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[mumofthree]

Hi all, probably like all of you I could write an essay of my peri-menopause symptoms over the past 3 years but I'll just focus of the current problems...

My boobs hurt SO much! This has been going on for as long as I can remember (during peri). Sometimes lasts for upto 6 weeks, sometimes a few weeks, occasionally have a break for a week or so. My nipples itch all the time and I could rip them off sometimes it's so bad. They are heavy and so so painful I have to wear a sports bra all the time at night. I asked the GP for something, I was told to try Evening Primrose, I've started on it but I've heard it takes a few months to work.

My other worst sysmptom at the moment is early mornings. I often wake up around 5am so hot it's like the mattress is on fire, it reminds me of when I was younger and accidentally left the electric blanket on all night. I wear hardly anything to bed and have window open, I wake up dripping wet (though not all the time). But the worst thing is the anxiety feeling and sometimes disturbing dreams that really upset me. I know this is the wrong thing to do but the only thing that helps is to take co-codamol. I have it for my back (which is knackered!!) but it calms me down, or rather calms my nerves down and stops the wired feeling.

I'm 43 and had a hysterectomy at 32 but kept my ovaries. Various GP's have given conflicting advice about meno and whether it starts earlier or not. I had a nervous breakdown 3 years ago which sent me into full blown peri-meno but since then the daytime hot flushes and panic attacks have stopped (though I still get occasional anxiety) so I'm just left with the above. My FSH levels were 24 (3 yrs ago) 12 (2 yrs ago) 3 (this year)??

I had a lumpectomy last year due to Radial Scar in my breast and pre-cancerous cells. The last Gyne I saw said GP wouldn't give me HRT due to this. I was seeing the Gyne as I've been getting period like pain on and off this year but obviously have no womb. He thinks it's bladder pain due to hormones and nothing I can do?

I'm sorry for the essay and would love any advice

Thanks in advance 

PS. I'm away for a few days from today so sorry if it seems like I'm not replying, I'll be back on soon

[Hurdity]

Hi mumofthree

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Although FSH readings can be inaccurate - the fact that your FSH readings are now low suggest maybe your cycle has started again temporarily - although if you are getting night sweats this is unlikely.

I had painful breasts often during my fertile years and during peri-menopause and had Evening Primrose Oil but not sure if it helped or not! Re breast problems - here is what it says on this website about breast cancer and HRT:

Breast cancer
A history of breast cancer is generally seen as a contraindication to the use of systemic HRT but vaginal estrogens may be used for treatment of vaginal and bladder symptoms. For systemic menopausal symptoms, non-HRT therapies should be offered. Occasionally, if symptoms are severe and unresponsive to other therapies, HRT may be considered under specialist supervision. A recent trial, the HABITS trial suggested that HRT may increase the risk of recurrence of breast cancer but a study in Stockholm showed no increase and further trial results are awaited. Occasionally, the breast cancer treatment causes a premature menopause and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Bone protective measures should be considered.

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossB

Therefore you can definitely take vaginal oestrogen which may help with your bladder symptoms.

In addition if you really can't take HRT - which in your case would be oestrogen only - and this is confirmed by your gynae, then I would look at one of the prescribed non HRT treatments to reduce flushes such as some anti-depressants listed here: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/prescribed.php

In addition I would ask the doc for your bone health to be monitored regularly through scanning as you are young to be oestrogen deficient and you may need to take some sort of medication to protect your bones from osteoporosis. http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosisrisks.php   http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosistreatment.php

I am sure you have already looked at what lifestyle changes you need to make to help you through - like a good diet, keeping body weight low, taking plenty of exercise, reducing alcohol and stopping smoking if necessary. Apologies if you are already doing all of this!

I'm sorry I can't help with the pain but do persist until you get a diagnosis (for the bladder/womb like pain) - and do go for that vaginal oestrogen:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

I hope this helps and your trip away was relaxing

Hurdity x

[mumofthree]

Thank you so much Hurdity for taking the time to reply and with so much information. Do you think a FSH level of 3 is odd? I have asked about bone health a few times and was told I don't need to worry about it?? I tried an anti-depressant 2 years ago for flushes & anxiety but it made me feel worse and like things crawling under my skin, I felt very odd!

