Hi, I am 42 and have the "official" diagnosis of perimenopause. Journey started almost a year ago now and what a journey it was. Started with a surgical procedure and thought it was all after effects of being under anaesthetic. Long story short had a whole bunch of weird things going on with my body (tingling, feeling like adrenalin rushes, anxiety and more) had full neurological and toxins work up and all normal. After doing my own research found this site and others and determined possibility of hormone involvement. Had hormone levels checked and of course everything "normal". Insisted on referral too mature women's health clinic had my appointment and was started on birth control pills. Things took about three months and then improved quite a bit......for about 4 months felt almost like my old self. Then BAM!, woken in the middle of the night with a start, felt like adrenalin rushing through and all symptoms came back, but not quite as bad. Birth control pill changed for another, as thought might not have been tolerating progesterone in that pill. things again settled and seemed ok, and then shortly after Christmas a deep dark depression hit me, very scary, and not like myself at all. Stopped taking that birth control pill and depression lifted. Now at my last appointment have been started on birth control patch as though I may tolerate it better. Also ordered blood work again....estrogen came back at level of prepubescent girl, low testosterone and anti-muellarian ormone of less than 0.3 and FSH greater than 25. Seems to me these levels are in line with menopause, although I have not yet been without a period for 12 months. Hope the patch works for me, but was wondering if other have been treated with birth control pills for perimenopause. My MD recommended this as your own levels at this time are fluctuating too much to be able to control symptoms with the lower doses of HRT. Sorry for the run on, and looking forward to contributing as well as reading everyone else's stories.
