Perimenopause or Anxiety or ???

Theresa, I think I've read that your thyroid can go haywire during peri. But you should take care of it, it's nothing to mess around with. Your symptoms could very well be from thyroid alone. See an endocrinologist. My daughter tried holistic approach to help her thyroid, it didn't work.

I agree with Suzanne. Lots of things go out of whack with this peri menopause but let them do the thyroid checks. Don't want to mess with that issue and not take care of it.

Theresa, are you hypo or hyperthyroid? My levels have gone up and I'm hypo.

I think I might be getting vestibular migraines as well. I have various forms of dizziness and some nausea with it every day. Plus it feels like I have a bowling ball in my head and a tight band around. Sometimes I get one sided pressure. I haven't been diagnosed but if it is VM it was definitely triggered by meno. Mine had been two months pretty much constant. Plus the anxiety that comes with it and meno. How long did yours take to resolve?

Jen

It was severe for 2 months and then it started to improve. I still have it but much milder and I can lead a relatively normal life around it now.

I had the band around my head too. Deathly pale, weird food cravings, gurgling stomach, dizzy, breathless, generally so ill, anxiety was severe at times any stimulation. Or concentration would make things worse. Felt very depressed at the time everything pretty good in my life but when you're so ill it's hard to feel happy.

Things that seemed to help, meditation, I used guided ofF YouTube for migraines and hormones (out there but I was desperate) fresh air and walking even though I felt like death this seemed to help. Hot showers gave some relief a short periods. Those menthol headache rubs on forehead and ears were good. Ashwaghanda half a tablet seemed to help too but it's so hard to say if it would have eased for a while anyway.

I can really feel for you and hope you feel better soon. X

Well eye flashes are on the list for perimeno. I think mine were from low iron though. Ask to have an iron panel done and see what your ferritin level is. Mucus in your throat might be allergies or even reflux. The ENT scan will show if there is anything more, but doesn't sound like there would be. I know it's hard not to worry, not googling anything is the best thing. When I google I end up having every thing under the sun. 

Thank you all. Wonderful forum. It has helped me to calm down knowing am not in this alone. I am 39+. Eye dizziness & pepperish like, migraine, feeling fall, lack of concentration, fear to go out, distancing myself from friend, feeling hot & light headed, mood swing, I have all my pictures removed from my Facebook thinking they are my problems. I have done all test I can everything coming out normal. Pls can somebody suggest what I should for this awful eye dizziness is really affecting my activities. I thought may be because I work on computer a lot. 

You bet Naomi! Has sure helped me to read everyone's experiences on here and know we are having the same symptoms and sharing the same feelings, worries, etc.

Today and yesterday I was having bad naseau, head pressure, woozy feelings, which was really challenging as I was in a noisy restaurant. Plus I felt like was shaking inside. Have you had that, too?

Have you had your iron/ferritin levels checked? With that much blood loss I would wager you are low.

I had a progesterone blood test recently, which came out at 1ng/ml. I read 5-8 is normal for perimenopause range. Does anyone have input on this? And Im supplenting with bios, so I wonder if I may need more and if that is whats causing the nausea. My FSH numbers show post-menopausal, but I'm only 46 and still having periods, although 3 and 4 mos apart lately, then two in one month. And I read that the naseau may be from too little progesterone.

Why don't you have them raise the progesterone in your cream? I'm waiting to get my bios, hopefully they'll come today. But the doctor also wants me to take oral progesterone at night, 200 to 300mg because my levels were as low as yours.

I started taking 200mg and would sleep very well if it weren't for my stupid frozen shoulder killing me!

Did you get your bios Suzanne? I hope they work for you. Wow, my script only has 60 mg of prog divided in a twice/day dose. Maybe I need more. I don't know how 1 ng/ml compares to mg's. Yesterday had bad nausea, then last nightwas so shaky, body flushes, head pressure and weird breathing, like pauses or lulls in my breathing and I was scared. At one point, my whole body just kind of jerked or jolted, like a reflex. Many, many nights I have struggled to sleep and wss afraid I wouldn't wake up bc of scary symtoms like these.

