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[missyb]

Hiya ladies. Thanks for adding me.  Sorry for what probably seems like another what are my symptoms post but i've trawled through a bit and can't see any quite like mine 

I'm 39 and think I may be having irregular periods but not sure. They are usually anything between 21 - 28 days. Currently 10 days late now I think. Never know when it's going to come as it's different each month. been having period pains for over a week now and still no period  .

I've also been having awful headaches for about 6 months so got the docs to check it out a few months ago and they couldn't find anything wrong, more recently been having a few hot flushes, well hot flushes to me. I'm usually always cold but been waking up during the night really warm (unheard of for me). Also face getting very hot for a few minutes but can feel it rising up (if that makes sense).  No sweats though so not sure if i'm meant to have them as well?   Also been having some bladder problems for over a year now with urge and frequency, i'm under the hospital having physio but they don't know why i'm having these problems as she said my pelvic floor isn't that bad, is that a link?  Also have episodes of low blood sugar, well thats what it feels like anyway, go very shaky and weak and feel ill for quite some time afterwards, again been to the docs about that but didn't get any answers.  I'm just wondering if they are all linked somehow to the changes we go through, my mom started at 40 and have been told that could make me start early as well.

Thanks for reading.

[CLKD]

Yep. Sounds 'within normal limits' from where I'm sitting  - 

The Physio. ought to be au fait with menopause symptoms! in that the body begins to dry = inside and out.  As oestrogen levels drop so muscles become lax : which can cause frozen shoulder, various joint aches and pains.  The body can become itchy, my ears deep inside itch because they are dry; my vagina dried, which requires treatment.

The body can suddenly become hungry so eating little and often can ease that, a sudden drop in blood sugar can cause anxiety surges  .  Eating every 3 hours throughout 24 hours can stop that sudden drop.  That's in the night too if one goes across the landing to the bath room  .  I have dry fruits and nuts, ginger biscuits etc. close to hand: packets in the car, in the camper, around the house, by the bed …….. and try to eat before I feel hungry.

My periods came and went.  I would get months between then a few 'regular'.  Then after 2+ years it stopped completely.  If your pain is bad then take a tablet!  I didn't stop carrying protection for 5 years after my last bleed: in case 

Browse round. Make notes. Use the 'search' button.  There's usually someone around with a 

[missyb]

Thank you for replying, maybe she thought I'm too young for it to be that as well but I'm seeing her soon so will mention it to her.

Forgot to mention that I feel off balance quite a lot as well and i'm forever walking into people if i'm walking next to them oops 

Itchy inner ears drives me crackers too.

The tummy pain is weird, not quite as bad as it should be I think, still seem to be getting deep ovary type pain.  Will try and get to my docs next week, can't put up with these headaches/migraines for much longer 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi missyb and welcome to MM
my peri meno started in my mid 30s and if it is in your family then it is more likely. I had the erratic bleeds, horrible headaches, aching joints and strange flushes that just got worse.  My GP sent me for a D&C after which my periods stopped completely, they did more blood tests which showed I was in peri meno. I then started on the long road of HRT - I'm 60 now and still using HRT.
I'd keep a diary of your symptoms and perhaps ask your GP if they can do a series of blood tests that look at your hormone and FSH levels over 3-4 weeks to see what's going on. You may not yet be at the stage where HRT is necessary but if your periods become much heavier, further apart, very light etc. then ask to be referred to a gynae or meno clinic for advice. Keep us posted - we are here to support you.  Dg x

[missyb]

Thank you - I will keep you updated.  Not holding out much hope with my doctor as his usual line with anything I go to him with is you are too young  .

Not too used to the missing/late period as mine are usually something like this 22, 26, 23, 25, 28, etc, it seems to happen once every 18 months or so but obviously the other symptoms are more pressing now. 

Oh the other thing that I found odd this month as well not sure if anyone can shed any light on it or not but I always have tender breasts right before I start my period, they usually start anything up to the week before, but this time nothing, no tenderness, I know as I haven't had my period that might be why but also is that a link, or a random?  Thanks girls, great to talk to people struggling like me 

[Kathleen]

Hello missyb and welcome to the forum.

I agree with the other ladies that all your symptoms sound hormonal.

It may be worth emphasising to your GP that your mother began her menopause at 40 as that makes it likely that you are the same. I think they are taught this at med school and it was the first thing my doctor asked me when discussing my menopause.
 
Hopefully you will get the appropriate treatment and will start to feel better soon.

Take care and keep posting.

K.

[missyb]

Thank you ladies, I've managed to get an appointment with a female doctor for tomorrow so wish me luck 

[Elizabethrose]

Hello Missyb welcome to MM.

I'm a newbie like you and the site is fascinating because it exposes you to a range of women all experiencing perimenopause in their own unique way. My story sounds very very similar to yours. Click on my name and read my first post. My mother and grandmother went through menopause young and the expectation was, when I started experiencing peri at 41/42, that I would do the same.

Some women go through quickly but it can be a long haul, as I say we are all different, but I truly believe if we can stay informed and understand what is happening to our bodies it helps us cope. I was told to keep a diary and used The National Migraine Centres downloadable record sheets. Go onto their website. It allows you to keep a record of everything happening to you, i.e. periods, headaches, breast tenderness, flushes, just add as much detail around the period and migraine detail required. It is amazing how quickly patterns can emerge and this information is extremely useful when seeking help.

Pure menstrual migraine can be treated with meds best suited to pure menstrual migraine but you need a record in order to identify this. It might be that the migraine are being triggered by other things. My migraine is triggered by the chaos of hormones that peri brings, a record will help you recognise what is happening to your body.

