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What has been your absolute worst symptom of (peri)menopause?

Posted , 57 users are following.

Ruthie49
Ruthie49

Hi All,

There is such a wealth of experience on this forum, I was just wondering which symptoms of (peri)menopause would top the list as the worst of the long list we are suffering.

Ok, I'll start - for me (so far!) it would be depression/anxiety. That's two symptoms but they go together. (A close third would be digestive problems.)

If you could be rid of just one symptom what would it be?

4 likes, 126 replies

126 Replies

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  • amanda10339
    amanda10339 Ruthie49

    Posted

    Hi Susanne,

    I had dreadful hypermesis whilst pregnant, so much so that I need to be hospitalised due to dehydration. Now that you mention it I can see the connection, I also get that awful nausea and just thought the other day ' this is like being pregnant'.

    I totally agree with you about doctors and lack of interest or knowledge, but really how hard can it be for a doc to make the connections. I just think they don't want to go there as all they can give is HRT.

     

    • susanne30086
      susanne30086 amanda10339

      Posted

      hi amanda,

      same with me - was in & out of hospital for the first 5 months each time...!

      i wonder whether other women have had the same? maybe there is a connection? I am wondering how some women seem to be fine in menopause or with hormon changes, and others are not...

      maybe i shoud start a new thread to investigate?

      x

  • liggy42062
    liggy42062 Ruthie49

    Posted

    So far, the worst thing for me is this ANXIETY!!!  I try so hard NOT to focus on these symptoms and even when I think I'm not, I get this nervous, cold skin-crawling sensations a lot. ugghhh!!! 
    • liz1234
      liz1234 liggy42062

      Posted

      It's the anxiety for me too and it's making me doubt my life, work, marriage etc. I hate it!! On anti depressant which I don't think helps and now trying HRT!!

      It's a horrible thing x

    • liggy42062
      liggy42062 liz1234

      Posted

      I find that the anxiety gets worse on the days I am "off" my progesterone cream. (Supposed to use it 3 weeks, then off 1 week when I mense). I feel like I really need it most then.  Consulting with naturopath who wants me to get a salive test for hormone levels first and then we'll go from there.
  • michelle50768
    michelle50768 Ruthie49

    Posted

    Hi ladies

    I have to say anxiety depression and digestive issues have been top for me!!!!!

    Closely followed by extreme fatigue and insomnia. Been in perimenopause 8 long years. Im now 48. Symptoms gradually getting worse. On mirtazapine 15mg reduced from 30mg due to weight gain. But not sure im quite ready for the reduction. All I can say is ladies This too shall pass and im praying it ends very soonsad(

  • debbie41090
    debbie41090 Ruthie49

    Posted

    I am searching the internet trying to find reasons why the issues I am having relate to peri/menopause and not cancer.  I am trying not to freak out when I have dizziness, lightheadedness, lower back pain, right hip pain, joint pain, pressure behind my right ear and eye, sinus pressure, neck and right shoulder pain, heart irregularities, have had EKGs, heart ultrasound, brain mri, xrays, am now crying as I type.  I am 48 and "dying of cancer" every other day.  Just scheduled a dr appt for sept 2 as these back and hip pains say pancreatic cancer.  Oh an let's not forget the change in bowel consitency.  Same as what I would have each time I got my period before when they were regular.  Now I can have my period every other week, day, month... whenever it feels like it... and flow...OMG.  {heavy sigh}  Now my stools are light and airy seeming all the time - mostly floaty.  More since I went for back xrays at ortho and he prescribed an old time ibuprophen - from a retired dr - back in May.  Seems like they have been kind of floaty since then,  Still regular.  Feel my chest tighten now as I am dooming myself to cancer.  And since I have been searching, my shoulder has caught fire.  I have two sons, one when I was 36 and the other at 39.  I am now 48.  My first halter monitor was when I was pregnant with my first son.  Then when I was nursing my second son.  Not conclusive with either one.  Landed in the ER and the heart ultra with the second one.  crazy.  Chiropractor and massage visits galore.  I was told to "splash cold water on" my face.  =(.  When I am busy, my symptoms do not bother me.  When I feel one, I focus on it and more come.  I have a had time now when I get up from sitting due to back and hip.  My dad, aunt and granddad all died of lung cancer.  Cancer is everywhere I turn and I am freaking.  I will get an "all good" and be ok for a time, then it sets back in and I am doomed.  I am hating this.  Horrified.  Praying it is all menopause related and someone can tell me this for absolute certain - - - - and then that I can let it go.
    • Tracky
      Tracky debbie41090