Anyone else had the weird breathing sensations or problems breathing?? Could sure use encouragement to keep going. Have ultrasound tmrw of abdomen, and gyn appt the nxt week.

Thought I'd get the bios today but they didn't come 😞

I've been taking the oral progesterone at night but I'm still finding hard to sleep because of the frozen shoulder pain.

I've been spotting since day 14 of my cycle and my period is due in two days. Today starting to get the breathing issues and shakes again. Sure hope the bios will help me.

Not sure what the conversation is for the progesterone, but if your levels are really low maybe you could add with orals. I'm taking a natural one that the compound pharmacy makes. My neighbor lent me some until mine come. Some women, like my neighbor, take up to 400-500mg a night! That's a lot of progesterone!

Julie I struggled with shortness of breath for quite awhile. Now I'm dealing with reflux and horrible indigestion. Have had 2 scopes and a colonoscopy. Can't find anything. All meds GI gives me I get horrible side effects. It's really a frustrating thing this menopause

How did the ultrasound go?

I know what you mean, many nights I thought I wouldn't wake up. I used to say that maybe they'll finally figure out what's wrong with me at my autopsy. How morbid is that? I think that goes along with low testosterone.

I started the bio cream yesterday. Too soon to tell, I slept better last night but woke up with a headache. 5 days late with my period though, I've never skipped one, so will see. I have 100 mg of progesterone in the cream, twice a day for a week, and I'm taking 200mg at night oral progesterone.

Still feeling shaky today. I'm expecting too much too soon though.

Hi - I got there and at first hit me up for money due to a mixup in billing issue, had not slept but about 2 hrs the night before so was feeling awful. It went Ok but the doctor did not request to look at the adrenals which I thoght was going to be done, so now a separate one for that. She wants to do a CT scan but we are waiting on 'insurance' approval, need I say more. In mean time, trying to navigate a financial assistance renewal, which involves a lot of paperwork gathering to complete, otherwise I don't have the money to pay for all these tests. Just have a high-deductible insurance plan, don't make much and single parent. Two college degrees, student loan payment, fun.

Yes that's a pretty morbid, ha, and I thought I was morbid. Hey, we gotta laugh at these things. But I have many times thave hought I might just drop dead at any time or during the night and they would find me. Why does it always seem to get worse at night?? Glad you got the bios, yes gotta give it time to build up in your system but transdermal is best, just like what your body makes so shouldn't be alot of side effects. Wow, my progesterone is 60 mg total for day (divided in 2 daily doses). I had progestertone test done, said 1 ng/ml and 12 or less was normal range for ovulation, yet my FSH blood test showed I was in post-menopausal range (at 46?) so how am I ovulating, right? That seems low. But then again, I don't know whats typical and there are different ranges for hte phase you are in each month (ovulation, luteal, etc). But yes, give the bios time, trust, tell yourself and imagine scales balancing in your body and say out loud to yourself "My body is in perfect balance and all is well." 

PS Suzanne,

Mean to ask what is the oral progesterone you're taking called? Because I heard there was an oral version that was like a bio identical too? The one I was taking was methodroxyl (not sure of spelling but close to that), which sounds like a chemical version). they said I could just stop taking it but I had a hard, hard time coming off of that and oral estriol. I mean, i've never taken serious drugs, but the symtpoms were crazy and I felt like a drug addict and like I was going to die most every day from the things going on in my body during that time. Someone else may be different and have no effects, but I did. 

Mine just says progesterone IR, it's made at the compound pharmacy in unmarked capsules. I'm told they are bioidentical. I've been taking 2 at night and really starting to get some much needed sleep. Last night I only got up once to go the bathroom and went right back to sleep. So far I don't see any side effects, although feeling kind of tired off and on during the day. He switched my thyroid meds to Naturethroid, hoping it's the correct dose. I don't know how to tell if I'm tired from too much progesterone or not enough thyroid?