Some women need help with the effects that peri has on them, whilst others don't. Read as much as you can and before you see your GP tomorrow, write down everything that is happening to you. Take your notebook in so you don't forget anything or get side tracked. Ask lots of questions. The better informed you are, the easier it is to manage what is happening to your body

I wish you well and do ask if I can be of any further help.

Good wishes to you.

ER

[Lizab]

All of that seems so familiar. I'm 39 also. The symptoms you name I have definitely had in the last few years. I didn't connect it to menopause at first, even though my mother finished in her early 40s. After a year or two of symptoms like yours, I went through a couple years of very heavy bleeding alternating with month long periods of daily light bleeding. That was when the gynecologist first mentioned the possibility of perimenopause to me. I don't think she expected things to progress so rapidly after that (I know I didn't), as about a year later things became very difficult, and my hormone levels tested post menopausal.

Keep good records of your periods, because until you start skipping periods the doctors tend to not take it seriously. All the symptoms are so subtle, who can blame them? You're a step ahead in that you recognize already that this could be related to menopause. As Kathleen said, emphasize to your GP that you believe it could be related. She may not acknowledge it yet, but if she can't find another cause and you mention it at every visit, she'll have to address it. If she's anything like the doctors I've seen, she'll not take action based on one late period, which is of course reasonable. We can have the one off odd period now and then. But it's good you'll be having the conversation early with her, so that if things become more troublesome, she'll be aware. Good luck!

[missyb]

Thank you    I've got my period recorded for the last 3 or 4 years but I will definitely start recording all other symptoms from now to go with it.  11 days late now 

[Dorothy]

I started at 35 and the symptoms you are describing sound very similar to the ones I had then.  Keep pushing for a diagnosis - I was 39 before I was diagnosed & 40 before I was able to get proper help.  Hot flushes seem to be the symptom that most convinces GPs you are in peri, so major on that even if it's not your main symptom (it's always been one of the least troublesome symptoms for me, but for GPs it is the 'magic sign' that convinces them you are in peri)

I'm on Birth Control Pill instead of HRT which really helps.

[missyb]

Thank you, the hot flush (for someone who usually is so nesh) is the one symptom that made me think uh-oh.  They are the most weirdest feeling ever aren't they.  I hope she listens to me tomorrow.

[Joyce]

Hi there. I always had irregular periods from day 1. My GP, back in my teens,  said once I had kids it would sort itself out. Erm no! Was still out of sync between daughter & son. Turned out, in my case, I wasn't ovulating. Not saying that's your problem though. In my case it made becoming pregnant rather difficult.

Anyhoo, definitely mention age your mum became menopausal as it can be hereditary. My mum became menopausal in early 40's just after she had me. I was mid 30's, but I had hysterectomy.

Hope you get sympathetic ear from your GP.

[missyb]

Well I've been to the doctors.  I explained all of my symptoms and that I was concerned I may be starting to change.  She suggested that she thought most women of 39 were semi menopausal as it can happen over such a long time (I thought it was a little odd of her to say that but I went with it).  She didn't say if she thought I was or wasn't but she didn't dismiss it, she wants me to keep a log of my headaches as I'm not sure she thinks this is related.  She has also told me to have a blood test to check my thyroid as that can make women have hot flushes but she said there is no point doing a blood test for menopause as the results can vary?  She did however suggest vaginal estrogen? Is that right or is it the other one? tablets to see if that would help with dryness and she said it may help with my bladder symptoms.  She said there would definitely be no need for me to have HRT (but I noticed the leaflet in the vaginal oestrogen refers to it as HRT) and she told me I don't need to tell people I'm going through the change (again I thought that was a bit odd and I wouldn't tell people anyway).  What do you all think of that?  Oh she also said I don't need to do anything about my missing period and that this may happen from time to time.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Missyb  At least your GP didn't dismiss the idea you may be peri menopausal but as premature menopause is actually far more common than is thought, I find her comment that you wouldn't want to think or say you are menopausal as strange - is it something to ashamed of? Missing a period is not in itself unusual but if your periods are changing in pattern and either getting closer together and/or further apart then this is not normal in your late 30s. If you get very light or very heavy periods this is also typically peri meno. It is true that some women start to get peri symptoms in their early 40s but this should be monitored, as premature menopause, which results in oestrogen deficiency, can have long term consequences for your bones,heart, vaginal and bladder health.
It is good to check the thyroid function to see if this is causing the flushes.  The family history does need to be taken into account and if you keep a diary of your periods and when headaches happen this can be a good indicator of peri meno.
Blood tests can be useful if done 2-3 times over a period of a 4-6 weeks - the FSH level can really help to identify menopause. 
As to the local oestrogen, this is a good idea if you are already getting dryness and bladder problems, so your GP is right about this - do try Vagifem as it's the easiest to use (less messy) and may be of benefit at this stage.  The leaflet gives the same info as for full systemic HRt so is not actually relevant for this local oestrogen, as Vagifem gives such a low dose of oestrogen.
To say you don't need HRT at such a young age is simply wrong.  If you become oestrogen deficient then this can give problems for your heart and bones in the long term - I started a low dose of HRT at 37.
I would advice you keep a diary over the next 3-6 months.  Log what periods/bleeding you get, what these bleeds are like and how long they last; if your headaches happen at specific times of your cycle e.g. before your period actually arrives. If you are getting increase in hot flushes and night sweats then try to count how often they happen within an hour, also log how many times you wake in the night feeling hot and sweaty.  I would then go back to the GP, ask if they can do blood tests for oestrogen and FSH levels and tell her you are concerned, as you have been told that being oestrogen deficient before the age of 50 will effect your long term health and HRT is essential.  You may also like to ask for a bone density (DEXA) scan. 
If your GP still dismisses your concerns then ask to be referred to a gynae or menopause clinic.
DG x