Question Ladies,
When I first hit this crazy stage about 5 months ago, I had no appetite and was barely eating. I lost a lot of weight really quickly. Since then, I started forcing myself to eat and now I'm eating more. The last two weeks, I have been really hungry and craving sweets. I haven't indulged too much to keep the sugar cut down some. Is this normal to go from not eating to being hungry all the time even after I have eaten a meal?
Jamie
My appetite flucuates a lot and my periods are inconsistent. I'm 53 and I believe I started peri in my mid 40's. Once peri started nothing seemed normal anymore 
Yes. I was much skinnier and barely snacked last Spring. Lost almost 20 lbs. It was very scary. Now almost a year ago. Gained almost 20 lbs. back and always hungry too.
I was just wondering if this was normal. I lost weight quick and it was scary. But I noticed I'm hungry more and crave chocolate a lot. When at first I didn't want anything but to know what was happening to me. I haven't lost anymore. Looks like I'm at a stand still. I was always a fairly small person, over the last three years I got really big. Gained weight rapidly like I couldn't stop eating. So when I lost my appetite I definitely scared. Now It seems like I went back to being hungry all the time overnight.
Hi Nancy,
You are right. Nothing is normal anymore. I'm starting to feel like this is my "new normal".
Jamie, same here... I'm feeling the "new normal" vibe, too, and definitely have been gaining weight in spite of getting a good amount of exercise... always craving sugar and carbs and have been perimenopausal for just over a year.
I'm starting to crave a lot of carbs and sugar. I went to the store yesterday and fought the urge to get a chocolate chip drink and I really wanted it. I been staying away from chocolate and caffeine cause it makes me jittery and nervous.
It's hard, isn't it? I'll go to the store with a list of exactly what I need to buy, with nothing on it but the healthy things I should have, and just stand there and stare at the stuff I shouldn't buy... so hard to pass up those yummy chocolate drinks, pastries, desserts, etc., yet I know they can make things worse. Thank you for sharing about what you're going through, we are in this together!
Im always hungry!!! I crave sweets and diffrent kinds of food. This depresses me cause im not a small person never have been
I understand. At least you have an appetite. I didn't have one. So to go back to having one is ok. I was losing weight and fast which was scary. I wasn't looking good at all. Now I look a little better as I am coming to accept what's going on with my body, and just trying to find ways to cope.
Thank you so much. We are in this together and we will get through it.
I know what you mean Jamie. I can seriously sit down and devour a whole bag of chips all by myself.
I felt the same as you did Jamie. My OBGYN even told me women in menopause don't lose weight, they gain it. So think how I felt. Thinking I had cancer or something BSD making me lose all this weight for no reason. Granted I was scared of this. She and my PC both had no idea why? I stopped going to both if them. Joined this forum and slowly I figured out I wasn't crazy and i wasnt dying since others had experienced the same thing. I researched and treated my own self. Not cured of this crap just able to deal with it better. This forum and everyone's advice was my saving grace. I feel a bit better and gained almost all my as ght back. Probably a little too much back but I'm OK with it.
Just taking it day by day. Hoping each day I will feel a little better.
I started treating myself as well. All my doc says is I'm too young, but yet has no answers to anything. I have an appointment for tomorrow with a new GYN. Hopefully they can tell me something but I'm not counting on it.
For me, peri has at times been like being stuck in pms. So, I've had times where I'm having no appetite to nonstop craving!
Me too and I wondered if that was normal. I have times where I didn't want to eat and other times I feel like I can't eat enough.
Yes its one or the other. Mostly I can eat more than less.
I am so glad you posted. I was so scared as to what was happening. I started getting really bad nausea in the morning and no appetite for days on end. I felt like I was in the 1st trimester of pregnancy with morning sickness somedays. I have lost 20+ pounds in such a short time. I am forcing myself to eat and even considered buying weight gain shakes just to put the weight back on. I have had so many people ask me if I am ok, because I look so skinny I felt like I was dying and something was really wrong, especially since I have been having shortness of breath, anxiety attacks, brain fog, dizziness, tingling in the feet and hands, strange chest pain and feeling blue since this whole thing started. I even went to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack! None of the doctors want to admit this is perimenopause/menopause symtoms. They keep saying I am fine according to tests they ran and I am just depressed and have an anxiety disorder, oh and here, take these antidepressants and anti anxiety meds. I feel so much better knowing that others are having this problem and they are not dying. I hope this all goes away soon. I can't afford to loose anymore weight.
I'm going through the same things. I've lost 20lbs. In the 5 months this has been happening to me. So I understand. It's all frieghtening. I've been ton the ER dozens of times and they tell me I'm ok. Docs don't want to admit peri. So you are not alone.
I lost 20 lbs. Last year too. My drs. Told me all the same things. I took all these tests thinking I had cancer, or some rare terminal disease. None of my tests pointed to that. Never once did any if my drs. Obgyn nor PC said my symptoms were perimdnopausal related.
My pc insisted I had bad anxiety so she put me on Xanax. Didnt help me at all. In fact it made me worse. I even broke out with a terrible rash all over my body. I ended up not going to the drs. and stopped looking up stuff on the internet.
Long story short. I ended up getting better. I can't exactly tell you how I got better. I basically had to take matters into my own hands. I read things on this firum that helped me. Taking viramins D & B12 seemed to help. Keeping busy with your mind and body is so important. I started back at the gym. Ate more, forced myself to do more things like I used to. It's mind over matter. I slowly got my weight back. Took s very long time though. Like 6 or 7 mos. but gained it all back and then some.
I have a very supportive husband, family and good friends that encouraged me and actually listened and gave me helpful advice. Ultimately, it comes down to You. You have to want to help yourself. Do everything you can to get yourself better, whether its using HRT or natural remedies. We're all going through this in one form or another, and were hear to listen and help.
This forum is s God-send.
Good Luck Snowbell!