Have you read 'The Wisdom of Menopause'? Interesting chapter on bio's vs synthetic hormones.

That's great! Too much progesterone can make you sleepy but it's not bad for you, whereas too much estrogen is not good.

You buy the pills over the counter at the pharmacy, or have to get a script? Are you in the States or England? 

I've never heard of Naturethyroid, maybe it's more natural, like Armour thyroid?

I've wondered if my problms are thyroid-related but they won't give me anything bc they say they are within 'normal' limits, but they are way low.

Last night had really bad night....worked late, took shower got in bed and started shaking again, body chills, body flushes, pressure in my nose, head, head rushes, the feeling I was falling and going to black out, it was scary. Wasn't sure I'd wake up like I've felt before. Wasn't feeling anxious about anything, although had a stressful episode the night before and that day with my son, which got resolved by the end of the day.

So I lost another half day of work, am rushing to catch up on everything (same old thing each week), and although I am at least functional now, still having pressure in my nose, and some head rushes.

I just don't know what to do anymore...

I've worried too about a possible venus sinus thrombosis? 

At least I got financial assistance packet in sent in asking for an extension, which was a big project to collect paystubs, and this and that, bc I can't get any more tests done unless that's approved.

Gosh Julie, I've had myself dying of everything, you name it, I had it. It's only now that I'm realizing it's all hormone imbalance and even the irrational thoughts that go through our heads. Seeing the psychiatrist finally gave me confirmation that my symptoms are not from anxiety or depression even though they go along with whacky hormones.

The progesterone was prescribed by the doctor I went to, and also the natural thyroid meds (it's better then Armour but similar). He doesn't go by labs, but by how you feel. My neighbor is on thyroid meds and doesn't have hypothyroidism and she's on a higher dose than me and I AM hypothyroid! I think my endocrinologist would faint if he knew what I've done, but he's also the one who proclaimed I'm nowhere near meno!

I live in the US, where are you?

Just wanted to share my experience with bios. Started 10 weeks ago and it wasn't an instant fix, you need to be patient. I have a troche with estrogen progesterone & testosterone. From what I understand we need all 3 to be balanced correctly. Had bloods done after 6 weeks and the results plus my symptoms showed I still had too much estrogen which is always a problem for me. I react very badly to even a tiny bit too much. Affects my moods terribly, gives me migraines, nausea and hot flushes. Now that its been lowered looks like things are balanced nicely and everything has settled down. The terrible moods and crying have stopped, nausea gone. Think the migraines and hot flushes have gone too but its still early days.

I'll have my bloods done again after 12 weeks on this script and if all goes well then I'll be checked once a year and be on them for the rest of life.

Be patient as it can take a bit of adjusting to get things just right for you.

They truly saved me and I can cope with life again.

Good luck..

What you said is comforting. I have tried to resign myself that this is all just hormones but vacillitate between thinking I have something else wrong bc there's so many things. Do you or have you had the symptoms like I had last night I described in my last post above?

Wow. Wish I had someone to work with like that, who goes by how you feel not just by numbers. 

I live in Missouri. You? Is the thyroid medicine helping?

Hello Azzumi,

I have been on bios about 10 weeks and still having weird symptoms. In two posts above, I descirbed the weird things that happened last night, so if it was just hormones, why would that still be happening? And it started with the pressure and pain in my nose! I know I've had an INCREDIBLE amount of allergy and asthma problems I've NEVER had before until all this started. 

May I ask how many mg you take of the estro/prog/test?

I take 2 mg estrogene(bi-est), 60 mg prog (although I think I may need more and maybe that is the problem bc of all the nausea and other things) and 1 mg testosterone. That is the total divided in two daily doses.

That's wonderful you are having success. Hope I can get there too and our other fellow sisters on here.

I have high hopes that the bios will help. I have high estrogen as well but only because my progesterone was so low.

I'm happy to hear they are working for you!!

