Peri or not?

Women's health
1

Hi there im a 46 yo female. Very active job is a personal trainer. 9 weeks ago took a niggle sore back followed by soft stools, then diarrhoea (not normal for me), then my period 22 day cycle (im normally 28days) diarrhea cleared up but not before id lost my mind anxiety wise. Went to GP they ran all bloods, FIT Test, calpro test all clear. Back ache worsened, got xray done. Meantime period returned again 22 ish days and same bowel issues. They resolved again after period. Xray came back showing grade 1 spondylolythesis of L4 on L5 with a stress fracture. Anxiety is through the roof, tummy is always gassy. Had upper abdominal scan all clear, and pelvic and overy scan all clear plus additional bloods CA test for ovarian cancer check all clear, antibodies all clear immunoglobin all clear. Ive also had burning sensation in ribs which has been daily, somtimes it spreads to my necka and cheeks but not all the time, have had a twitch in my eye on and off for the last few weeks, crying constantly, feelings of dread, last cycle was 23 days and took ages to completely go away (though my periods are light and always have been.) Im also finding that i have cold hands and feet and around ovulation my mood is really really low. Never was like that until this change started 9 weeks ago. I lost roughly half a stone in 4 weeks but ive managed to put it back on. Have had to close my gym for the last 7 weeks too. Also lost my mum to lung cancer just before Christmas. Could this be peri?

​​​

2

Hi there, Happy!

I’m 55 and I think I’m post-menopause, although sometimes hard to know how long this can drag out!
I’m no doctor, but I can tell you this. You are intimately acquainted with your body and its rhythms, and you are noticing changes. The biggest clues to a YES, IT’S THE CHANGE starting, is the change in the cycle length, moods, and the GI stuff. At least from my reading and experience. FYI, you will probably feel gaslit at times (maybe more often than not) because it seems like so many doctors are not trained to look at us wholistically and instead send you to specialists for this, that, and anything under the sun that comes up and seems odd. It’s almost like they hear hoofbeats and look for a giraffe instead of horses when you are in the middle of Wyoming! That said, of course you don’t want to overlook cancer because you are assuming it’s perimenopause, but there can be an awful lot of weird symptoms that crop up.

So, for what it’s worth, trust your instinct. I think you already knew the answer, but just looking for some support? I know getting online and hearing/sharing experiences with other women has been invaluable in helping me cope and not feel alone with what can be a very challenging time!

Best wishes!

Laurie