I have lots of signs that I've entered the perimenopause. It might 'just' be stress, but I've never had these symptoms with 'just' stress before.
I will flag it up with my new GP [as my therapist has advised] anyway.
But I wonder - anyone else into this phase yet? Or think they might be? How is it for you?
[NB this isn't a thread to tell me 'you aren't in perimenopause', as no one, not even me, can fully answer that! All I know is, my hormones are behaving very unstably and I am 43 in a month's time. I also know that the menopause and the stage leading up to it can be extra dodgy for those who've had bad PMS. Agh!]
Are you having hot flushes? Perimenopause has an average age range starting at 45, so you're not significantly out. Pre 40 they will check your FSH levels, but are unlikely to afterwards. If it is this or stress your GP can help.
I am getting periodic hot flushes during the night yes, [when I don't have my period, it seems]. And occasionally during the day.
There is probably a stress link somewhere, but I have never had the waves of heat before when stressed, and I know how stress effects me pretty well by now!
Perimenopause can start early and last a while, flaring intermittently. I started around your age and had to be treated for very heavy periods (yay for the Mirena coil!) and my hot flushes have really calmed down. Its all part of the natural cycle so I try not to let it bother me too much. I chose not to have blood tests etc as I already have more than enough contact with Drs and hospitals! x
Thank you. :) That's reassuring, especially from someone who's been there! Most of the women I work with etc are older or younger, so people similar to my age I don't see very much. My ex landlady was a few years older than me - and going through it too [the moodiness, etc!] it seems.
Hmmm good old peri-menopause ..... My dear friend, or rather enemy I suppose. No laughing matter all this hormone related stuff. I am indeed peri-menopausal and it's not a lot of fun. Hormones were what put me back on fluoxetine. Luckily it deals with some of my PMT anger and bearing in mind my cycle is all over the place. I get short ones, 3 weeks but then also get 7-9 weeks as well. Thing is,it might be for you or might not. They can do tests but in the end they aren't always conclusive. If I eat well and look after myself I feel better with it all. If I don't then I end up feeling crap. But that's down to me I suppose. I think what I'm trying to say is that you can do things to help in that situation and most of those things will help u feel better even if you aren't peri-menopausal too. Best of luck.....
Fluoxetine, though, it doesn't help with sleep, does it?
Yes, I read blood tests can be a bit erratic and they need to do them over different times in the cycle, which, with money saving, they probably wouldn't!
My cycle varies between 29 - 34 days. Once over day 30 and things really start to bite bad emotionally.
But the night time hot flushes. Ugh! I guess I'll have to see how things are once the period is over, how that effects my nights then. For now, I'm getting sleep while I can! Sleeping with just a sheet in February is just odd! I know the heating in my new place is amazing, but I do turn it off over night and the room itself, when I get up to go to the loo, is fairly cool.
Well, if I'm not on it, I tend to sleep for England. I think when I first took it a few years ago, it did mean I slept less -which for me was good as I always sleep too much. At the moment I'm still having trouble with over-sleeping.
I find I'm hot a lot of the time. I don't feel like its classic hot flushes as the way they describe them doesnt quite fit for me but I do get very hot very easily, including at night.
Like u, at this time of year, considering how cold it is at the moment, I am often poking out of the bedclothes. I'd rather just feel normal but then I 've always been a hot person. I don't particularly like it as I go red when I'm busy at work -particularly if I'm busy doing physical stuff like copying and filing. Luckily I can joke about it with my colleagues. It helps that a lady who sits opposite me is also menopausal.
The pair of us have fans next to our desks and we use them all year round. Rather than feel embarrassed to use it, I'll just do it. No point feeling any hotter than I need to. Our IT chap pulls my leg about me being hormonal. I get on very well with him and he has been very kind to me so I don't mind.
I think trying to be light hearted about it is the best thing for me. It isn't a laughing matter at all but it helps. I really sympathise with you because when i am having one of the long cycles, even with taking fluoxetine, I get very very angry. It feels very unpleasant. I hate being that angry and the hormonal feeling also affects my decision making.
Of course this doesn't mean that it would be like this every month, or should I say every cycle. Hopefully they can do tests for you. I see no reason why they would not do adequate tests to help work out if it is peri-menopause. I can't wait til it's all over!!
I find that like now, when I am mi_cycle, I feel like I'll be due soon. But I'm not due for 2weeks. So I end up just a tad confused. Oh well. It's all part of life as a lady I suppose. Bloody sucks sometimes.
I will probably feel happier soon as I am progressing well with my counsellor. Makes me laugh that I say that, since "progress" means digging about in loads of crap from the past. But all in a good cause. Maybe soon I'll be able to put some energy into exercising more and making more effort not to stuff myself silly at times.
Also..... I take magnesium and evening primrose oil. The help with pmt.
Hope u sleep well......
The thing is, I always really feel the cold, so the hot bits really do bother me. My body doesn't regulate temperature of either extreme very well, so it's a real problem for me.
My GP is quite good at looking into natural remedies for things like this. I dont know if your new one will be but there are herbal things people swear by which might well help you, thats assuming of course it is peri-menopause. Also as I mentioned, I know diet can have a big influence. I can understand it bothering you so much but at least you'll know more I guess once you've brought the subject up with your GP & then you can look in more detail into what to do next.
I'll see what my new GP says, but I may just have to flag it up this Friday, to be fully discussed at a later appointment! Just because it's my first appointment with them, and all that.
Yes that sound like good advice. I take it when I remember..... Doh. I am so disorganised sometimes I get to work and think oh poop I didn't take my proper drugs either. I have the attention span of a goldfish (so fishes no offence meant) and the memory if a sieve. Made worse by pmt of course and hormones generally. I am very tired too, way too tired for my own good. I. Think therefore it just be bedtime..... zzzzzzZZZZZZZZ
