Question???

That's exactly what it feels like. I jolted up and looked down at the bed and could have sworn it was moving. I hope it settles too rather quick. It's really nerving. I'm still in awe at just how much these hormones control so much of out bodies.

I am 48 and symptoms are changing and getting worse daily. I have had those 'adrenaline surges' which wake me in a panic. I woke up with one this morning and was sweating especially around my neck...is this a hot flush? I feel like I am always hot now but sometimes I can sweat for up to half an hour at a time and my clothes are drenched. Do hot flushes last this long? I don't know what to try as I don't know what hormone I am lacking as I think I am in peri but still regular.

if your still regular, your in early peri, your flares sometimes will be severe and sometimes they wont, but you should get some restbite inbetween, if you dont and things get worse and it lasts 24/7 with no break then you may need HRT, see how it goes, but during early peri blood tests can be very unreliable, sweating all day is normal it can last as long as your peri flare up does,  you may notice you sweat more, or, it comes on worse, when your stood next to a radiator, and if you cover up during the day, but the other side of the coin is, you then at some point go very cold, cant win can we, make sure you try relaxation techniques when you get the panic symptoms, and eat little and often during the day, high protein low carbs, to keep sugars stable, as our sugars will also go out of balance when were producing adrenalin, drink plenty of water as well, avoid all refined sugars during a flare, ti will just make all your symptoms worse. 

Thanks Elaine...i have cut back on my caffeine...i was down to one cup in the morning...and I loved my coffee (sob) but would have anxiety and flush for half an hour. I am trying to meditate daily...walk the dog but somedays I just have a terrible day. I am not having flushes all the time yet but when I do it lasts about a half hour before it goes....and I live in qld australia so its a hot climate anyway. When I have a hot flush even air conditioning doesnt help. So far still getting to sleep ok (am exhausted most days) but tend to wake earlier and having more vivid dreams. Am dreading whsts coming if this is just the start

Why dont you just switch to decaf coffee, i have it its no different in taste, but i tell you what, when im at a friends and she gives me caffine coffee, it triggers my symptoms, doesnt do it when im not having a flare up, stick to water now when i go to my friends, oh god didnt realise you were in australia, im dreading our summer coming in the UK, not that its anywhere near as hot here, but summer is my worst months since menopause, and hot baths awful............ive been very lucky in that the anxiety hasnt hit me as hard, but it can do if all my other symptoms are hard also, i take that as my fluctuations are bad at the time, it will go, try and stay cool as you can, walking the dog great, carry water with you though, drink it every now and again, you could always try meds for your anxiety just to get you through the menopause, i went on anti depressants, for 2/3 years to get me through, im post now, so came off them, so it wont be for ever, fingers crossed, make sure you stay off refined sugars during a  flare also, as this will make you feel bad, stick to eating little and often, high protein, fat, and urefined carbs during a flare as you need to keep your sugars levelled off, instead of up and down, as this will cause you to produce more adrenalin, that will also then causes panic attack type symtpoms, the dreams are down to the fatigue, it knocks our body clock out, and alters sleeping patterns, when this happens we tend to get very weird neurological symptoms, dont  worry about it, its normal and in time you will come to learn that and not worry about it so much, rest, and pace yourself, but dont over exert, drink at least 2 litres of water per day, sipping every ten mins, keep hydrated whilst your inner temps are high otherwise you will dehydrate and become thirsty,  that will then knock your minerals out, salt, magnesium, and potassium, you can get some of those from your water, but dont over do the drinking either, go off the colour of your urine, if it is darker in the morning, you need to drink, as it turns yellow to clear, your rehydrated, if your still thirsty, your electolytes are out, maybe salts, so sprinkle extra on food, but not if you have high b lood pressure, you can take in extra magnesium through supplements, and potassium through food, bananas, crisp are two, better to go through diet as you can over do it with supplements, and we dont no for sure what were down on, so listen to your body............. its all about balance and everything in moderation!

Hi hun

You said your anxiety is better now post. Im in peri not had a period for five months but came off my AD mirtazapine four weeks ago

Im wondering if its the wrong time to come off them.

