I just don't know how to deal with this anymore. I've been a total mess since last year. So many severe peri symptoms I just can't take it anymore. I only have 5 or 6 good days during ovulation. The rest I'm sick, shaky, sore and can't breathe. I can't take NSAID's because of gastritis. Last night I woke up at 3 AM with a very bad headache, shaky, and feeling hot in my cheeks. I took Tylenol and then had severe nausea for the next 4 hours! I can't seem to even tolerate tylenol anymore and now have anxiety about it hurting my liver. My right shoulder is frozen and left is starting to head that way too, I couldn't even get my nightgown off this moring. All I could do was stand in the shower and cry. I'm seeing the GYN on Mondays, do I ask her to put me on HRT? Are bioidenticals the best? I'm terrified of side effects of orals. I just don't know how much longer I can hang on feeling like total death. I take multivitamins, ferrochel iron, cal-magnesium, synthroid. Have seen every doc and had every test imaginable and almost certain it's hormones causing all the havoc. Trying soy milk in smoothies. Bought Menopace, but unsure of all the soy. Please, please, I need any advice to get through this living hell.
Hi Suzanne I'm kind of the same way as you, anxiety big time. I do take something at night to sleep. I have colitis so I have to sort of watch what I eat. I'm going through menopause, hot flashes mainly night time, I use a huge fan. Didn't sleep well last night so anxiety is high today. I too Haye taking meds in fear of side effects, for my meno I'm trying otc stuff, kind of nervous about any side effects too but it's all natural stuff. I also have some pain behind my left breast but they are tender right now anyhow. I also have what they say is BMS burning mouth syndrome, they don't know what causes that even but I read somewhere it could also be a sign of menopause,I hope that's all it is, I'm a huge worry wart.
Hi Suzanne. You mentioned bio identicals and I'm 6 weeks into them now. Iv had all the typical Peri symptoms no period for 7 months, hot flushes, water retention, severe exhaustion, nausia, bowel problems, migraines and mood swings. The worst by far has been my moods ranging from severe agitation to feeling incredibly depressed and just sitting and crying for no reason. Bios take at least 6 weeks if not longer to really start to work and they usually need some adjusting. Had bloods this week and looks like I'm post menopause now. Needed small adjustment as I'm extremely estrogen sensitive and mine was through the roof causing the mood swings which I suspected Been feeling much better this week could even say normal and with the adjustment to my bios I should feel better again but I might still have a few symptoms. One thing I've learnt is none if this is an easy fix and we need to find a doctor who truly understand women and they're hormones. My doctor is amazing. If u go down the bio identical path be patient as it could take a few adjustments to get it right. Hormones are extremely powerful things, I think even women underestimate that and they shape who we are. Really hope this helps.
Rosemary.
Wow you sound like what I am experiencing. All sorts of issues and all tests being negative. My OB did say my labs show pre menopause. So I have been wondering if my hormones are throwing my body all out of whack. I've had sever facial flushing. Rashes. Itching. Pain. Anxiety like crazy which I've never had. Hot and cold tingling. Nausea I can go on and on. Oh and palpitations and high blood pressure. Anyhow I also don't want any new meds either I worry about everything all time!
Hi I think Suzanne is right finding a doctor that truly understands is the key, my own GP didn't have a clue & just wanted to put me on antidepressants I went to see my consultant who is great and I'm still in the process of adjusting my hrt to get it to suit me but it's been a miracle to me before I wouldn't have cared if I woke up now I almost feel normal, so have faith that you will get the help you need and will eventually feel good again
Take care
Sorry I meant I think Rosemary is right !!!
Hi Suzanne
I'm crying as I read your message because I feel the same way..it's been going for so long for me and like you only a few days of the month feeling a bit normal..I'm tired worrying the constant headaches the frozen shoulders and neck pain!!! I've been taking Advil but it doesn't help...emotionally I'm a mess no one prepared me for this hell!!! I won't take HRT and my Dr agrees also..stopping caffeine and sugar helped..Right now the worst for me is the anxiety and headaches!!!
