Perimenopause - ??? Please help, so confused

Can certainly relate to the horrible indigestion! I've had it for the last few weeks - mainly acid reflux, extreme dry mouth and throat and disgusting taste in my mouth. I don't get chest pains - it's mainly just in my throat. I'm almost 55 and have experienced just about all the symptoms known to man over the last 7 or so years. I say this has to be the worst one, but then my memory's just about gone, so I probably don't remember how bad the others were! I'm now almost 7 months period-free so am hoping I don't get to 9 months like I did once before, only to have to start counting all over again.

Anyway, I've tried lots of different fixes for the acid reflux, but the best remedy appears to be eating raw vegetables, carrots in particular. I do take 20 mg omeprazole and an over the counter antacid if it's really bad. I try so hard to stay calm too as getting all hyper definitely makes it worse. Definitely easier said than done though! I've also just started using aloe vera juice, but can't really tell if that helps. I was taking a B Vitamin complex too but had to give that up when it started to upset my stomach. Very upsetting as it definitely was helping my energy level.

I do hope you start to feel better soon - this is such a nightmare!

Margot xxx

I just wanted to let you know that I have suffered with my tummy since Nov 12 and for me it started with a lumpy throat feeling as if I had some food stuck. Went to the GP and he said it was caused by anxiety. Only mid June last year that I started with the same discomfort as you describe with your chest, which comes and goes. I have regular acupuncture and asked her about it and she says its to with the liver being over worked and puts a pin in this area and to be honest it does help. She says its to with the build up stagnation and once it get clears the feeling does go away. I do suffer certains times of the month when I have to be really careful what I eat aswell. 

I really do find acupuncture a help to me as she treats me for my overthinking (worrying) and my sinus along with my digestion problems. 

Having your our hormones tested won't be worth it until you are one year without periods, I had three test done last year to be told I am not in the menopause even though all these different things started to rear there ugly head, ie never suffered with anxiety, digestive problems or even getting PMT before  Nov 12.

All what you describe seems like peri symptoms, the one thing I was told that might help and that was taking slippy elm which (tablets) may help with your crushing as it almost sounds like heart burn. I have got some and they do help.

Good luck and massive hugs coming your way.

Joy

xx

I feel for you and your worry over these symptoms. Just lately I have had chest pains, more to the right side, that seemed worse when I breathed in slightly but I think it was indigestion rather than muscle strain (all those intercostal muscles between the ribs can cause alarming chest pain if strained - and I guess the tension caused by anxiety could do that).

I have been regular as clockwork for the last few years, apart from one 3-week late blip last year. 2 days before my 50th birthday I had my period as usual. Then I got all the bloating and indigestion symptoms less than 2 weeks later and I thought, "This feels like PMT again, but that's impossible!". Sure enough, another period started, and it lasted 10 days. Now I have my November period but it is 5 weeks since the start of that last one! Now on day 4 and only just starting to bleed properly - but that's pretty normal for me!

Apart from the indigestion and persistent lump in the throat, yesterday I also realised I was really out of sorts. Started fairly cheerful but then every little niggle upset me and got me so riled! I had to turn the tv off after getting too angry over someone's attitude, but the same thing happened later with a fictional programme! Talking to my mother-in-law later I took something she said as a personal sleight, so then I had to admit to her that I seem to be suffering DMT - During, rather than Pre!

Some months I am ok, but others I become an ogre for a day or so! I had to laugh at myself yesterday for turning into the archetypal Grumpy Old Woman! Who is burping again now after so far only having a mug of tea and no food!

Hormones definitely play a big part - and I know that they cause my bloating which, in turn, gives me varying degrees of indigestion and heartburn. At its worst I take liquid Gaviscon, which usually works.

Try not to worry to much. I have kept a note of my symptoms in a diary and the trend is definitley that indigestion mostly presents itself around period time. So does lack of energy. Things perk up, for me, straight after a period - but the feeling of energy never lasts much more than a week!

CJ x

As I understand it the problems can be the valve at the top of the stomach being too relaxed (age) and allowing reflux, SIBO (look it up) causing pressure, Adrenal fatigue (look it up), too much cortisol is not good for digestion. Oestrogen dominance affects digestion.

For me not eating near to bedtime (3 hours) helps a little; raising the bed head (not pillows) helps a little; trying to relieve stress helps a lot; avoiding gluten helps me in lots of ways. I don't get on with (or agree with) PPIs but they work for some ladies on here.

It is a really common problem, try not to worry and let us know if anything works for you.