Wondering if I should have waited till im post.x

Hi michelle...............My symptoms since post have become mild like they use to be during my usual menstural cycle,  before i started menopause, sometimes they would also be mild, and sometimes they would be severe all down to fluctuating hormones, however, even now i can still get severe symptoms, but no where near as bad like during early peri which im thankful for, symptoms can still be up and down for a further 5 years after post, but i still havent felt the need to go back on my anti depressant meds, you have to go a full 12 months without a period to say your post, 5 months could be too soon, but time will tell,my symptoms havent been as bad and only come back hard once in a year, which, isnt bad compared to what it was, so, this could be you, if not, and it comes back hard too regularly, go back on your meds until you have been without a period for a year..................its all down to our bodies michelle, sure your dr will have no qualms abut putting you back on your meds if you feel you need to be back on them, but wait and see first.

I will definitely watch the refined food. I notice definite increase in symptoms if I have anything with sugar in it. I almost have a sugar hangover. I am longing for our winter to arrive (even though it rarely gets to single figures here)....i hate wearing clothes atm...everything... even cotton is too much. We have just had one of our longest most humid summers....30°C plus 100% humidity so bad timing for hot flushes to rear their head. Thanks for the advice...i will definitely work on my diet as at 48 I have a way to go.

I had postnatal depression after my 3rd son was born 14 years ago so will definitely get help for the anxiety/depression if it starts getting worse. This forum really helps though as it seems no one else I know is going through it yet and I read other peoples posts on here and realise there are others in the same boat.

Ues I will give it a bit more time but anxiety is bad right now.

MY gp has already said I can go back on them anytime if I need to

Thanks for your reply x

Elaine. Some suggestions on what to eat during the day to keep sugar levels even? I have very little appetite, so finding things to pop in my mouth when I feel poorly is becoming difficult. Any help would be appreciated.

It really helps doesnt it, when you read what others are saying, and its the same as yourself. gps just make things so much harder for us, especially during early peri when the tests may not show anythings wrong with your hormones, they just cant seem to think out of the box, and for some stupid reason we end up believing them instead of trusting our own instincts of knowing whats wrong, at the end of the day its our body!!  you can get better advice from the women going through it, especially when  you find the one who is going through it almost identically to yourself.

If your getting the sugar hangover Janine, your definately having too much refined sugar, its awful that feeling isnt it, best thing to do for that is, just starve yourself, either for the morning or, afternoon, but if you can manage a full 24 hours even better, your just reacting to everything your putting in when that happens, even protein wont work, but if you can starve yourself, that will reboot your system, even endocrinologists say to do this to resolve the problem, you just need to rest your system, and then eat little and often like i said.

You may be lucky janine, my friend was only on the menopause from start to finish for 6 years, mines taken 10 years, but something tells me that even though im post, im gonna go to the full 15 years because my symptoms have been very gradual and slow, think thats why i have had them milder than some...........it just wont let you get away with it, will it!!

My goodness i couldnt handle that heat myself, bet your body feels like lead, drink plenty of water janine incase your bp is low, that will definately help you in the heat.............take care.  

As long as your sure its your sugars that are the problem, as there are other things that can make you feel poorly during menopause.

Things to pop into your mouth, salted nuts incase your low on salt,  like cashews, or, if you dont feel like your down on your salts, plain brazils, or almonds  along with, small amount of dried fruits like mangos, apricots, blueberrys, figs, flapjacks a good one but with handfull of extra nuts, omelettes for breakfast, hard cheese a good one for me, drumsticks, any unprocessed protein really, un refined carbs to mix with protein.......... oat crackers, salt crackers again if you feel your down on your salts, topped with cheese, jalepenos ontop, if you feel your down on salts again,  or, green olives instead if you prefer, they will avoid acid reflux if you suffer with that, which, jalepenos would then trigger, if you can manage that much, when you feeling better,  try an omelette for breakfast, then if appetite poor, just eat either side of morning and afternoon, with handfull of nuts and dried fruit. then main meal if you can manage it, you may find evening meal may make you feel better.

