Hi I'm new to this...I'm 51 still have regular periods but they are definitely shorter... maybe 6 months to a year ago I started with bad stomach pain felt like it is burning now every month I get a feeling like I have a fever and complete exhaustion and stomach pain I really thought I was losing my mind. I'm so happy I found this site and realized it's the start of menopause. I do battle anxiety and depression my whole life so I thought it was that acting up, I take meds for that but this definitely is feelings of something different now I know what to tell my doctor since reading all these comments. Thank you everyone
I can relate. My periods stopped 11 months ago and since then have had so much vomiting. Also has loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss. It is annoying. Dont feel like going out anymore.
Yes me too! I can barely get a boiled egg down . Lost 25lbs and was already pretty skinny
I lost weight too... I was 132 as of January 2017. By June I was 116 and now I'm at 112 and still slowly losing weight. Alot of it is stress I'm sure! For me, the first part was anxiety so bad I didn't eat for over 10 days except 2 crackers a day and a few bites of yogurt. I could barely gag it down. I slowly started eating more but was so traumetized BY the anxiety that I could just not eat much ever again after that. So I can barely keep weight on but with the anemia that started in June from the heavy periods I've HAD to try to eat more. It's awful. I just went to the doctor today because I'm a level 7 anemia now. ..down from 13 which I was at the beginning of the bleeding craze. She said they go more by symptoms than numbers. ...some people come in at a 7 with no symptoms others like me have moderate symptoms & some have alot. She said they've had people that were a 2 or 4! I met one nurse who said she was down to a 4 and was still working but felt horrible until she took iron. I just feel out of breath and my heart pounds if I'm standing too long. I try to rest alot. I pray it will go away. I think I could take any amount of anxiety over the bleeding and anemia which is scary as hell but then that's easy to say until you're in the middle of an attack! I've spent many nights sleeping outside the ER room with my heart racing and feeling the iron talons of the claw of fear gripping me. All of it sucks! I don't want to complain about God but honestly we were not designed very well at least not our reproductive parts! It seems so unfair to be getting older AND have to suffer so much on top of it!
Hi carlycat, I lost 15 lbs last year. I am small to begin with. Couldn’t get anything down for a couple weeks...I would feel full. I drank chocolate shakes for calories. I am slowly gaining some back too. Crazy!
So sorry you had to go through that Carlycat I’ve gone from my highest at 138 to 112 at one point I looked like a Skeleton.
I know too well those ER vists they need to have a women’s clinic on every street corner ! It’s a BLOODY CRIME that we are left to deal with this NIGHTMARE alone with the occasional visit to the dr.
This meno has debilitated me for almost 6 months now ... I pray to God too a lot but I feel he’s not answering our prayers right now .
I hope you get level soon ... you are NOT ALONE ... I am going through HELL too but I’m completely alone no job no family around few friends ... hang in there love things MUST get better for all us poor souls !!
Darlene, I feel the same way both mentally and physically as you do. For two months solid I experience flu-like symptoms, awaken at 4am anxious, awaken again for work at 6:30am exhausted, am 51, lost 20 lbs. over the last year, and have had multiple normal-results tests, too. And indeed, one day---even one minute at a time---is key. I struggled terribly every day, getting anxious about every symptom and especially the flu-like ones, until I realized that this is chronic. So, I continue on all my herbal supplements, use an inhaler when necessary, and grieve for what and who I once was, which is now gone. My childhood asthma came back and I would rather have migraines than this. Just know you're not alone and that millions of us suffer in near silence because, well, Viagra is more important than we are.
Indeed! Starting at about 45, I began perimenopause. I'm now 51 and in the past two months every odd symptom possible has cropped up---shortness of breath, nasal swelling, dizziness, fullness in the ears, weakness, lethargy, exhaustion, chills, hot flashes, weight loss and gain, blurry vision, stomach pain, burping, burning, and indigestion, heart racing. I could go on. Yet, all tests are negative and nothing is suggestion for relief except an inhaler which cost me $59 because I am uninsured. Anyway, I am willing to try BHRT but only if it's plant-based and only if it takes away the one unbearable symptom, which is shortness of breath. My doctor chalked that up to returning asthma that I had as a child but didn't even speculate as to why it came back other than mostly blaming anxiety, which is not the case at all. Anyway, it helps even a tiny bit just knowing we're not alone.
I have never had asthma. But about 2-3 years ago diagnosed with it. And now a regular inhailer user. It all started as part of peri. SAD. You are definitely not alone.
Οmg!! You described all my symptoms!!! I felt fairly good for the past year but its been couple of months all the old symptoms are popping up!!! I had a nuclear stress test about 2 years ago for the shortness of breath and everything was fine..now it comes back and im scared to go through all that all over again!!
I went through that weight loss think too. It was scary. I was sure I was dying. I was hospitalized at one point for passing out. My potassium was low. My bp was low. Didn’t matter how much fluid they pumped in, it was still low. All I could eat was ramen and drink Gatorade for the sodium to try to keep my bp up. And when I did have any type of appetite, I would go for the highest calorie unhealthy thing I could find! I finally put weight on and then some. Even though I am about 8 lbs more than I would like, I still feel so much better and never want to go back.