Feel better xxxxx
I've been to so many doctors over the last year. I don't have periods anymore because I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago but I kept my ovaries. It started out feeling like I couldn't focus or think right. The last 6 months symptoms started getting worse. My leg muscles hurt so much and felt so weak I felt like I could hardly stand and walk. I got anxiety so bad that I had an anxiety attack and then for the next several months it was almost unbearable where I didn't know if I could make it through the day. I was nervous and voukdnt get negative thoughts out of my head. Couldn't sleep. Finally after doing some research and discovering maybe this is related to perimenopause I went to my gyno. Iwasfeeling so terrible I just needed help. He gave me an estrogen gel and pill of predestetone. I didn't want to be on hey but 9 days later I feel like a different person. I feel so much better. It is amazing how horrible lack of hormones can make you feel. I'm going to try this for awhile because I feel I don't have a choice. I felt so terrible before the hrt.
You could ask to get hormones tested on day 2-3 and see how low your estradiol is at the beginning of the cycle. Or also on abut day 24 and see if you are producing progesterone. Interesting that you only feel good for 5-6 days around ovulation.
Perimeno is a very interesting and unpleasant ride. Sorry.
I've had my hormones tested twice, the last labs were drawn on day 11 of my cycle which is the follicular phase. Normal range says 12.5-166 and I was a 263 for Estradiol. FSH 14.2 (normal 3.5-12.5) and LH 23.7 (normal 2.4-12.6)
The labs before that were on day 9, so follicular phase again. Estradiol was within range at 122.3 (normal 19.5-144.2), FSH 21.6 (normal 2.5-10.2), LH 24.90 (normal 1.9-12.5) and progesterone was 1.21 (normal 0.15-1.40).
You can see the difference in ranges from the two different labs. But seems like some things are high. I would think everything would be super low with how bad I'm feeling.
My endocrinologist said I'm definitely not in peri (but I'm 52, how could I not be?). GYN thought I should just try low dose progesterone. I'm so confused. If I had something really awful, like cancer or disease, why would I feel better during ovulation? And during ovulation wouldn't that be because estrogen and progesterone are higher?
I'm glad I started charting everything because it really became clear that my better days were def during ovulation. I'm due for some good days starting Monday or Tuesday, will see if that holds true for this month.
It's really been getting me down lately, I'm just so tired of feeling sick all the time. I try pushing myself to do things and try and get my mind off of it but it's just so hard when you aren't feeling well. I had lost 30 pounds back when all this started because I thought it was silent reflux and cut things out of my diet, being too thin created it's own problems like the lack of iron and the endo said I won't feel better until I gain at least 10 pounds back. Now I'm having trouble gaining it back. Can't believe I'm complaining about NOT being able to put on weight!
My GP wanted me to take antidepressants after claiming loudly that nothing was wrong with me, but I never took them. I'm only depressed because I don't feel well. On my good days I'm over the moon!
I called a doctor in Tampa (about an hour from me) who deals with bioidenticals. When I called there the person who answered the phone said they don't go by normal range values ever, they want you to feel like you are 30 again. I was like, I don't want to be 30, I just want to feel like a normal functioning human again. I could care less about wrinkles and saggy skin and botox. I just want to feel well! Your health is your wealth as my 80 year old friend says. And she is so right, nothing else matters if you don't have that!
It's been a hell of a year.
Hi Cindy,
Yes, my sister had the burning gums, her dentist thought she was crazy.
Why don't doctors ever know these things? Don't any of them ever read anything?
My left breast is awful, huge cysts. The radiologist looked at my mammo and u/s and said "wow, there is definitely something wrong with you, you should see a doctor!". Ha, like which one? I've seen about 20 so far.
I didn't sleep last night either, kept worrying about my liver from the tylenol. I took a blood test today to look at my liver enzymes. The worry is just getting beyond beyond.. I took the tylenol on an empty stomach and it probably aggravated the chronic gastritis I have and that's probably why my stomach was hurting. I'm sure the bloodwork will come back normal like everything else! According to my doctors I'm extremely healthy.