      Posted

      Oh Debbie what a horrid time. To me this sounds like a massive case of anxiety caused by our lovely hormones. Sounds so like me a few years back and was convinced it was the end, only to realise I was peri menopause! I went to an anxiety management course and CBT but the thing that worked for me was Reiki and reflexology. You really and I mean really need to put yourself in a situation where your body does the flight or fight and then try and cope with it. It never goes away and it lurks in the background every minute of every day and my job is to keep telling it to go away and it's not going to ruin my life. It's quite wearing believe me. The first time I went reflexology I was all over the place, I hear my heart beat all the time and where my body was starting to relax I was jumping all over the place thinking my heart was trying to stop!!! See what the mind does! I can now lay there for the whole session without freaking out. Reiki was an experience I can't explain but it changed my way of thinking. I bleed nearly every day, I ache, I have hot sweats, pain between my shoulder blades, achy elbow, bloatedness, palpitations and the list goes on. I really hope you can feel better soon. Health anxiety is not a funny thing it's the most scariest to have and I'm not a medical person but it sounds very much like that to me.
    • rstep04
      rstep04 debbie41090

      Posted

      This is exactly how I feel every single day it's very frightening I'm on evorel sequi but the tiredness and head pressure is really getting me down my eyes also don't seem to focus and in bright lights my vision goes funny do you have this
    • sharcerv52408
      sharcerv52408 debbie41090

      Posted

      Hello Debbie,

      I understand how overwhelmed by all of these symptoms you can feel like you are dying of some undetected illness. I find myself entertaining those thoughts at times too. I know how hard it may be to believe that hormones can cause all of this mayhem but they do. I have had a litany of symptoms bombard me recently. I started this nightmare years ago. First was after I had to have my right ovary removed at age 26. They told me then that menopause would hit early. I had my first child at age 35 and started noticing my PMS symptoms got worse. I didn't know then that it was peri. I started having heat flashes, dizziness, constipation and gassiness. I thought I had some type of cancer too. But when I go to the doctor I always get the all clear. This is a very unclear time in a woman's life. We never know from one moment to the next what we'll be hit with. I had my second child at age 39 and my symptoms are worse now than they have ever been. But I find solace in prayer, talking to the women on this forum, talking with my sisters who are also peri sufferers and by reading this book entitled "A strange period" by Sheryl Currentz. Look it up I truly think it will help you. I hope this helps.

      Take care

      Xx

  • acsorenson
    acsorenson Ruthie49

    Posted

    God, I'd give anything to be rid of the headaches.
    • Ruthie49
      Ruthie49 acsorenson

      Posted

      I suffered badly with headaches and migraine last year. That has eased off but the digestive issues, tingling, tiredness and anxiety continue.

      Hope you get relief soon, hold on.

  • deirdre01438
    deirdre01438 Ruthie49

    Posted

    How is everybody doing now? Any suggestions or advice please. Suffering badly.
  • renee_26767
    renee_26767 Ruthie49

    Posted

    The pressure between my eyes made me feel bad though my eyes might cross. That was very scary !!!
  • Struggling50
    Struggling50 Ruthie49

    Posted

    My worst symptom is anxiety/depression, too.

    Next would be feeling detached from loved ones, myself, my cat.

    Next would be insomnia.

    If I could get rid of one symptom, it would be the anxiety.

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