Julie, I've had awful symptoms and so so many. I literally thought I was dying or felt so bad I wanted to die. I was convinced I had ovarian cancer, then convinced I had breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, bowel cancer, lupus, chronic fatigue, silent reflux, anxiety, depression.. you name it..

Anything you google sounds just like what you have. Who knew that unbalanced hormones could make you feel so poor?

I'm only now able to sleep better because of all the progesterone.

I'm in Florida.

Not sure about the new thyroid meds, it's only been a week.

Suzanne, my estrogen was a little high also. I am estrogen dominant. I was given .5 ml of progesterone cream. I also have vaginal dryness and was given I think it's called estriol. She said it wasn't an estrogen. I haven't used the estriol yet. How much did you start on if you used bio HRT?

Tonia, my cream is .5ml combo of progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. The prog is 100mg in the cream and I also take 200mg oral at night. So lots of progesterone. My level was extremely low. Doc said even though I'm estrogen dominant, I'm probably only dominant because my prog is too low, so that's why he's giving me estrogen too, to bring those levels up as well but balancing them out. Praying it will help the painful shoulders too.

I'm fairly confident that estriol is estrogen, look it up. Strange she said it wasn't.

I started yesterday on .5ml. I haven't started the estriol yet. The estriol is .1

I had a bad day today, but I'm also ovulating. It's only day 8 of my cycle. I've ovulated twice before. I get pain when I do. My cycle is usually 25 or 26 days and lasts about 3 days. The effects I am having are anxiety, agitation like I have to pace the floor, nausea from the gastritis, waking up early at 4 or 5 am. I wake up burning sometimes and have to eat. I'm taking Paxil and it quit working in 2015 and I can't get off of it because it's one of the worst to get off of. Been on it 16 years and I think my hormones may have a lot to do with the major anxiety. It's never been this bad.

My sister gets full blown attacks and has even tried jumping out of cars now and then! I'm positive your anxiety is worse because of the hormones. Hopefully the progesterone will calm you down?

I have chronic gastritis too, it all started there last April. Are you taking all meds with food? Even Tylenol kicked up my gastritis, so now I make sure all meds with food. Today my stomach is burning, hopefully not a result of the bhrt. But I also ate some chocolate bunnies, couldn't resist.

Really, so you've had all the same things I described? If so I feel a little more normal, ha (waves of strange sensations in your head that make you feel like you're going to pass out, feeling of falling or like going to lose consciousness, strange feelings, sensations, pulsations in your head, tingling on your head, ears, face, tight feeling in face, jaw, neck, pressure in head, hotness in face, burning feelings, coldness, flushes or sensations that go through your body, ongoing nausea, sick feeling, feeling you're breath is going to be taken away, no energy, can't handle stress, allergies and asthma you've never had before etc.) THOSE kinds of crazy things?

I'm about 8 weeks into the bios and still having symptoms. I've heard several different versions of how long its supposed to take for them to start working, anywhere from a few days to two weeks to 3 mos. The first month, I was taking BOTH the bios and the pills...building the bios up in my system so when I was completely done with the pill, I would have something vs nothing. That process was complete hell! No one told me coming off of oral hormones might as well be coming off an addictive drug!!

I think maybe I need more progesterone and less estrogen. It's so hard to tell. When I recently got tested, the levels vary depending on the phase you're in. Have appt with new Gyn next week, hopefully get some answers then (vs be refered on to endocrinogist and wait for that appt, too).

Glad you can at least get some sleep, that helps ALOT.

Yes to all Julie, and more. Like chest pains, eye flashes, uncontrollable shaking, and now painful frozen shoulder that is in one and starting in the other. If you've followed any of my other posts you would see that I've had so so many crazy symptoms. The flu like unwellness and the trouble breathing have been the worse part, until the shoulder.. There have been times I felt like I was dying. Now I don't want to tell you you might not have something else, but I've had every test and MRI known and nothing shows. Even had my gallbladder out in November because I was so unwell.

This has hit me very very hard. Still have thoughts like maybe I have uterine cancer because now I've had non stop spotting for weeks, and my period was due days ago. But then I think, well I've had two vag ultrasounds, wouldn't something have showed up?

