So confused if this is menopause

Not sure this will be much help, but I'll try.  First, your FSH is very obvious.  You are in menopause. Your brain is pushing off plenty of Follicule Stimulating Hormone, because it is feeling the lack of estrogen and trying to get your ovaries to work.  

Now are these other issue related?  What doctors will admit is that menopause will create hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal atrophy and dryness.....but beyond this, forget it.  However what all women know, is that menopause changes us in every way possible. Our sex steriods effect every organ, including our brains.  It effects our skin, hair, nails, sleep, anxiety, and even our personalities.  So if you ask whether some of these new problems can be related, my answer would be "of course"  But the only thing doctors will treat are hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal atrophy and dryness.  That's it.  

Hi Amber, im 15 mths since last period and been through all you describe, stomach problem for last 2 yrs, excess gas, constant burping, acid reflux, heartburn, palpitations, dizziness,hot glasges, night sweats,painful joints, panic attacks, high anxiety, health anxiety due to all the testing and waiting for results. Now on antidepressants for anxiety, hrt patch, betablockers for panic attacks. It all escalated at new year to panic disorder and nocturnal panic attacks. 9 weeks on meds and ive improved no end but still a way to go and have ok and bad days still. CBT with a therapist helps challenge the negative thinking to break the anxiety loop.taking magnesium, Vit D, B complex. Who would have thought that menopause could be so debilitating? My sympathy to all those struggling, but at least we're not alone & we're here to support each other and reassure each other that it will pass and there are things available that can help us get through it the best we can.

Amber,

I too had extreme nausea and digestive and bowel issues along with anxiety and the usual meno symptoms.  Hormones have an impact at cellular level including the GI tract.  I too was convinced I had something wrong mind you at one point Drs suspected Crohns which didn't help!  It turned out to be meno, I didn't see it coming because of a hysterectomy when I was 29.  I didn't eat much for about a month due to this it was like I couldn't swallow I lost 2 stone during this time due to meno.  We are all different and react differently like when they tell us morning sickness goes after the first trimester pant does it I had it for 7 months 24/7.  So go with your own instinct hope you get some relief.

Hi Amber, I hear you loud and clear. My hell started in April diagnosed with chronic gastritis and partial hiatal hernia, then in August with a constant sore throat and lump in my throat, and waves of not feeling well. ENT thought silent reflux. I dropped many things out of my diet (meat, dairy, gluten, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, etc..). I lost 30 pounds very quickly. I kept getting sicker and sicker, like a shaky, dying, old 100 year old lady. I've had a constant pain in my upper left back, lots of trouble breathing. Had every test imaginable, just like you, and was convinced (and still not sure) that's it's cancer. I'm 52, still get my period although it's hasn't been normal in awhile. I hired a private concierge doc who found out I had a bad gall bladder so I had that out, but it didn't solve my symptoms. A naturopath found I had low ferritin, which I'm sure since I wasn't eating anything! So I've added back to my diet all that I've cut out and am taking iron and other supplements. Some of the symptoms disappeared like the eye flashes, internal shakiness. Now on top of all that I've got a frozen shoulder AND just had another mammogram and ultrasound and am filled with painful cysts, one is about 3 inches wide, who needs breast implants when you've got giant cysts? I'm in total hell. I've been tracking my symptoms and starting to see a trend in when I feel kind of normal. 

My private doc said there is nothing wrong with me and referred me to a psychologist and also prescribed Lexapro (which I haven't taken). Isn't it great when doctors say it's all in your head? My new GYN (old GYN said there is no sense testing hormones because it won't show anything) put me on oral progesterone but I only took if for 7 days and was convinced I was having side effects so went off. I'm now considering going to a specialist who deals with bio-identicals.  

I've had heart check, brain-neck-spine-thoracid-carotid-breast MRI's, chest xrays, CT scans, vaginal ultasounds (full of cysts there too!), numerous bloodwork, shoulder MRI and xrays, ERCP. Have seen cardio, endo, gyno, ortho, seeing rheuma

and new gastro in a few weeks. It's just exhausting.

It's definitely perimenohell!!!!  And I sure hope it gets better on the other side. Scary when you say you haven't had your period in a year. God, just shoot me now.

Hello,

I'm 43yo and was told I was post menopausal! My labs showed I was in the range, my doctor says nothing to do its part of the transition. My symptoms are similar, periods are off drastically. Haven't had one in 4mths and getting the cramps ! Oh and the anxiety is really bad. I refuse to take anything but wish there were natural solutions which I have yet to find.

Dear amber

I have a hiatas hernia and in peri with all the added reflux etc I started feeling nauseous and lost my appetite and I went on to have gastitis which can happen in peri, it took some time to clear. I lost quite abit of weight and I too thought this doesn't happen in menopause, I thought you gained weight! My healtha anxiety went through the roof, I asked for an endoscopy and it showed the gastitis. I suppose us having a hiatas hernia makes us more prone to these things with all the increased acid reflux! I went on ppi (acid reducers for a while) which eventually cleared things up. I had to ease up on caffeine, fatty foods and alcohol which all makes things worse! X

I Amber

you are not alone in this.

Im 56 and about 18 months ago Ibhad severe nausea and went from. Sixe 16 to 10/12 in about 3 months. I worked for Gp and all he kept saying is you have lost a lot of weight is it intentional and all staff saying have you lost more weight. I was his other but not once did he link it to menopause or send me for blood tests. I didn't either. I had lost my Husband about 12 months prior to that and reduced my hours. The nausea cleared after 4-5 months. Now I'm left with anxiety and insomnia. Your symptoms are symptoms we all or most of us have. I believe some ladies have a lot worse. You are normal amber. Try not to worry, although I have phobias, some days worse than others. Yesterday I was convinced a lorry wasn't going to stop at junction and cried out nearly causing my husband to emergency break. It was in my head. I hate being in the car!!!! I hope you feel better soon and reassured that you are not alone. It's 5am and I'm up with my little dachshunds watching shopping channel "sad eh" ha ha. But it's so peaceful, listening to the birds and having unconditional love from a pet, they keep me going. One of your replies says Gp's will only treat the known menopause symptoms. She is right. Mine gave me antidepressants of which I haven't started after 2 weeks, even after I told her I'd come of them 3 years ago after 30 years of taking them for pmt. ????? Like you, we all want to be normal and we are it's a change in our bodies but it's a blood horrible change for some of us. Take care Amber, be well.

Thank you all so much for the replies.. I don't feel so alone right now .. I just can't understand why the doctors don't get a red flag that this is what can happen in menopause?? I mean every doctor ii have seen questioned that I have not had a period in a year at the age of 44 .. but never put my symptoms to menopause?????i have even had prolactin test to see if I had a tumor on my pituitary gland that stopped my periods.. this is so unfair that our bodies turn on us like this 😞 I really believed I was losing my mind when every test came back negative it just added to my health anxiety.. I had no answers other than the doctors questioning my stress .. I kept saying I have been under a lot more stressful periods in my life than right now.. so I put it down to I am NUts!!! But no thanks to you all and my own research!!! I am in menopause!! So thank you all!!! I am going to hold off on taking the Prozac I was prescribed until I go and talk to the gyne next week ( the one that said my symptoms aren't menopause) I will keep everyone posted. Thank you