What would you do?

Posted , 11 users are following.

Hi all, I'm now one year and one month in with Peri. I was hit hard by severe anxiety and panic attacks when this hit. I had blurred vision for about 6 months. Dizziness 9 months or so and some days it still hits me. I had that spaced out drunk walk for a while and still find myself swaying at times although the severe anxiety and panic attacks have calmed with 2 supplements I'm taking. My fatigue is still terrible. Seems my adrenals are so low. I'm taking a Nitric oxide supplement right now to help with blood flow for circulation along with Pro Estro. I still have some memory cognitive issues that feel like brain fog or depression caused by that. I'm still having trouble focusing. I swore off HRT because my mom died 5 years after taking it from cancer of the lungs from it and I watched her suffer and die from cancer. So, I'm so scared to go that route but, I'm just home literally waiting for this to pass. I can grocery shop. That's about it because I still have anxiety but, my fatigue is still so strong. I'm not fully alert or present in the moment. Are you home waiting for this to pass and how are you handling that because I'm feeling the guilt from not being able to function. I have a very supportive husband and he's willing to wait for how long it takes but, I'm scared this could go on another year and I'm so over this. Scared too because I haven't even hit menopause yet. What would you do? I'm just feeling so overwhelmed by this tonight.

My blood work is normal. I go to counseling for this too but, it does not seem to help. I was led there at first for anxiety and depression like most but, it's peri. Just lost right now. I try to keep positive but, this is so hard. Thanks ❤️

2 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • Posted

    how do you know your in peri and how old are you? i only knew cause of blood work and lits of tests im 50 now and i have been having symptoms for over 5 years! you said your blood was normal was everything tested cause anxiety can be caused by many things and can cause all thise symptoms too!!! arr you taking anything for adrenals i would assume your cortisol was high to cause the adrenal issue

    • Posted

      I know my body. I'm 48. Pretty healthy till now and I've experience most peri symptoms. Never had anxiety or panic prior to this, muscle/joint aches, severe fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, carpal tunnel in right arm, frozen shoulder, neck pain, mood swings, crying spells, thinning hair. I've read so many women's blood work comes back normal. Diagnosed like me with depression and anxiety at first rather than figuring out it is perimenopause. I don't need a doctor at this point to tell me I'm not in peri because I haven't reached menopause. Which is exactly what my Gyn said. Which is crap. It hit my mom at this age too. Your adrenals become depleted when you start this transition so, I've read.

    • Posted

      i understand i as well stopped hoing to doctors cause i was tired of hearing same thing too its hard to deal with and very fustrating

    • Posted

      That's exactly where I am right now. Is it population control? I mean seriously, they need more research and new approaches to this. So many women are suffering. Some one should screen for your age, your symptoms. It really seems like know one really knows how to handle it in the early stages before meno and it's just dismissed by all till that time. It's very sad.

  • Posted

    I have had your symptoms and more. I refuse HRT as my mother developed endometrial cancer, and yes she passed from it. We also look to have Lynch Syndrome in our family which means we are more susceptible to cancer. I do know this though, I have been battling the worst of this for over two years now and what I have discovered is when I don't eat too much sugar and carbs and when I make sure to go for a walk every day it helps tremendously. I struggle, not going to lie...I hurt all over most of the time. I get tired and breathless easy and well, am as blind as a bat since going into Peri. But when I do exercise, get some sunlight it reduces the symptoms. May be worth trying a daily walk?

    • Posted

      Thanks so very much Jamie, I walk in the park near my house 3 or 4 times a week. First started off huffing and puffing 6 months ago when I finally could get out of the house to walk. With barely making it back home at that time but, now it's gotten easier over the last several months. It really helps. I'm eating mostly plant based foods right now and trying soy milk. My brain shut down on me completely when this hit. Trying to get it back up to speed has been so hard. Just here waiting for the lights to turn back on. I'm sorry your suffering too. I was just at the end of my rope with this today. I needed to vent. I told my family I would stop talking about it for the next 30 days. Just started supplements that take that much time to kick in so, I'm praying they do. I'm doing everything I should be and the shifts in progress have been so slow. It's depressing. I just want to wake up normal already. I know we all do. I know everyone goes through it. I just never expected this - this bad. Although, my mom had it bad so, maybe it's genetic. I don't know.

  • Posted

    Hi -

    I feel your pain. Not knowing if the issues are physical, mental, hormonal etc. is so confusing. Don't worry though. I think the early stage of peri is the worst. Your estrogen is peaking and crashing dramatically. You will start to level out.

    The one thing that seems to fluctuate are the symptoms. For 4-5 years from age 48-52, I experienced major bouts of vomiting and headaches every few months before my period. Fortunately, I think that phase is over now that my estrogen is fading. My current issues are balance, anxiety, bloating, irregular periods etc. I'm 54.No hot flashes yet but I think I'm still ovulating and getting periods...monthly, which seems unusual at my age. It is like a cycle my body refuses to break out of.

