I have always had heavy periods and then last April, they got even heavier. Alongside this I started experiencing a whole host of other symptoms including weakness in my right arm, heaviness in my limbs, pins and needles, jaw pain and really bad anxiety / stress and irritability. I have lost count of the number of times I have contacted the doctor. They have done blood tests including a full blood count, vitamin levels, thyroid and rheumatoid arthritis. The only thing that showed up was low ferritin and I have been taking iron supplements for that. They keep fobbing me off with anxiety and because of all the symptoms, my health anxiety has gone through the roof! I can never guarantee where I will have aches and pains from one day to the next (which is why I think the doctors won’t believe me). Currently my jaw pain is through the roof. The dentist has said I have TMJ and has made me a soft splint, which isn’t really helping. My neck and shoulder muscles are so tight all of the time. My stomach feels swollen and although I’m having regular periods, they are nothing like my usual cycle. I also have palpitations and random muscle twitches! I sometimes think I’m going mad with it all. I have done three FSH urine tests which I ordered myself and they were all positive, but my doctor refuses to believe that I am in perimenopause because of my age (even though my mum went through it at 38). Can anyone else relate? I feel so overwhelmed with it all 
Hi Helen
You are not alone. Three years ago I celebrated my 40th and I was so looking forward to my 40s!
After 6 months I started to get really bad headaches, I was bed ridden. Liver pain and heavy periods even worse. I have to plan everything around my cycle. I’ve always had heavy periods but they are worse now. I’ve been on iron tablets for 5 years as they were dangerously low as I passed out.
I’ve had so many Drs appointments changed each DR. Had 3 ultrasounds, fibroscan, 2 breast clinic appointments, endoscopy and gynaecologist as I started to spot between my cycle which is now 21 days instead of 28 days! But they found polyps and removed them.
I’ve had so many bloods done over the years and only in October I was finally told I’m going through perimenopause.
My stomach has been painful hence the endoscopy. Always bloated with acid reflux.
I get ached and pain especially my armpit and breasts when I’m about to start my period.
My anxiety is always through the roof when I get a new symptom.
My sister is a year older than me and she’s hit menopause.
It’s so stressful as I always feel the specialist have missed something 
Your hormones always change so its hard to measure your FSH levels.
Thankfully the DR ordered the tests again as I was getting nausea
You are not alone. Always here to chat
Thanks so much for replying. I feel so much better knowing I’m not alone with all this.
Have they given you anything to take for your heavy periods? They prescribed me Tranexamic Acid which help to ease my bleeding a bit. I get aches and pains in my armpit and breasts too when my period is due. Has the doctor prescribed anything for perimenopause? Mine isn’t prepared to give me anything, so I’ve been looking at natural supplements, but I’m not sure what is best to take.
I feel the same thinking the doctors have missed something. I feel anxious constantly and so stressed. My neck and back muscles always feel so tight, which makes
me worry more!
Likewise I’m here to chat. It all seems an absolute minefield and I don’t know what to do for the best.
Hi Helen,
Anytime, to be honest this site is keeping me going.
Yes the DR has prescribed it in the past but with all my stomach issues and liver pain I’m not going to risk it.
I’ve seen gynaecologist over the year’s and they always say you are just unlucky and always suggest the coil.
I don’t want to take anything. My breast consultant told me to stay clear from HRT. So I’ve started to take menobalance by starpowa and after 3 months my legs aren’t feeling heavy and no nausea.
I take aloe vera juice and probiotics for my stomach too.
Always take vit D it’s the director of our hormones and I sleep like a baby.
There is always something new every week.
My husband cont keep up! It drives me insane but work is a great distraction
I keep reading conflicting advice about HRT. Nothing seems straightforward or ‘textbook’ when it comes to perimenopause, does it?!
Thank you - I’ll look into the menobalance and aloe vera juice. I take vit D along with my iron and magnesium. I have IBS and haven’t yet found a probiotic that doesn’t make that worse.
I know - I think my partner thinks I’m crackers bless him. There’s something new for me to report on every day! The things us women have to go through!
So pleased I found this site!
I trialed out so many probiotics even the best on the market! Symprove took it for a year too!
Anyway my heartburn thank the lord and acid is under control after taking antiacids on and off as they were good to take and don’t eliminate the cause.
I take bioglan and they’ve done the trick. But I still get burning feel around my tummy like something is eating me inside hence the endoscopy! The DR only sent me as she knew I was getting really anxious which was setting it off even more! It’s a vicious circle.
Also my bowels change over the weekend I’m constipated so weird!
I’ve never heard of perimenopause until my sister in law told me as she’s been suffering.
yes I can relate. feels like I have constant feeling of pulled muscles in my chest ,top of arms and middle of back. hot flushes every 5 mins though no period for 26 weeks. I get random twitches, I look at least 7 months pregnant, stomach bloated no appetite no ,labido. my doc says yes its definitely peri, and giggles it off, I’m 46, she’s 10 years younger then me with a baby, I’m freaking out ,always scared its my heart not peri, I ache all the time, feel like something stuck in my throat all time. feel like falling apart. I get anxious all the time, my body looks ugly. get sent for so many tests , so many different diagnosis as well, reflux bad, which apparently I shouldn’t have because no gall bladder, specialist said reflux causes globus in the throat , which makes you think something stuck, then stomach issues from diverticulitis, but also spondalosis - arthritis in spine from age determination which also flares up from peri. which causes all the nerves and muscles ache more then usual. I drink Kambucha and keffirdrinks which help alot with intestinal pain but throat surgeon suggested normal alkaline water which really helps with bad reflux and heart burn, i buy it from local supermarket. love this forum as I don’t have a mum to talk to about this
In the same boat! I’m 48, missed 5 periods and now they’re back. Have had every symptom imaginable in the last couple of years and feel like I’m going mad!