Leaving for a trip to see my son in California next week and now I'm starting to feel anxietyabout going. I get all dizzy thinking about it. Gosh, I never had bad anxiety.

I used .5ml progesterone cream Friday night. I haven't taken the .1 estriol yet. I wanted to see how the progesterone cream did. My agitation and anxiety and nausea is worse. I don't know if it's the cream or what. I feel so bad like I'm coming down with the flu or something. I don't know what to do. My stomach is burning right now making me feel sick. Do you have problems with your gastritis everyday? Today it's so bad I can't hardly eat.

Suzanne, did you have nausea a lot from your gastritis? Mine is horrible right now. What do you take for it? When you started using the cream did you have any side effects? How long have you had the gastritis and have you had an Endoscopy? Any ideas as help the pain from the gastritis? I take Zantac and it doesn't do much. Do you ever get chills. Sometimes I'll just get them for no reason.

I had problems with gastritis last spring. Had an upper endoscopy. I was having black stools and stomach pain, and yes you can feel nauseous from it too. I try to stay away from things that aggravate it, Advil, tomato sauce, etc. it had gotten better on its own but took all summer. I was ok until I took Tylenol on an empty stomach and then had severe nausea and days of stomach pain just last month. It's ok now, but off an on I get some nausea. Be careful with Zantac, it can make your liver enzymes high.

I have only been on the bio cream since Wed. Already annoyed that I'm not feeling the benefits but I remember someone saying to give it at least a month to kick in. I'm feeling fluish today and getting off and on shaking too. Stabbing pain in my arm and shoulder. Worried about leaving for the week too. Don't want to fly or leave my dogs. Ugh

TonIA hang in girl, it will get better. Sometimes when you start the hormones, they magnify symptoms bc they're 'waking up' those receptors. Happened to me at first too. I think wise to try the progesterone first. More of that alone will raise/balance estrogen and I've heard low prog is often problem in peri, not estrogen. Wish I'd known that. And nxt time I'm going to separate mine. Got me on 2 ml of estrogen and 60 mg prog. Don't ever ever just stop the estrogen it's hell.

For your tummy, maybe try something soothing like milk? Or baking soda in water. Those are great for balancing indigestion /acid balance in stomach.

Hope you feel better.

Happy Easter everyone!

Is there a way you can stay, or have someone go with you? I know I feel anxious about going far from home when you don't know how you will feel, too.

What is the frozen shoulder or eye flashes Suzanne? I had both eyes, upper/lower lids twitching real bad for like 2 mos straight. Thot i had neurological prob, etc. Eye Dr cked out said unless the spasms are so strong they shut your eye, it's just stress and not to worry. And my visions gotten blurrier which I don't like but that could be due to all the work I do on the computer bc of my job writing.

Hope you feel better Suzanne!

My husband is going with me, we are going to visit my son. Unfortunately I feel a 'bad week' starting. Shaky, flu, bad shoulder pain today. I was hoping I'd be ok by now after starting the BHRT, but guess it's not long enough.

Frozen shoulder is a very painful shoulder (arm) that totally locks up. It's another very pleasant thing that can happen with hormone imbalance. Look up frozen shoulder or menopausal shoulder.

I get these strange eye flashes like lightening bolts at the side of my eyes. But I've had blurry and double vision too.

Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve all this torture.

You asked before about side effects to bio cream. The only thing I've noticed is a little bit of burning like heartburn. Nothing else so far.

I had gastitis and yes nausea is a symptom of it. I took omeprezole for a while but in the end it gave me a gassy stomach so went on to zantac, I would say it took about four months to clear, the onset of it was slow and vague, I just went off food and felt sick x

You didn't eat? How long did you go without eating? I'm taking 300mg 2 times a day. I'm down to 125 pounds.

Julie look further down the thread. I left you a message on the wrong post. 😂

I meant look up above. 😂 That's something else peri menopause does is makes you absent minded.