Avoid totally, especially if you feel your sugars are being affected

any processed foods

anything in cans, although baked beans a good one without added sugar. 

ready meals, takeaways like macdonalds

sauces

preserves

all breads and pastries

cakes

chocolate etc

caffinated drinks of all types

alchohol

smoking

French fries

mashed potatoes

sweet corn

breakfast cereals

dairy cream

alll fruit juices and squashes

Eat more of

oatie crackers or, salted crackers if you feel your down on salts, put protein ontop though to level sugars, a piece of fruit after meals especially for water retention due to pms, water melon, celery, cucumber, grapes, blueberries, do not eat a salad bowl too much carbs, but should be ok after main meal, if you keep it very small .

porridge oats a good one

semi skimmed milk in drinks 

priobiotic yoghurts a good one

if you have soup, make your own, but more one made without flour, try chicken then put extra chicken pieces in it,

sweet potato soup a good one

salads loaded with protein

main meals keep mainly to protein and veg, if you have potatoes,  only baby boiled,  or, baked half a one, keep potatoes to a very small amount, or, cut out completely and just have greens or, carrots.

Make sure you drink decaf drinks only, or plain water,  put water by your bed, and carry a bottle whilst out, water will help balance sugars, ease stress, and fatigue, and help balance electrolytes, and lift low blood pressure. so water is a must during menopause, but dont over drink it either, because that will dilute your salts and could make you feel pretty poorly.

Illnesses that make you feel pretty poorly like you have the flu can be:

Sugars if very low, or, if your reacting a lot, this will feel like a hangover feeling, if however, your feeling bad due to poor appetitie which, inturn will lower your sugars then eating will make you feel better!

Fatigue...........due to how it affects nervous system, but you wont develop full blown flu from it.

Low salt

Low hormones!! 

Adrenal exhaustion........ low cortisol levels

Low blood pressure

Telll me what your ill feeling is like for you?? 

Actually, I'm a bit of a case. I believe I started all of these horrible symptoms of menopause, and had Gerd and gallbladder all in one! I started getting sick in December, was on my couch daily in January, February not much better. Been to hospital 3times, symptoms:chest pain, weakness, tremors, mostly left side, lightheadedness, head pressure, eye pressure, debilitating nausea, weight loss, no appetite, reflux and digestive issues, no energy, lethargic, insomnia, fatigue, hot flashes, hot and cold spells, high blood pressure, and pins and needles in my arms, hands, legs, and feet. Was getting hypoglycemic incidents every morning for awhile, hence the question of good protein to stop these. I have had bloods drawn a lot, and liver function is a little high, but could have been because of gallbladder. Had it removed March 2nd. My platelet count is low, but have had this on and off for years, and they keep saying my glucose level is good. I am very mindful of this, as my mother was a brittle diabetic. But, I have had numerous hypoglycemic incidents throughout the years. I just had my gyno tell me I was indeed menopausal, as she tested my hormone levels. She, however, didn't offer any info or help, or tell me what levels were. I believe I was struck with the heavy duty crush of menopause symptoms, and gallbladder and Gerd symptoms hitting me all at once! Wham! Still not feeling all that wonderful! 

I also have a health problem, which, maginifed during menopause, i feel for you, and everyone on this forum whose in the same position, and if your mum had probs with diabetes however slight, then its possible you have inherited the severe sugar drops now.  Ive had hypoglyceamia since i was 21, it is not diabetically related, and mine definatley has also got worse since meno, our sugars are affected during our normal menstrual cycles, and ive always had problems with it during that time, felt great whilst on, then dipped again afterwards, its our sugars that actually cause the  pms symptoms, but because were not true diabetics, it wont show in a low blood sugar  test, because, for you, its your hormones causing it, and making mine worse. Agree drs,  just dump everything on us after tests come back normal, and give no explanation whatsoever as to what could be wrong, and where to go next with it all, and  its done so matter of factly isnt it? how dare they when we feel like our life has fell apart with illness!! its so bad isnt it?  

Its protein, that levels sugar off, but you have to put urefined sugars in, only a small amount, as we  need carbs for the energy part, protein will put energy into our muscles, but it will be done very slowly, and its because of how slowly protein goes in, that levels it off, the unrefined carbs which are more fresh unprocessed foods, and refined carbs which, are mainly processed foods, cake pastries, flour, sweets  etc,both are 100% sugar, but, refined goes in even quicker than unrefined, protein is only 50% sugar, and thats why it goes in slower, but because the other two, are absorbed much, much faster,  its that, that causes the highs and lows, because when anything goes in fast, we over produce insulin, which inturn lowers our sugars, and thats why, when true diabetics inject insulin, they have to eat with in a certain time frame before the insulin  drops their sugars, otherwise they get whats known as a hypo!!   A true diabetic, will have hypoglyceamic attacks also, after going to long without eating, when this happens,  eating protein would be no good to them, because it would go in too slowly, instead, they would need to eat a refined sugar to bring their sugars back up fast, to stop them blacking out, but then they must follow it with an  unrefined snack, like a sandwich for theirs to stay up to support the fall later on, but thats not us, but that could, happen to you because, one, its in the family anyway, and two,your appetitie is low, hope this helps you understand it better, bit confusing though i know.