Doctor brushed it off as all being related to perimenopause, but with a strong family history of cancer (both parents, one sibling, aunt and uncle…) my mind races to the worst possible place with every symptom.
Currently awaiting a call from my doctor to discuss right-sided pelvic pain and period-type cramps that started a couple days after my last period and are not improving. I’m terrified! Add some bloating, feeling full, and stomach pain here and there and my mind is convinced it’s cancer!
Other symptoms over the last year include:
- heart palpitations (testing confirmed premature heart beats that happen all day long but doctor says he’s not sure why I have them)
- weird vibrating/movement sensations inside my belly and other body parts
- deep, dull aching in my legs–usually the right side
- intense feeling of heat lasting a few seconds that only ever happens the second I wake up in the morning
- stiff muscles and joints
- frequent bouts of insomnia
My bowels are up and down too! I’ve put that down to the iron supplements. I will start trialling some probiotics I think!
I’m loving this forum too - thanks for replying. I can so relate to the pulled muscle feelings. They’re so painful! I’ve just started a new job working from home and I’m in so much discomfort being sat all day and using the laptop. My jaw is in agony today and I can’t seem to shake it off with painkillers. The aching all the time sends my anxiety through the roof and like you say, there’s so many different diagnosis…to date I’ve had carpal tunnel syndrome, possible arthritis, TMJ, anxiety, stress…the list is endless. I’ll give those drinks a try - thanks for the suggestion!
It was pelvic pain and period type abdominal cramps that started all of this for me. They sent me for a scan and said everything was perfectly normal. Like you I always think of the worst case scenario and all that does is worsen the anxiety. It really is a vicious circle!
I’ve experienced the weird vibrations and heart palpitations - they’re so scary. I’ve started with night sweats and leg cramps too.
Also my gastric issues. I’ve been on iron tablets for the past 5 years. You mentioned your jaw is hurting try and get probiotics as I had the same issue where my wisdom tooth was half pulled out. They left the root in as its close to the nerve. It started to pain and the dentist couldn’t see inflammation.
The probiotics have some how helped it.Also check you don’t have a cyst or wisdom growing by your dentist x
Fab, thanks so much I’ve just been reading up on Bioglan. I’ll get some ordered. The dentist did a full mouth x-ray and couldn’t see anything wrong. They referred me to a consultant at the hospital, but because of Covid it’s been knocked back (which I understand needed to happen). I’m annoyed at myself being ill during a pandemic! I’m prepared to try anything for it, thank you! x
Okay- I’m so glad I found this forum- I have been having some of these exact symptoms but because I’m only 32 my GP is completely throwing out the idea that it could be hormone related and my OB isn’t completely sold on the idea of it being hormones because my blood work showed normal levels when we checked it. Is there anything I could convey to them to take me seriously on this?? I feel like I’m going crazy because no one listens because of my age. Thanks for the help.
Fab! Keep me posted on how you get on. Hope you hear back soon from the hospital x
Thank you, will do. Keep me posted on how things go with you. Take care x
Sorry to hear this. Honestly I’ve tried numerous times to convey to my doctor that I think all my symptoms are hormone related, but they won’t have it due to my age (I’m 40) and are not prepared to test my hormone levels until my periods have been stopped for at least 4 months. I think hormone levels fluctuate throughout the month. I’ve bought two of the urine hormone tests off the internet and done all four a week apart and they’ve all been positive. Just keep on at them and try not to be fobbed off…I’ve allowed myself to be. My symptoms are increasing each day muscle and joint pain, changes to my periods, breast pain, pins and needles, night sweats, jaw pain and leg cramps. They just tell me I’m anxious and try to prescribe me anti depressants! Really hope you get sorted soon.
I am 40 and i feel just like you do. i have heavy but regular periods but suffer from;
muscle twitching (everyday)
neck ache
tinnitus
hair loss
Aching legs
low iron level
I made the mistake of googling twitches but forums like this make me feel its perimenopause…
That’s exactly how I feel Jenny. My muscles are twitching today and I feel like there’s things crawling across my skin. Is your neck ache bad? My muscles constantly feel so tight in that area. Are you taking anything for your symptoms?
Oh my gosh this is how I feel too. All my bloodwork came back normal. It started as pelvic pain for me as well and spotting, then I got lower back pain, bladder issues (felt like a UTI!). Most recent symptom is tingly legs, like I could almost fall over but they aren’t weak. It is all so strange! And having the bloodwork not line up makes you feel like either you have some strange disease or are losing your mind! All my other tests have come back normal too! Its comforting knowing its not just me, I wish we could all get doctors onboard, my anxiety is really driving me crazy!
Where are your pins and needles Helen?
Jade