Tonia,

I have used progesterone in the past on and off consistently, and intermittingly, with no weird side effects. But when I stopped using a bio cream with estrogen in it, that' swhen all of this started. I went to dr. after dr. trying to find out what was wrong, test after test (still doing tests) but when I stopped bc I couldn' tget back into the dr. to get the script adjusted, I just sort of let it go completely and about a week later, I woke up with naseau, head pressure, strange and painful sinus symptoms (in my nose, head), you name it. But any hormone, I would not just 'stop' taking. As hormones control everything in your body. They are chemical messengers. So if your body isn' tmaking enough of them right now bc of peri/meno, and you add them in, it gets used to that, so if you just stop....well, you don't want to go there!

But you have to give the bios time to build up and work in your system.

I made a post earlier about how I read that progesterone is the first thing to drop in peri, NOT estrogen. And the Gyn I saw adjusted my script, doubling the progestone, and decreasing the estrogen. So Im super excited to get it and start using it.

I also got some Gaba for anxiety - it's an inhibitory, calming neurostransmitter. If that doesn't work, I think the extra progesterone will, because it has a calming influence. Estrogen is like the GAS pedal in your body, the cell proliferator; Progesterone is the BREAKS and balances the estrogen out. Hope that helps.

Funny thing is, I used to teach classes about hormone balance and all the symptoms (hot flashes, irritability, weight gain, moodiness, you know, those things. But I never knew these other things could happen and I wish someone would have warned me or told me!) However, my mother and sister had a hysterectory and were put on hormones, so they didn't have any of this weirdness and my other sister is six yrs older and has had none of these things, so I've had no frame of reference. My mother has even told me several times, "You just have to tell yourself you feel fine" and buck up and deal with it." Or that it's all in my mind and within my ability to control. So I just stopped confiding in her about it, sadly, as it was too discouraging. When only 10 percent of women have the crazy symptoms, it's hard to find anyone to talk to, and older women who've gone through the change, I'm guessing bc of that particular generation, don't seem to want to talk about it.

Hi Julie..sorry I'm so late replying..I'm on 200mg progesterone, 0.2mg triest, 1mg testosterone. Its a troche that dissolves under the tongue if i didn't mention before. I did have a little setback last week with a totally bizzar 6 day migraine that was so weird I didn't realize till day 5 what was going on. Almost all the pain was in my neck and my moods were a bit strange too. Then when I spotted a bit I realized what was happening. I think my troche needs a bit more adjusting but I need to wait another month till I get my bloods done again. Had my bloods done in the morning last time so my doctor wanted them late in the day next time as your hormones will change through the day. I really had no idea how involved it is getting the levels right. Also my doctor uses my blood results plus he uses my symptoms to get the amount of each hormone to give me.

How are you going now with your bios? Do you think they're helping?

Hi Azzumi,

It's hard to say yet. Been on increased progesterone dose about two wks. Nights are usually the,worsr, where I get the internal shaking feeling, or the dropping/falling sensation that is scary, or I just can't sleep. Been taking new supplement lately to help me sleep.

I'm on 100 mg of progesterone, but don't remember if that's 100 mg total in two daily doses or 100 mg per dose. Also went from 2 mg biest to 1 mg of biest and 1 of testosterone. Dr said prog is actuslky the first to drop in peri, and the estrogen in meno. Plus have the whole new allergy and asthma routine since this all started...with. the saline rince, daily anti histamine, flonase, eucalyptus other essential oils ...it's crazy all the things I hve to do every day just to try and feel halfway normal.

Are you feeling any better??

Its definately a process and if someone told me how bazzar peri could be I wouldn't have believed them. I know now I was in peri for a while before I realized what was happening. I feel completely or almost completely normal this week. Its only the migraines and mood swings now and they seem to be getting further apart. I worry a lot about the moods as my mother had sever bipolar disorder only diagnosed in her sixties. The last few years of her life were hell with terrible psychosis. I wonder now if hormones played a part in any of it. I will tell my doctor next visit about her. Think he should know its in the family. You are right about the progesterone dropping first then the estrogen and the levels are such an individual thing. Keep at it. It takes time for things to work too. Apparently up to 6 weeks sometimes. I think we are both on the right track. Keep me posted. I'd like to know how you are progressing.