The bladder pain has stopped over the past few months so I'm going to leave this for now. My biggest problems are continuous breast pain (with heavyness and sensation like milk coming in after childbirth) with only a few weeks relief this year and waking early morning, boiling hot and wired.

I was hoping a few others had suffered with the same amount of breast pain etc. that could tell me it was normal. Do you think I should have posted this on the Personal Experiences board instead?

[Liz]

I've not suffered the breast pain (thankfully!) but I can totally relate to the early morning waking and feeling hot in bed.  I've been suffering another phase of early morning waking (usually around 4am!), feeling very sweaty and not being able to get back to sleep for a good hour or so, finally nodding off again and waking with a start when the alarm goes off at 6ish.  I'm 48 and peri, using oestrogel and utrogestan.

[mumofthree]

It's awful isn't it Liz!! I'm not taking any HRT as I've been told I can't due to pre-cancerous cells and Radial Scar removed by Lumpectomy last year. I could probably push for it though.

I've started taking Evening Primrose last week but been told it takes months to start working. I'm quite interested in Macafem after reading the reviews on here.

[Hurdity]

Hi again mumofthree - yes it does seem that is very low if you are menopausal, but the thing is as far as I understand it if your FSH was measured in the early part of the cycle (even if you were peri-menopausal with occasional periods), then it could still be low. I might be wrong there though? Although you are over 40 and therefore too old for premature ovarian insufficiency, because you don't have a uterus it is difficult to tell if you are peri-menopausal and especially from one FSH test. For women under 40 you are supposed to have 2 blood tests 4-6 weeks apart so hopefully then the chances of seeing raised levels (if you are peri) would be increased. Depending on how long since your last FSH reading, if longer than 6 weeks, and doctors refuse to treat you then ask for two blood tests 4-6 weeks apart and then go from there.

Ideally they should treat you on the basis of symptoms, so if you are having night sweats and/or flushes and other possible reasons have been rules out then menopause is the likely explanation!

Of course you could sidestep all this and ask to be treated for the flushes with the suggestions I made in my previous post below - but agree you could ask to be referred to a specialist too.

Hurdity x

[Megamind]

Type itchy nipples in search bar and it shows lots of others have experienced it. I got a lot of breast pain a while ago but its calmed down now.

[mumofthree]

Thank you Hurdity and Megamind. I've done searches but it comes up with nothing?

[Megamind]

Make sure you're on the home page when you search. Are you using the white search box? Sorry I can't post one of the links I don't know how to do it via my phone!

[Hurdity]

mumofthree you mentioned reading reviews of macafem and I posted yestreday on another thread about this with some links:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,31351.0.html

I will repeat my post here in case you haven't seen it mumofthree, since it is relevant!

"Macafem is a food supplement which has been used for years in men and women apparently to improve sexual performance .

There is limited research as to its effectiveness in menopause though.

Here are some links:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/07/maca-powder-health-benefits-risks_n_6678142.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21840656
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24931003
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20691074
http://www.webmd.boots.com/vitamins-and-minerals/maca
http://www.maca.co.uk/maca-lepidium-meyenii/scientific-research-on-maca.html

Whilst I am pleased to hear your hot flushes have reduced charlottecl, it is very unlikely to be due to the Maca as nothing usually works that fast - to eliminate them completely, although some women report a marked decrease quite quickly using proven treatments such as HRT.

Unfortunately anecdotal evidence from individuals cannot tell you whether a substance has a chance of being effective or not - as this can only be demonstrated through placebo controlled trials. I suggest you don't waste your money "!!

Hurdity x

[kaz s]

Hi.

Have just read your post as am new to this.
It really put my mind at rest to know someone else suffers with such bad breast pain. (Sorry ) 
I often have to hold my breasts when I take my bra off. I told my husband it is exactly like when my milk came in. I even think I may get some cold cabbage leaves again as suggested when I was breast feeding my son's. I am having bad pain at the moment. Lots of warm baths. Pain killers don't touch it. May try evening primrose again.
Have you found any help yet.  Xxx