain, the iron tabs are105mg i halve mine with pill splitter so take 52.5mg daily, and what a difference it has made for me personally, not saying it will help everyone but for me wow... are you on meds for vitB12 deficiency and aneamia ? as you should be supplementing this.. Jay x

Thank you Sandra63 you described exactly how I was feeling about the negative thoughts. I will certainly try your food suggestion. That was one of the reasons I quit caffeine, but will try the wheat route too. Frankly at this stage I would try just about anything!

I also felt that way about the ad's and made my husband sit with me when I took the very first one in case I did something stupid, I was petrified they would make me feel/behave differently which of course they didn't.

I will keep trying different things and posting my progress, but it's lovely to have other people who understand exactly what is going on to talk to. My family are fab, but ultimately if you've never suffered with this, it's difficult for them to relate to.

Jo xx

Hi Jay,

I do have B12 injections, every 3 months and have been taking iron supplements. Today is a bad day... Feeling very low indeed, almost empty. It's a strange feeling. The smallest thing will send me into either a crying frenzy or a mood swing... Grrr!!! have made an appointment for the doctors to try and push all this again but can't get in until mid April... By then I will probably have had 2 more periods!

I think I may try looking at my foods. I do have certain intolerances anyway so could be that something is playing on that too maybe... It's hard being a woman! I feel sorry for my other half and my three teenage boys!!! Grouch alert! Will this get better? I think, looking back, I've been suffering from the fogginess and random joint pain/nausea feelings for around 18 months now but all of a sudden it's kicked in big time. I really don't know where to place myself. Thank goodness for being able to read other peoples perceptions of things and how you all are dealing with it xx

Hi guys, I'm worried because I have many of these symptoms and I am only just thirty. I've been feeling awful for the past two years. GP sent me to a psychiatrist and they put me on a whole list of meds. I still feel many of the symptoms, even taking anxiety meds. My life is very stressful, but I fear that my hormones are off even though my cycle is normal. My flow changed and I have anxiety around ovulation and a few days before my period. My mum said that it's not menopause, it's just my body changed and I now suffer from extreme pms. Could she be right? My GP laughed at me when I asked if it could be menopause. I don't know what to do. I just know I am so worn out at such a young age.

Myrika

maybe you just have severe PMS .. if your periods are normal then its likely not to be peri... peri is when they are irregular and reduce from every month to every other etc until they stop ... once stopped for a period of one year they say full menopause is reached...

maybe is some of the meds you have been put on affecting you etc...

regards Jay xx

It absolutely sounds like you have peri-menoipause. Mine started at 38 although I didn't realise this until 8 years later! Your doctor is wrong to dismiss your symptoms and I think honestly the only person who really knows whether this is peri is you. The list of symptoms is as long as it is random and you may or may not experience any following:

during any stage:

headaches/migraines

anxiety symptoms, such as; random pain around your chest area, bobbling sensation around your solar plexus - this is adrenalin, all over prickly heat (mine starts from top of my head and travels all the way down to my feet in around 2 seconds)

sore or achy joints

negative feelings <-- in my opinion this is the worst of them all and anti depressants can help with this

depression - often this is caused by not addressing the anxiety

feeling low

feeling detached from yourself - the best way i can describe this is if you've ever been in shock or a significant amount of pain such as childbirth - you are experiencing things but you don't really feel "there"!

nausea

loss of appetite

night sweats

hot flashes

feelings of apprehension

agitation

anger

irritability

mood swings

crying for no apparent reason

vaginal dryness

low libido

tinnitus

dizziness

itchy skin

hair loss

sleeping problems

bad memory

weight gain

hearing sensitivity

incontinence

light headedness

changes in body odour

increase in facial hair

painful sensation under the skin (skin feels sore to touch in patches)

burning tongue

breath odour

gum bleeding

osteoporosis

tingling in extremities

changes in fingernails

muscle tension

irregular heartbeat

bloating

gastrointestinal distress

unable to concentrate

scared to be on your own

melasma (skin pigmentation problems)

my periods stayed as regular as clockwork on a 31 day cycle until december last year, and like you, the week preceding my period and the first 2 days are the worst time for me.

so far, i don't know if hrt or ad's are helpful for me, however just knowing that there are things you could possibly try to help yourself regardless of whether you get any help from your doctor is good to know, and finding other ladies who are also experiencing a bad reaction to their peri is very comforting.

hope things improve for you.

