Perimenopause! Needing support, encouragement, advice

I'm 45 and feel crazy!! Is this perimenopause??? My symptoms... heart palpitations, anxiety, emotional,I get warm (not quite a hot flash), periods are regular, but sometimes super heavy or shorter, tired, my pear shaped body looks more like an apple (where did my waist go?), stressed, hypochondria, feelings of doom, my PMS seems worse, breast tenderness and swollen. Does this sound familiar!!

Everything you are describing is perimenopause. Sorry it's not a lot of fun. Eat really well, take a good multivitamin, get in bed by 10pm and trying to get good sleep. Exercise a little, drink plenty of water. Do some stress reduction things. Your body needs all the support you can give it to make these adjustments.

Good luck, this is better than menopause. (I know that's hard to believe) But I be happy to be in perimeno again any day.

Hi there,

Whilst reading your comments I was saying yes to all of your symptoms. I'm 44 years old and all of my symptoms started in January this year. I've found that well woman multi vits with omega 3,6,9 and starflower oil capsules have really made a difference. This is a scary thing I feel and the comments from the lovely ladies on this forum have been really supportive. Hope it helps to know your not alone x

Good morning. YES it is! i have all the symptoms you do ....Its all related to the hormones shifting up and down.  Have you considered an HRT? i started about a year ago, and it does offer some relief.  I rather go thru this entirely natural, but it was way too difficult. Anxiety being the worse of them all and insomina ...Your not alone in this crazy journey.  hang in there. 

All sounds normal to me . I am 50 next month and still having regular periods . This month I came on exactly 4 weeks to the day since the last period , but last month it was only 3 months in between . Even though I got my period yesterday I am feeling a bit off today and down in the dumps , even a bit teary . I thought your mood was meant to lift when you came on . Are any of you ladies on citalopram ? I have been on a 10mg dose for a year and a half . I had a breakdown after the loss of my mum and began my peri overnight it seems. I asked my doctor wether I should come off it , as I worry so about taking it and feel that the longer you take it the harder it will be to come off it . This is where my health anxiety comes out , as I've been reading about all the people with terrible withdrawal symptoms . The doctor advised me to taper off as she said it is not advisable for long term use . I know maybe I should go onto the citalopram forum , but I know that a lot of ladies are given citalopram at this stage of life . Sorry to ramble . Jane X

Thank you! It definitely helps to know I'm not alone. I need to find a good vitamin and make better eating choices. It's hard when I feel so dumpy!

Good morning. I have not considered any medications yet. I have anxiety in seeing the doctor. It seems like everything makes me anxious!! Hahaha

Hi! All of these changes in our bodies can be so tricky and challenging. I will pray for you. It's nice to know we are not alone.

Yes, yes and yes! My anxiety and other emotions were the worst. I talked to my gynecologist--she said since I was still getting my periods and I'm only 42, I was too young for HRT, so she suggested the birth control pill (ironic since my husband has a vasectomy!) It's definitely not a perfect solution, but I will say it has helped the anxiety a lot, so maybe it's worth it to look into checking your hormone levels?

Yes, I also have these symptoms at 47. I feel annoyed that my periods are still quite regular, thinking that I'm still a ways off from this all ending.

Sadly your post and all of the comments has made me feel better than anything today.  Doom, hypochondria, painful and sometimes swollen breasts.!!  PMS is a lot more painful.  Just so glad I am not alone in these.  

Hi Jackie

I am 42 and I have anxiety and low mood. I have just started HRT. My gp and menopause clinic advised it especially because of my age.

Hi Lisa

I have terrible anxiety with other symptoms. I have just started HRT 3days ago. How did you get on? Did it help quickly with the anxiety?

Hi suzynegrette

Are you describing me? :-)

I am exactly like that, I'm 42.

I'm on citalopram which took its time to work and started HRT 3 days ago.

Consider it, it might help

Good morning Zoe62821.

Isn't it comforting knowing others are going through the same thing?! I have not considered taking anything yet. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow. I asked for a hormone test and she did only 1. The FSH test, which came back normal. There has to be other hormone tests????

Have a great day!

So from personal experience and years of study, I can offer this explanation. FSH doesn't rise dramatically enough in peri to signal menopause. The best time to have this blood test is on days 2-4 after your period starts. In peri, if you ran FSH mid cycle,  your ovaries have responded with more estrogen & the FSH will look normal. That certainly doesn't mean you aren't feeling the difference, just that labs often don't show it. 

And yes, there are plenty of  tests for all this. But, sorry to say, they often aren't that helpful. (Mine certainly weren't).  This is often why physicians who do replacement therapy suggest to go by how the woman feels instead of numbers from labs. 

Sorry you are having issues. It isn't fun. And for all of us who have been down this road We certainly sympathize. 

Thank you gailannie!!

Your reply was very helpful.  xx

I have gallstones it my partner thinks I could be going through premenopause as I am Moody, anexity palpitations an .y periods were never regular be cause of my pcos but the past year they are regular some are heavy an some are light an bad periods pain. Very bloated an it's like I don't get enough air when i am breathing i fear i am dying. My shoulders are stiff I am just wondering if having gallstones makes premenopause symptoms worse or other way round xx

Hi k.roach87,

I have often wondered the same thing about gallstones. I have them too and I can relate to how you described you feel.

I'm going to look up any info I can find!!

From what I have researched since I was also having gallstone trouble.  The liver can't handle the excess estrogen and the bile becomes thicker and sludgy.  This then affects our digestive system causing indigestion, bloating and other problems.  When your liver breaks down estrogen it is sent to your colon for removal and if you are constipated then the estrogen is reabsorbed into the bloodstream and thus a vicious cycle of clogging up your liver and causing gallbladder problems.  I never had much of an issue with constipation, but I did increase my fiber intake with oatmeal.  I did everything I could not to expose myself to xenoestrogens from our environment.  I switched to organic foods and cleaning supplies, etc.  Now my gallbladder rarely bothers me...and it was bad to the point I almost decided to have surgery. It took a few months and I honestly don't know if that's what did it, but I would like to think so.  Hope this helps and I am in no way an expert.  This is just what I got out of the research I did.  Maybe there will be some more educated answers out there for you.smile