It is indeed so awful. I wake up every day and wonder if I'm going to have an ok day, a bad day or what next? Sometimes wake up 5 times a night. Shortness of breath ya'll mention can be from iron deficiency anemia! Be sure to get checked for that. I have it and that's what causes mine. Your heart has to work harder to get oxygen infused blood to circulate your body so you will breathe faster/harder just like with exercise but if you have anemia it can be just sitting there. I had it pretty bad and it takes all your energy. I'm doing a little better since I started taking iron and eating chicken livers.
I get the nasty heart arrhythmias and other crap too. It can be very depressing. For me the worst part is having to pretend to be fine or have people think I'm lazy or nuts because I can't run circles around them and need to rest alot. It drives me mad sometimes! Menopause is a medical condition but no one respects it as such. ..they just expect you to carry on. That is the most miserable part of this I think!
Thanks everyone for your kind replies! :-)
It helps to know we are not alone in this nightmare.
Hi Monique,
I'm 52 and had a hysterectomy in 2013, the doctor left my ovaries intact because he said by removing them it could throw me into full blown menopause. With that being said I've been suffering since 2010; the last 3 years has been torture. This last year, the absolute worse. I wake up every morning with the 66++++ symptoms. Like you, all my blood work always comes back normal. Going through menopause is debilitating. I don't sleep, severe night sweats, severe hot flashes, which will then send me to the bathroom where I have diarrhea every morning for an hour or so. I work two jobs and I'm exhausted 24-7, therefore, on the weekends I try to rest hoping by Monday I will feel rejuvenated, but it never happens. I often call out sick, go home sick, go home with my office clothes soaked due to excessive sweating. I often make up stupid excuses with work because menopause is something that a lot of women don't discuss. I suffer most with physical side affects and anxiety. To live like this daily is true torture. I try to stay positive but its not easy, especially when your in pain. My joints hurt daily, my back is killing by 3:00pm, headaches, migraines, nausea, sleep deprived, chest pain, heart beating fast, in the bathroom 24-7, and completely wiped out. I'm ready for bed by 7:30, and/or will make myself go to bed early because I know when 2:00am comes I'm going to be awaken with hot flashes/night sweats and then running to the bathroom. Then the anxiety and panic attacks come into play, and from there I begin to pray, please god, let me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad to say, and I would never hurt myself, but I have moments where I start thinking, I'd rather be dead then go through this. I refuse to have hormone treatment, and do my best with home remedies. Its rare that I have a good day, I find myself begging in head, "please, just let me get through this before menopause ruins my life completely." My life is literally on hold until I can get through this. Menopause is a daily feeling of constant fear too, because you really do feel like you're slowly dying, well I do anyway. I hope the worse is over for you, thank you for sharing. More women need to start talking more about this and I think it should be discussed in the work place. It can be a touchy subject, but I want my voice heard and others too.
Thank you for sharing and I hope you're feeling better.
I'm 52 and had a hysterectomy in 2013, the doctor left my ovaries intact because he said by removing them it could throw me into full blown menopause. With that being said I've been suffering since 2010; the last 3 years has been torture. This last year, the absolute worse. I wake up every morning with the 66++++ symptoms. Like you, all my blood work always comes back normal. Going through menopause is debilitating. I don't sleep, severe night sweats, severe hot flashes, which will then send me to the bathroom where I have diarrhea every morning for an hour or so. I work two jobs and I'm exhausted 24-7, therefore, on the weekends I try to rest hoping by Monday I will feel rejuvenated, but it never happens. I often call out sick, go home sick, go home with my office clothes soaked due to excessive sweating. I often make up stupid excuses with work because menopause is something that a lot of women don't discuss. I suffer most with physical side affects and anxiety. To live like this daily is true torture. I try to stay positive but its not easy, especially when your in pain. My joints hurt daily, my back is killing by 3:00pm, headaches, migraines, nausea, sleep deprived, chest pain, heart beating fast, in the bathroom 24-7, and completely wiped out. I'm ready for bed by 7:30, and/or will make myself go to bed early because I know when 2:00am comes I'm going to be awaken with hot flashes/night sweats and then running to the bathroom. Then the anxiety and panic attacks come into play, and from there I begin to pray, please god, let me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad to say, and I would never hurt myself, but I have moments where I start thinking, I'd rather be dead then go through this. I refuse to have hormone treatment, and do my best with home remedies. Its rare that I have a good day, I find myself begging in head, "please, just let me get through this before menopause ruins my life completely." My life is literally on hold until I can get through this. Menopause is a daily feeling of constant fear too, because you really do feel like you're slowly dying, well I do anyway. I hope the worse is over for you, thank you for sharing. More women need to start talking more about this and I think it should be discussed in the work place. It can be a touchy subject, but I want my voice heard and others too.