Goodluck.

How did your trip go Suzanne? I replied to another post explaining this new cyclical way I am using the hormones and my body has been acting more normal now and I am sleeping real good most of the time. 

Also taking 5 htp at night and an adrenal restorative at night and a day one, too, along with whole spectrum of B vitamins. 

Get your zinc/copper checked. Found out I was way low on zinc and that can cause the shaking, fatigue, eye sight, fatigue, allergies, a whole lot of stuff, lots of colds, plus it is bad to have the two out of balance. 

I would say forget trying to figure out if you're low in progessterone, high in estrogen, or estrogen dominant or prog dominant, just use them in a cyclical way, like they normally interact during your monthly cycle. (so looks like this Day 1, take estrogen every day twice a day, and on Days 12-26 of your cycle, take progesterone twice a day (if you don't know where your cycle is, pick first day of month as Day 1). Technically, it should produce a period around day 26 or so, and you stop the progesterone then. If no period, go back to starting mid cycle again, on Day 26. If you are older and menopausal, I've read do progesterone days 5-26. It may take a couple months to have one again. This is my first month trying it and I am on Day 17 so won't know for a few more days. I am in my late 40s.

I know some women don't want the inconvenience of a period, but there is nothing wrong with it, and I'd rather have a period like I used to and feel normal again! I'm thinking alot of symptoms will go away, or lessen, once estrogen/progesterone are balanced again.

Was it you who said you had found a bulls-eye mark and was positive for Lyme's? What did you do to get over that? (If that was you, or another Suzanne)

Hi Julie,

As of now I'm off all hormones. I'm waiting to see a specialist in NYC in August to help me with reactivated EBV and possible Lyme. I had Lyme in the 90s. She said I should go off the progesterone, guess I'll get the explanation when I see her. Having my very bad week currently, just feel like I'm dying during this time. Evidently EBV cycles every 6 weeks and I seem to be following this pattern. The last time I felt this bad was when I went to New Orleans.

I used to think I was feeling better during ovulation but now realize that's probably not right. I'll ask this new doc to check my zinc.

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

XO

Julie I'm 42; started having the symptoms 2 yrs ago after I had ovarian cyst removed. I've had aaalllll of these symptoTheyre so frightening. You sometimes don't know how to explain them. You could read my info that I sent on this forum.

Hi stanaabernie,

Thanks for writing. So you've had all the same symptoms? Yes on explaining -- it is really hard to describe them. When I get the internal tremor feelings really bad, it sometimes feels as if my brain is shaking. Is that weird, or what? Are you using any hormones? Did you just have a cyst removed or your ovaries, too? I have been reading alot to support the adrenals, vs all the weird symptoms one by one, because all the hormone systems are connected and the adrenals take over when the ovaries poop out, which creates a burden on them and thus, all these many symptoms.

I hope and pray this journey goes better for you. I stopped taking hormones a year ago because I couldn't get in, not knowing you aren't supposed to do that, and within 2 wks began having bizarre symptoms. Went to ER and doctor after doctor for several months before one ER doc, who was very arrogant at the time, but on target, said I was probably going through perimenopause. I learned about FSH tests, got one and it confirmed I was in menopausal range at 46, even. I started back on bio-identical hormones in January, thinking that would fix everything, but it's been a long journey! At least my last ER visit was in March, so several months vs every other month.

One big breakthrough is I started using them cyclicly (estrogen each day twice a day, progesterone days 12-26 of cycle) and voila, I had a period after none for several months again! This gives me hope because it tells me my body is coming back into balance. I didn't know where I was in my cycle, so I just picked July 1 as Day one and counted from there. At 42, that is a young age to start, and I thought I was young. But for years, I'd been having shorter periods.