    I'm curious about Pro Estro.Is that a birth control pill or a natural supplement?

    Thanks,

    Marina

    • Posted

      Thanks very much for your reply and encouragement Marinab. Pro Estro was just recently recommended to me on this site by another poster. It is a female hormone balance and menopause relief supplement that can increase estrogen levels. It is highly recommended on line too for symptoms so, I figured I'd try it. So far 5 days on. No side effects and feeling more energy. You have to give it about a month though. I've read on line most hit menopause by 51 but, everyone is different. I'm praying that's me but, I could be just like you running past that. Hope you feel better too soon! Take Care!!!

  • Posted

    Hi I am in also in peri and dealing with terrible anxiety as I already had PTSD that it worsened. And a lot of medical doctors don't take the anxiety seriously though it is a peri symptom. I don't have a husband or anything but I am looking into cyclic hormones (it's new, attempts to mimic natural hormone cycle vs HRT approach of just dumping same level of hormones in you every day which is not natural). I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Are you 100% certain her illness was a result of HRT?

    • Posted

      where there is cancer, especially regular in families, it is not recommended

    • Posted

      Thanks Jamie. I don't think it's typical in my family but that's still terrifying. I wish there was something safe and doctors would do more research and realize how dehabilitating peri and menopause can be. I've read of women having to quit their jobs because of it and I'm just in peri and feel like I'm losing my mind.

    • Posted

      Hi, thank you Sakura, Cancer does not run in my family. My mom was the only one to ever take HRT and apparently, it can cause a lung fungus which is what my mom died of. She started at 48 and passed at 52 and had been healthy all her life up until that time. Although, that was several years ago. I don't know if things are different now but, from what I've read on line the risks are still high for several cancers. I'm not bias to anyone taking them though. If you can take them and they help you great. I think I just have a higher risk for problems though with my mom's circumstances surrounding it. Let me know if you find anything out about the cyclic hormones that sounds promising. I know how hard the anxiety is. I'm sorry you are suffering with that and I can't imagine having PTSD at the same time. The anxiety alone is so rough. I take an otc natural relaxant for that and it's just starting to help more so than anything else. I think I sent you that in a previous message and post. Thanks for your caring reply. It really helps when your feeling so low on certain days. Today was my day. Take Care!!!

    • Posted

      Thanks for sharing that info. I don't blame you for steering clear of HRT and appreciate the warning. What happened to your mother is awful. My aunt took HRT like 30 years ago and stopped because of the warnings at the time, tho she luckily didn't get ill and is alive. My older sister is also taking progesterone and past menopause and so far okay but I think estrogen is the most dangerous. I will do a lot more research before I consider anything, even the cyclical hormone thing. I'm already nearly 48. They are doing a study on cyclical hormones in Irvine I think. I wish doctors cared enough to do more research and help us with safe options. Take care as well and thanks for the kind reply and support for the anxiety. 😃

  • Posted

    It took me about three years, each year a bit better. The first year was horrendous. Things are starting to calm down now that I'm finally missing cycles.

    Of course other symptoms are popping up, hot flashes and joint pains, but I can deal with those compared to where and how I used to be.

    I'm even starting a pilates class. Can't quite do everything as my shoulder is still frozen but doing the best I can.

    Three years ago I thought I was going to die and could hardly get off the sofa to walk to the bathroom.

    • Posted

      Suzanne that's great things are finally settling down for you. How long have you bee in peri and how many months have you missed your periods?

    • Posted

      In reality I've probably been in peri since my early 40s when I would get night sweats and digestion issues. But really bad symptoms hit me when I turned 51 and that's also when my periods started changing.

      Lately I've been averaging 4 months of missing periods in a row. I'll be 55 in January.

    • Posted

      so you're still having periods? Would you say that your symptoms have improved? Last year this time I felt so much better but what I noticed is that I was having periods but since Im skipping months , its back feeling awful like it was at the beginning.

    • Posted

      Well not sure if I'll get another period. Will see. But the really bad symptoms are gone. I guess some women would say what I'm experiencing now with hot flashes and joint pains would be too much to handle, but really, I'll take it over the other stuff I went through. At least I can function now.

      I still have some rough days, but overall, since periods are going away, things are getting better.

    • Posted

      so how many months now of no periods? four? Do you ever get the fatigue?

