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[TraceyTracey]

Hi.  I went to my doctor with I list of problems and we think it's peri menopause. I am 43.. Ovaries intact but having night sweats, aching joints, awful lingering pmt, agitated and some anxiety, sudden onset of migraines, low mood, no libido and was having trouble sleeping. Some of these symptoms seemed to come in monthly cycles but the night sweats and insomnia were persistent.   I have managed to get the sleeping back on track with vitamins and diet change but the low mood and migraines keep coming each month. I have a bad 7 plus days a month. Previously I used to breeze through my period with very little pms. 2 days a month I would be tired and bloated and the odd bit of agitation. My mood now around that time is awful. I feel depressed and shut down now for at least a week and would happily not speak at all...  ...  People at work are noticing and hubby has been worried. Anyhow....  Is there anyone else with early peri menopause ... I have started the evarol patches and had the mirena fitted... I have been using the merina for 10 yrs now ...  I am feeling a bit better but it's only 2 weeks since I started the patches..... Just wondering if anyone else started this early and what are their thoughts..

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and Welcome TraceyTracey
Yep, your symptoms are all pretty normal for peri meno.  If the Mirena suits you then this is great because you just need a bit of added oestrogen to get the meno symptoms under control.
My only suggestion would be to perhaps try Oestrogel if you find the patches are a nuisance or your simply don't like them. You apply Oestrogel each day to the inner thighs and you can start with just one pump dose per day and increase as you need - in other words it's very flexible.  As you get further into your menopause you can increase to 2 or possibly 3 pumps per day depending on how you feel. I expect you have been given a low dose of oestrogen patch at this stage and you could go to the higher dose patch as your own oestrogen levels drop.  I was peri meno in my mid 30s so was using HRT and at your age it is vital you use some oestrogen to protect your heart and bones until at least 50. Technically any risks from using HRT only kick in from your late 50s but now the school of thought is that women can stay on for as long as they feel they want to, even beyond 60, provided they are fully aware of the risks.
Good to hear you have a sensible GP.
Hope you fully get your quality of life back really soon.  DG x

[Dandelion]

Hi Tracey

I started my perimenopause around the age of 43 too.
I'm now 47, but only been on HRT for six months, as I never realised the symptoms I were having were perimenopause.
I was weaning off tranquilisers at the time, and I assumed the flushes and sweats were due to the withdrwals, so I slowed down the rate I was weaning off. 
It seemed to ramp up a notch last summer also, and my IBS got more aggressive.

I started on Femoston 1/10 last October-January, and it didn't work, so I increased it to 2/10, with little success.
The symptoms still impeded  my life, and I was near to giving up on Femoston, after a failed three month trial on 2/10, but then I read that gluten can cause perimenopausal symptom, I posted in another thread how my HRT suddenly started working very soon after.

I knew precious little about perimenopause and menopause, and had no clue how utterly miserable it can make some women.
I wasn't expecting mine until the age of 50, and was looking forward to it, because my periods would stop.  Little did I know I was already in the swing of perimenopause.

[Dancinggirl]

Dandelion - I'm pleased to hear you are feeling better. Gluten can cause all sorts of problems.
Take care. DG x

[mandy43]

Hi Tracey I started last year at 42.  I skipped 2 periods and the hot flushes and night sweats came with a vengeance.  They died down in Feb this year when my period returned, had blood tests which showed low estrogen but doc wants to do follow up and he thinks it could just be because of the time of the month they were done and estrogen can be low at certain times.  My periods went to five weeks apart for a month and then last 2 were 11 days apart, this last one lasting 17 days.  Other symptoms flushes now and again, lower backache (crippling at times) shoulder blade ache, neck ache pains in my legs, spots all over my face, crying all the time, really negative thoughts and look like I've aged 10 years in 18 months.  Not to mentions the overwhelming tiredness and anxiety.  I will not be offered anything to help this until follow up bloods are done and I hate going the doctor.  However, I have made an appt and I'm going on Monday.  really feel for you Tracey, it's an absolute nightmare for me xx

[Dancinggirl]

mandy43  - Good luck with your appointment. Stand your ground. Your symptoms are classic peri meno and bloods are notoriously unreliable so the doctor should go by your symptoms even if your blood tests show normal.
You are young and need things to be more stable. Don't let them fob you off with the cheap premique HRT - there are lots of options but maybe ask for Femoston 1/10 as the progesterone is well tolerated - it's a good one to try as a start.
DG x

[mandy43]

thanks Dancinggirl, I am at the point where I think I will ask for something because I can't deal with these symptoms now, I feel like my life is going down the toilet fast and I can't afford to be like this with 4 kids and an elderly mum xx

[TraceyTracey]

Hi Mandy 43... Good luck at the docs.  I have started on evorel 50 patches and I am on going into my third week and so far so good. I also take a Menopace plus which seemed to stop the night sweats and I sleep much better now... They are herbal and definitely worth a try. You have nothing to lose by trying them... 

[TraceyTracey]

Hi Tracey

I started my perimenopause around the age of 43 too.
I'm now 47, but only been on HRT for six months, as I never realised the symptoms I were having were perimenopause.
I was weaning off tranquilisers at the time, and I assumed the flushes and sweats were due to the withdrwals, so I slowed down the rate I was weaning off. 
It seemed to ramp up a notch last summer also, and my IBS got more aggressive.

I started on Femoston 1/10 last October-January, and it didn't work, so I increased it to 2/10, with little success.
The symptoms still impeded  my life, and I was near to giving up on Femoston, after a failed three month trial on 2/10, but then I read that gluten can cause perimenopausal symptom, I posted in another thread how my HRT suddenly started working very soon after.

I knew precious little about perimenopause and menopause, and had no clue how utterly miserable it can make some women.
I wasn't expecting mine until the age of 50, and was looking forward to it, because my periods would stop.  Little did I know I was already in the swing of perimenopause.

Thank you... It's good to hear I am not on my own... So have you cut out gluten totally... ? I don't eat much gluten anyway.   But have noticed a change in myself if I eat excessive sugar, salt or caffeine.