Take care debbie hope you feel better soon, ive had days where i just wanted to go to bed and stay under the covers, but when were not like that normally, its such a shock isnt it? and i hate that bit the most, how its made me!! im determined not to let it get the better of me, but some days its incredibly hard!!  

Thank you for the reply! On top of everything else, I have had an ongoing UTI that several courses of antibiotics haven't taken care of! Now my kidneys are hurting, as well as my upper back, and it scares me badly! All of this has made me have high medical anxiety, and none of the doctors,so far, have really seemed to care a whole lot. I feel like I'm dying right now...so weak , cold, hurting, and so lethargic! Ugh! Hate this!

Hi,

Have you ever looked up Essential oils, they've been beneficial in many ways for me.

Hi Debbie... My symptoms started around the same time I had my gallbladder out. Its hard not to get anxious when you know you are having real symptoms but nothing shows in bloods. I have seen the doctor more in the last couple of years than I ever have. I always feel 'off' every day and wake up every morning wondering how the day will go. I too have days where i just want to stay in bed. I am going to try elaines suggestions re diet as it makes sense...i do a fairly physical job and i don't think i am eating enough protein. I just find it hard to eat sometimes...just not hungry. Do you have Sustagen protein formula there? Sometimes i will drink this when i need something but don't want to eat.

Hi...i find lavender oil helps me get to sleep at night...calms me down too

Hi,

That's good, look up Clary Sage, it balances the hormones

debbie,

Poor you all that at once must be horrible.

UTI, I've just managed to deal with so you could give this a try?

2 good quality probiotics at tea time. 3 times a day a teaspoon of aluminium free bicarb in half a pint of water and 2 cranberry capsules before bed. I've turned my round in 3 days and bite won't have to go to the doctor.

I actually just messaged a person who sells them last night. Haven't heard back yet. I have a couple of friends who sell them too. Thanks for the reply

I'm in the US, but we have vitamin and mineral drinks here, such as Ensure. I have already thought about getting some, but haven't felt well enough to do so. Thanks for the suggestion 

I'm taking a probiotic with 50 billion cultures, specifically targeted to women's vaginal health and recovery. Also, have taken cranberry capsules and just ordered the D-Mannose. The doctors keep giving me antibiotics that are real stronger, and have terrible side effects, so, won't take them

Clary sage oil I was reading about that last night, I read so much about all sorts of things I don't recall. But have any of you ladies (especially the ones unable to take HRT) looked at maca for re balancing hormones?

Look up maca it does the same apparently.

Hope it's better soon.

Hi...thanks..will do that. Thankyou

Hi,

Is it also an Essential Oil?

Hi, you bet, we have to stick together 😊

Hi debbie...i was just at the chemist and saw Ensure there for sale...i buy sustagen sport as it has protein vitamins and minerals but ensure seems to be a similar product. It helps give you some energy when you don't feel like eating. I make mine with milk and icecubes in a shaker and take it to work to drink when i feel i need a pick me up. Good luck and I hope you are feeling better. I am feeling unwell a lot lately too so know how you feel

No it's some root vegetable from peru, you can buy it raw to cook with powder or capsules.

I've been reading about it a few evenings now. So far have discovered you need gelatinized or it can cause stomach issues if you use it raw without cooking it.

But can use the powder in smoothies etc.

It's an adaptogen so can re balance hormones.

It's also good for libido in men and women.

oh dear thats not good, do you think maybe the UTI has developed into a kidney infection?? you may be weak debbie because your not eating enough, what about a convalescence drink, a high protein one, with lots of enzymes in to aid digestion, maybe you actually need sugar debs if your that weak, but if you react to it, it will make you feel worse, dont know what to suggest if you feel that poorly.........do you feel severely fatigued as well, this will cause chills feeling, and sore skin like the flu, or is it your normal ill feeling from your gall bladder problem  you have?