I'm 52 and had a hysterectomy in 2013, the doctor left my ovaries intact because he said by removing them it could throw me into full blown menopause. With that being said I've been suffering since 2010; the last 3 years has been torture. This last year, the absolute worse. I wake up every morning with the 66++++ symptoms. Like you, all my blood work always comes back normal. Going through menopause is debilitating. I don't sleep, severe night sweats, severe hot flashes, which will then send me to the bathroom where I have diarrhea every morning for an hour or so. I work two jobs and I'm exhausted 24-7, therefore, on the weekends I try to rest hoping by Monday I will feel rejuvenated, but it never happens. I often call out sick, go home sick, go home with my office clothes soaked due to excessive sweating. I often make up stupid excuses with work because menopause is something that a lot of women don't discuss. I suffer most with physical side affects and anxiety. To live like this daily is true torture. I try to stay positive but its not easy, especially when your in pain. My joints hurt daily, my back is killing by 3:00pm, headaches, migraines, nausea, sleep deprived, chest pain, heart beating fast, in the bathroom 24-7, and completely wiped out. I'm ready for bed by 7:30, and/or will make myself go to bed early because I know when 2:00am comes I'm going to be awaken with hot flashes/night sweats and then running to the bathroom. Then the anxiety and panic attacks come into play, and from there I begin to pray, please god, let me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad to say, and I would never hurt myself, but I have moments where I start thinking, I'd rather be dead then go through this. I refuse to have hormone treatment, and do my best with home remedies. Its rare that I have a good day, I find myself begging in head, "please, just let me get through this before menopause ruins my life completely." My life is literally on hold until I can get through this. Menopause is a daily feeling of constant fear too, because you really do feel like you're slowly dying, well I do anyway. I hope the worse is over for you, thank you for sharing. More women need to start talking more about this and I think it should be discussed in the work place. It can be a touchy subject, but I want my voice heard and others too.
I'm 52 and had a hysterectomy in 2013, the doctor left my ovaries intact because he said by removing them it could throw me into full blown menopause. With that being said I've been suffering since 2010; the last 3 years has been torture. This last year, the absolute worse. I wake up every morning with the 66++++ symptoms. Like you, all my blood work always comes back normal. Going through menopause is debilitating. I don't sleep, severe night sweats, severe hot flashes, which will then send me to the bathroom where I have diarrhea every morning for an hour or so. I work two jobs and I'm exhausted 24-7, therefore, on the weekends I try to rest hoping by Monday I will feel rejuvenated, but it never happens. I often call out sick, go home sick, go home with my office clothes soaked due to excessive sweating. I often make up stupid excuses with work because menopause is something that a lot of women don't discuss. I suffer most with physical side affects and anxiety. To live like this daily is true torture. I try to stay positive but its not easy, especially when your in pain. My joints hurt daily, my back is killing by 3:00pm, headaches, migraines, nausea, sleep deprived, chest pain, heart beating fast, in the bathroom 24-7, and completely wiped out. I'm ready for bed by 7:30, and/or will make myself go to bed early because I know when 2:00am comes I'm going to be awaken with hot flashes/night sweats and then running to the bathroom. Then the anxiety and panic attacks come into play, and from there I begin to pray, please god, let me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad to say, and I would never hurt myself, but I have moments where I start thinking, I'd rather be dead then go through this. I refuse to have hormone treatment, and do my best with home remedies. Its rare that I have a good day, I find myself begging in head, "please, just let me get through this before menopause ruins my life completely." My life is literally on hold until I can get through this. Menopause is a daily feeling of constant fear too, because you really do feel like you're slowly dying, well I do anyway. I hope the worse is over for you, thank you for sharing. More women need to start talking more about this and I think it should be discussed in the work place. It can be a touchy subject, but I want my voice heard and others too.
I can so relate with you. We don't even have a end date on menopause. Its a topic that needs to be addressed more. Thank you for sharing.
Theresa
Thank you for posting this.
So understand and am living the same life as you.
You mention feeling constant fear and like your dying.
We are kind of dying in a way, but it doesnt have to be bad i guess, its the transformation we are going through. I have fear every morning when i wake up, have spoken about it alot on the forum..
Fear of what?
Fear of dying, of life, of responsiblities.
I also hate the thought of people ending their lives, its so scary to me. I do not believe in this whatsoever, i feel its a selfish copout on life.
But i will say that after you suffer for so long you ask yourself..
"Really?" "Realllly?" So i understand why other people have done that and the despair that you have is overwhelming
Meaning, how long can i do this for, and it would sure be nice if the suffering would just go away.....i love the world and its a beautiful placae, but when you cant really feel it or be apart of it because you are basically just survivng, then all the joy is gone.
Is there a reason why you havent given hrt a shake?
We need to voice our plight like you say, i think its time that we all do.
Its so hush hush its ridiculous, and its a real silent epidemic im comfortable saying..
x0x0x0x
Theresa my heart goes out to you ❤️ I am too going through HELL so you are NOT ALONE. I too have thought ‘what’s the point in living this way?’
You may want to give in and try the BHRT it has alleviated some of my symptoms but takes a while to really kick in I’m told .
I also have fatigue so I’m going through a double whammy . It’s my own fault as I’ve stretched my workouts to a ridiculous level only because afterwards it’s the only time I ever feel happy normal but pay for it the next day .
I too am struggling to stay up past 7pm and just find myself ‘waiting waiting waiting ‘ for all this to pass . God help us all !