Hi everyone! It is such a miracle that I have found this site a few weeks ago and ever since then there is no day that I don't come over here and read. Sooo much useful information and so right to my heart. Thank you all, you are amazing!
I am 43 . I guess my symptoms must have started almost 3 years ago but at the time I didn' t realise at all that what is happening to me is perimenopause. I have always been like a clock at 28 days period, and after my two natural births, have had no PMT symptoms at all. Then all of a sudden, in the summer of 2011 i had this really frightening panic attack after much accumulated stress and lots of overseas travel. I thought it is exhaustion and didn't contemplate much. The panic attacks accompanied with generally being unwell continued sporadically but got more frequent and close to each other a year later. Again, not thinking about hormones, i went to see a neurologist and was prescribed a minor AD. My cycles at that time shortened from fixed 28 to 21-23-26. Didn't pay attention again. The anxiety however was improving and then worsening again and last September -8 months ago - the same neurologist prescribed citalopram 20 mg, which I still take. I felt relatively well, energetic and upbeat most of the time with anxiety and shakiness increasing right before my period was due. It would go away immediately after The bleed starts.
It was all good and manageable and I thought I am seeing the light of the tunnel until this March when I started feeling bad almost every day. Symptoms just began pouring - morning and sometime daily nausea, extreme anxiety, trembling hands, excessive night sweats, insomnia. The anxiety then subsided and was changed to fatigue, depression, lack of will to get up and go, sleepiness, etc. I have always been a very very energetic person, with my highest energy in the AM and sustained throughout the day. Luckily I don't work anymore as i don't imagine how I will be able to make it out of the house in the morning.
Back in March while speaking to,other women i began to realise this whole sudden change must be hormone related. And guess three weeks ago my gyneo confirmed outright that I am perimenopausal and prescribed HRT. He said that with these symptoms, especially the anxiety and mood changes, no herbal oitments will work for me. Today I am on my 16 th day of Femoston 2/10 and am glad that there are so many positive experiences with Femoston among you.
I do see some changes but much has to improve, esp on the depression, motivation and energy fronts. But i sweat much less at night and don't wake so often. Still though lack desire to do whatever needs to be done, which frustrates not only me, but my most darlings.
Sorry for the long post! I am really looking forward to discuss all goods and bads in the process. I often have doubts whether all that I feel and experience is all due to premenopause, but reading here I realise how little prepared I was for this period in my life!
Milamam
