Thanks ladies your all so kind to reply and it's nice to know I'm not alone x I'm 47 quite active ( I have two dogs 10 year old border collie and 6 month old springer spaniel) I'm not massively overweight but I'm definitely not skinny I just seem to have put weight on around my middle and I can't shift it x I work at home as my anxiety got so bad I had a breakdown at work I worked as a teaching assistant and the pressure got to much it also coincided with my youngest daughter leaving home to go to university in London (been a tense day after yesterday's events I couldn't get hold of her but thankfully she's ok) anyway I try to eat well but my hiatus hernia causes problems with my digestion x I think because the symptoms are so real you just can't believe you haven't got a serious illness but I've had blood tests and a recent abdominal scan all fine x just wish there was a magical pill x hope you all have a lovely day 💖
Hi Valerie47
![welcomemm :welcomemm:](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/welcomemm.gif)
I think you meant to reply on your own thread here not loonytunes one so I've copied your last post over here!
Sorry to hear you are suffering. How irregular are your period eg what is the cycle length - if they are consistently very variable and you are skipping periods completely then you may be well on in the menopause journey.
As for the magic pill - as has been mentioned - there is one - HRT!!!! If you are close to menopause then you are young to be without oestrogen so taking HRT wil help protect your bones and heart. There is also a contraceptive pill called QLAIRA which is a bit like HRT but suppresses your cycle (if mood swings, pms and anxiety are a problem), and only has 2 tablet free days - the oestrogen is not strong one like the usual CCP, it is estradiol the same as in HRT and that our own body makes.
If you have had depression and anxiety since you were little - do you know if this is hormonally induced ie related to your cycle and have you had treatment for it? As you have found out thought the hormonal mood swings and the crying are something else! I have never suffered from depression or anxiety (but always have been a worrier) but I cried buckets in the peri-menopause.
There is a good article about peri-menopause here:
https://menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/pdf/Article%20-%20Perils%20of%20the%20Perimenopause.pdfDo think about HRT - before ADs to try to stabilise your moods and hormones - and of course if you need to think about diet and lifestyle as you enter this next phase of your life!
Hope this helps
![Smiley :)](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/smiley.gif)
Hurdity x