    • Posted

      Hi, Suzanne. my first year has been horrendous also. Right now I'm still dealing with the fear this sets in on you. It has me still shaking and I still can't walk out the door standing tall. Everyone says I need my crown back it's just crooked right now. I tell them I'm trying really hard to straighten it out!! Exercise and since I started eating very clean has helped. I thought I was going to die too or had a stroke. I couldn't get off the couch too. I was not in a good head space. Constant vertigo like symptoms for a long time and cried a lot. It was very scary. I don't know how women back when just got on with it. There was no way I could. I'm feeling better taking Pro Estro and just started L-arginine which is nitric oxide to help with blood flow and circulation. It is starting to kick in. Less tense the past couple days and I'm calmer. If you have terrible peri. I wonder if actual menopause gets easier because the worst is over or if it just continues on. I guess everyone is different. I'm praying that's not the case and I'm trying to get really healthy now for when that happens. I'm hoping these supplements within a month will really help work this out. I'm glad you got through the roughest part and I'm like you. I could deal with the aches and pains if the worst of it was over. xo Take Care!!!

    • Posted

      For some reason my last post to you didn't post but, my first year was horrendous too. Right now I'm shaking with the fear that this sets in on you. My friends say I have my crown it's just crooked right now. I tell them I'm trying very hard each day to straighten it out!! It's so hard to stand tall. It's unbelievable. I don't know how women just got on with it way back when because I couldn't. Like you I felt I was going to die. I thought I had a stroke. I couldn't get off the couch and had vertigo like symptoms that were very scary for several months. I cried a lot. I just couldn't stop. Very painful period. I'm on Pro Estro just for 5 days or so. I'm waiting for that to kick in. It is supposed to balance out your hormones. I just started

      L-arginine. It's nitric oxide for blood flow and circulation. I'm on that 2 days and I'm already feeling much calmer today. That's already working so, waiting for that to kick in too. I'm trying to stop the guilt I feel from being sick. I've really struggled with that and it's keeping me stuck. Some women breeze right through it. It makes me think why is this so hard for me!! I'm like you. I'd take the aches and pains over the worst of it on any day. I'm so very happy to hear your past that stage. If anything is going to make you stronger. It's getting through that. Take care ❤️

    • Posted

      Suzanne by really bad symptoms you mean the horrible anxiety right? I feel the same way. Anything else like joint pain would be more manageable than the exacerbated PTSD and anxiety.

    • Posted

      I think my last period was August.

      Sometimes I feel like I'm going to get it (bloating, pms) but it's not coming.

      The fatigue isn't as bad as it was. I feel like I have energy again to do things.

    • Posted

      I felt like I didn't want to ever go thru this again and worried that if I went on HRT I'd have a horrendous time again when it's time to go off. So just trying to do it naturally.

      I think in the olden days husbands would just commit their wives. If you've ever seen old admissions papers on why women were committed you will see menopause on there.

      I had no idea that it could cause so many things to go haywire and was really convinced I was dying of something. Just awful.

      It wasn't until I found this forum three years ago that helped me come to the realization.,

    • Posted

      Sakura, I had soooo many symptoms, and looking back I'm not sure many of them weren't anxiety related.

      I had myself so convinced I had some horrible disease and couldn't figure out why no doctors could find it. I probably logged in a million google hours which made it worse.

      I tried many things; clean diet, had my gall bladder removed,,BHRT, nothing helped. Valium helped a little on my worse days, at least I could get some sleep. Of course frozen shoulder then hit and nothing helps with that pain. Both shoulders, one right after the other, as if all the other crap wasn't enough. Depression, anxiety, gastritis, anger/rage, breathing trouble/shortness of breath, heart palpa, brain zaps, vision disturbances, drop dead fatigue, vertigo, malaise (the worse), ovarian cysts, giant fibrocystsic breast cysts, sore throat, lump in throat,, burning body parts, tingling sensations, internal and external shaking, joint and muscle pains, frozen shoulders, etc.. Is it any wonder we think we are on death's door?

      Why are we the unlucky ones and some women sail through it?

    • Posted

      Ugh I hear you! My mother apparently sailed through no symptoms and so did an older friend of mine. I have no idea why it is so bad for me or us. Not just the anxiety which is the worst by far, but also hair issues, giant fibroid, extreme fatigue while still anxious with PTSD, also cysts etc. I had a ton of weigh gain too but lost it from the anxiety recently. Just not eating. And I'm not even in menopause yet. 😦 It doesn't help that I'm still single. I'm sitting here alone and depressed on New Year's eve in a cafe, thinking that a friend is on her second husband (good for her) and I can't even find a first lol. I never even knew there was a thing like peri and thought I wouldn't go through menopause until late 50s like my mom. And thought I would be married. But I don't have kids either. And doctors are so uncaring and belittling and clueless. Even female ones. I'm not surprised men used to have their wives committed. I think if I at least didn't have pre-existing PTSD, ugh. We need to make people more aware that not everyone sails through.

    • Posted

      so glad you are doing better. thanks for sharing.

    • Posted

      all your symptoms are so similar to mine. I just got my gallbladder removed, sigh. wish I woke up a new woman but didn't. right back here again...but I keep going for my kids and the fact that anything is possible. I am still young and praying for improvement!

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