I think doing the bioidenticals would make me feel safer than doing chemical HRT. I'm sure I'll feel every side effect, I should never read what they are and I should never google anything, ever! God, ignorance is definitely bliss.
Hope we both feel better in the near future!
Hi, I posted my labs below to someone else, my estrogen looks like it's high as well. I wouldn've thought everything was very low with the way I've been feeling! And why would I feel better around ovulation when estrogen and progesterone peaks?
My GP said bioidenticals don't work, that it's just all in your mind and that's why you think you feel better. But he's also the guy who said I'm perfectly healthy and nothing is wrong with me, with a smile on his face I might add.
I think they are worth a try if they don't cause the bad side effects of synthetic HRT. And good to know they are helping you.
Thanks for taking the time to write about your experience.
Hi Suzanne i am in South Sarasota, where are you? my drs wanted to do the same thing with me they keep pushing the antidepressants ..i never took them..its been hell and i'm so tired dealing with this everyday!!!
Hi Lisa, gosh the other night I was so itchy all night, couldn't sleep. I get hot feelings up my back and neck and head, and cheeks and chest, but I never sweat, so not sure if those are flashes or not. The palpitations I had are better now that my iron is higher, but still get that shakiness feeling every now and again. The worse part for me right now are the flu feeling and really painful shoulder. My left one is starting to act up too, man, I'll be left with not being able to use both arms? I also have huge cysts in my breasts. Cysts on my ovaries too. Just all around mess. I still can't help worrying that I've got something dreadful.
Hi Maria, I know, it's just pure hell. It really is. I think trying bioidenticals is worth is. Just the creams, I wouldn't do the pellets. I sure hope it helps, even if I'm at 50% better it'd be a huge difference. I dropped so many things out of my diet which caused me to lose 30 pounds rather quickly and then I had problems because of that! Now I'm trying to put some weight back on and it's been impossible. My shoulders are so bad, and I think the pain in the upper back and ribs is what makes it hard to breathe all the time. My good days are supposedly coming on Monday or Tuesday next week, please God, let them be good days again!
Hope you feel better too! It helps knowing others are going thru what I am too. Sometimes I feel so alone.
XOXO
Julie, so good to know hrt is working for you. I think I'm going to try bioidenticals first. I don't know, seeing my GYN on Monday, will run it by her. I'm just terrified of the side effects of synthetic hrt, but I'm also so tired of feeling so unwell all the time. I still get my periods, but really think this is all peri related because of my charting and how I only feel well during ovulation. I mean, what else could that be?
XOXO
OMG! Maria, believe this or not, I'm in South Sarasota too!!!! We probably have the same doctors! I totally agree, this is pure hell, I've never been a sickly person, and now I feel like a 100 year old lady, well, no, because they probably feel better than me! We need to get together!
you are not alone ..today is such a bad day for me ..the sad part is that i keep taking it out on my husband and i hate fighting..i'm just so tired and gets so overwhelming to take care your family as well at times!
I use to have a neighbor years ago she use to tell me about and i didn't believed her, i come to experience everything she had mentioned!!
i have the same thing with my shoulders as you and when i get anxious they get even tighter and feels like my chest is closing up...my husband had an accident and i had to take him to the hospital the other day..i got such anxiety in there it felt someone was squeezing my head and chest!!..i swear i don't recognize the person i become!!! its so sad
that so great!! i'm trying to figure out how i can send you my phone # 
i
I know, I was thinking the same thing.
I completely agree, my husband is a total angel putting up with me. Last April I got in to some of my mess by getting chronic gastritis when I would have total uncontrollable screaming fits at him. Then I got so sick and he's been pretty patient with me, but I know it's hard. I had my gallbladder out in November thinking that was all of my problems, but sure wasn't. I now know why guys leave their wives, it's not their midlife crisis, it's our perimenohell crisises! Hope you hubby is OK. The traffic here is just awful.
I'm not far from Stickney Point bridge, south a few miles off 41 in Southpointe Shores. Where are you?
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