jo xx in="" my="" opinion="" this="" is="" the="" worst="" of="" them="" all="" and="" anti="" depressants="" can="" help="" with="" this="" depression="" -="" often="" this="" is="" caused="" by="" not="" addressing="" the="" anxiety="" feeling="" low="" feeling="" detached="" from="" yourself="" -="" the="" best="" way="" i="" can="" describe="" this="" is="" if="" you've="" ever="" been="" in="" shock="" or="" a="" significant="" amount="" of="" pain="" such="" as="" childbirth="" -="" you="" are="" experiencing="" things="" but="" you="" don't="" really="" feel="" "there"!="" nausea="" loss="" of="" appetite="" night="" sweats="" hot="" flashes="" feelings="" of="" apprehension="" agitation="" anger="" irritability="" mood="" swings="" crying="" for="" no="" apparent="" reason="" vaginal="" dryness="" low="" libido="" tinnitus="" dizziness="" itchy="" skin="" hair="" loss="" sleeping="" problems="" bad="" memory="" weight="" gain="" hearing="" sensitivity="" incontinence="" light="" headedness="" changes="" in="" body="" odour="" increase="" in="" facial="" hair="" painful="" sensation="" under="" the="" skin="" (skin="" feels="" sore="" to="" touch="" in="" patches)="" burning="" tongue="" breath="" odour="" gum="" bleeding="" osteoporosis="" tingling="" in="" extremities="" changes="" in="" fingernails="" muscle="" tension="" irregular="" heartbeat="" bloating="" gastrointestinal="" distress="" unable="" to="" concentrate="" scared="" to="" be="" on="" your="" own="" melasma="" (skin="" pigmentation="" problems)="" my="" periods="" stayed="" as="" regular="" as="" clockwork="" on="" a="" 31="" day="" cycle="" until="" december="" last="" year,="" and="" like="" you,="" the="" week="" preceding="" my="" period="" and="" the="" first="" 2="" days="" are="" the="" worst="" time="" for="" me.="" so="" far,="" i="" don't="" know="" if="" hrt="" or="" ad's="" are="" helpful="" for="" me,="" however="" just="" knowing="" that="" there="" are="" things="" you="" could="" possibly="" try="" to="" help="" yourself="" regardless="" of="" whether="" you="" get="" any="" help="" from="" your="" doctor="" is="" good="" to="" know,="" and="" finding="" other="" ladies="" who="" are="" also="" experiencing="" a="" bad="" reaction="" to="" their="" peri="" is="" very="" comforting.="" hope="" things="" improve="" for="" you.="" jo="">

depression - often this is caused by not addressing the anxiety

feeling low

feeling detached from yourself - the best way i can describe this is if you've ever been in shock or a significant amount of pain such as childbirth - you are experiencing things but you don't really feel "there"!

nausea

loss of appetite

night sweats

hot flashes

feelings of apprehension

agitation

anger

irritability

mood swings

crying for no apparent reason

vaginal dryness

low libido

tinnitus

dizziness

itchy skin

hair loss

sleeping problems

bad memory

weight gain

hearing sensitivity

incontinence

light headedness

changes in body odour

increase in facial hair

painful sensation under the skin (skin feels sore to touch in patches)

burning tongue

breath odour

gum bleeding

osteoporosis

tingling in extremities

changes in fingernails

muscle tension

irregular heartbeat

bloating

gastrointestinal distress

unable to concentrate

scared to be on your own

melasma (skin pigmentation problems)

my periods stayed as regular as clockwork on a 31 day cycle until december last year, and like you, the week preceding my period and the first 2 days are the worst time for me.

so far, i don't know if hrt or ad's are helpful for me, however just knowing that there are things you could possibly try to help yourself regardless of whether you get any help from your doctor is good to know, and finding other ladies who are also experiencing a bad reaction to their peri is very comforting.

hope things improve for you.

jo xx>

I cannot begin to express the relief I feel in finding this site. I have felt I was sinking to a point of no return.

Curlylox, you just described my symptoms. As heartbreaking as it is to know other women are suffering in

the same way. It is also very comforting. Bitter sweet.

I have felt so isolated in how I was feeling. I have always been in control, strong, the one everyone leaned

on. The last year I have secretly been falling apart. Afraid I was going to either die or, go totally mad.

Thank you, ladies. You have given me a sense of hope.

Hi Kim

You don't have to do anything in secret any more. Please speak up if you are feeling rubbish, we've all been there and some still are. Sharing through this vile experience really helps.

Jo xx

Hi Kim - don't hide it as bottling it up makes it worse. Finding this forum has been a great help for me - just knowing I'm not alone helps enormously. All the lovely ladies on this forum will, I am sure, support anyone in crisis. Jo - your list is really helpful, there are so many symptoms relating to this it's overwhelming sometimes. I've been to the docs recently and saw a lovely nurse practitioner who completely understood where I was coming from, she thinks I am peri (I'm 44) and has taken bloods so I'll await the results! May come back with nothing wrong with levels as yet (she said that's common). She suggested I take Menopace at this very early stage and see if it helps with my symptoms, has anyone else tried this? Any good? Hugs to all xx

Hi Kim. I know exactly how you feel. I have always been the one who copes and helps everyone else and suddenly ifind myself needing a lot of support. I don't really recognise myself sometimes. I take comfort from the comments on here. It is so difficult to get to the bottom of things when there are so many symptoms all muddled up. There is a lot of helpful advice and things to try so keep In touch and be reassured that you are not alone in this. Xx

I havent tried the Menopace, but the reviews are good. I have been using Menopol Plus for last 3 years, plus EPO and a Vit b complex every other day. Use glucosamine when joints bad. Simply supplements website good prices for anything you need.

Hi all

I was researching if the hormonal phases of your cycle could have some impact on the symptoms. I found this article which is very enlightening. Looking back over the last 4 months it seems my problems seem intimately tied up with the Luteal Phase which is confusing as these would suggest I have PMS. Although as no one really understands either PMS or peri menopause, so long as you are still ovulating in peri, then these PMS studies may help you to understand what is happening to your body.

There are some useful food advice tips in the article as well.

http://www.lef.org/protocols/female_reproductive/premenstrual_syndrome_02.htm?source=search&key=pms

Thank you all so much for your encouraging words. I have been so hesitant in talking about this with anyone.

I can relate to the feeling of not recognizing myself. It has been so challenging for me to put on the front of "I'm fine" in front of everyone. Only to fall apart when alone. The nights use to be the hardest for me. That iswhen the anxiety seems to kick into overdrive. However, it is now a constant in my life. Day and night.

Over the last week or so, I have started having a swooshing sound in my ears. Driving me crazy! Sometimes I feel like it keeps time with my heartbeat. Anyone else experience this?