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[cupcake14]

Hi, well, where do I start?

I'm 49 and a half.

I started having symptoms a few years ago, irregular periods, mood swings and night sweats and my GP suggested HRT, though said I could only stay on it til I was 50. Prempak C, it was great and I felt brilliant and all the stuff that annoyed me didn't anymore. But.... started getting blinding migraines about 8 months ago so the stopped it. I have high BP usually controlled with Ramipril but that had gone up too, so now have Bisiprolol which has helped BP and migraines have gone.

My cycle is all over the place (87 days, 57 days and now 21) only last 4 days. I have put on a stone and a half since last summer.
I have been having some night sweats but the worst thing is the moods. I had a massive row with my husband this week. Weirdly immediately afterwards my period started (21 days since last one so I didn't see it coming)

I have started to lose weight, cut back alcohol, eat more healthily and increase exercise, but any other advice?

I am seeing GP on Monday, what do I say?! I don't really want antidepressants and I don't suppose she'll let me have HRT. I don't want a Mirena as I had one and hated it. I am thinking about asking for thyroid blood test as my tongue is swollen and wavy edged, but could just be be grinding my teeth!

Reading your posts makes me feel all this is normal! I work with some great women who are older than me and everyone's experience seems different!

Anyway, what do I say to my GP?! TIA 

[Hurdity]

Hi cupcake14

 

You sound like a classic peri-menopausal woman and as such a prime candidate for HRT!  Did you have migraines before starting the HRT? If so it could have been due to that particular type which contains a mix of horse oestrogens and is quite strong - depending what dose you were taking?

The good news is there are several different types of HRT and surely there will be one to suit you and alleviate your symptoms without such side effects? They are all listed under treatments/HRT types on the tabs above. Of the tablet HRT types Femoston is the best tolerated in terms of progestogen and don't be persuaded otherwise! You definitely should not be prescribed anti-depressants! However if the HRT (or your own hormonal cycle) is giving you migraines then transdermal HRT is the preferred route ie patches (combi) or gel with separate progestogen.

You are doing all the right things re weight exercise and alcohol - the latter gives me migraines eg if I drink wine late in the evening and has done so since peri-menopause ( not before this though). This will help your BP and general health.

Good idea to have baseline blood tests at this point anyway to check all is OK generally.

Have a read around the info on the tabs  and come back to us to ask any questions if we can help further

Hurdity x

[Lanzalover]

Hi cupcake14



I don't really have anything to add to Huriditys very detailed reply.


But    and good luck.


Lanzalover x

[cupcake14]

Thank you both for your replies!

I had the odd bad head before HRT, probably always have done but never had medication for them. They didn't appear at the start of HRT, probably 18 months after starting it and then we're bad, even stopping me from going to work. I liked the HRT, it made my hair better, skin stopped being itchy, slept well and definitely helped my tetchyness.

I always liked being on the ocp when I was younger, but I hated the Mirena, and felt that made me moody. I think I have always been a bit hormonal!

I wanted to try to ride it out, but will speak to the GP about the possibility of patches instead. Thank you for making me feel I am not going nuts! 

[Roseneath]

cupcake...we are the great silent unspoken masses. Hitting the peri cycle for me has been a massive shock, especially with the mindfield of choices and lack of understanding I get from my dear hubbie who just wants his ' old' wife back. Crabby, anxious, brain fogged, crying, panicky, vacant, trapped, hysterical, brain racing. Luckily it is all hear on the site. My advice would be to try and find the most understanding GP you can. If you feel the first one doesn't ' get you' then try another. They will also offer you a mind boggling range of HRT or Antidepressant options so don't feel bullied and use this excellent site to sound out experiences and ideas.

[cupcake14]

Thank you Roseneath! Seeing her tomorrow so will see what she comes up with. Already feel better having read some of the threads on here!!  . It sucks doesn't it?! 

[Hurdity]

Good luck with your doc cupcake - hope all goes well and do let us know!

Hurdity x

[cupcake14]

Hi ladies,

So...

Went to see my GP, who I really like and trust.

Explained everything, especially my recent foul mood.  She suggested that HRT may make the PMT type symptoms worse if I am generally okay but just had this explosion immediately before my period. Is this true??? 

Hurdity, You obviously understand all the hormone stuff - why would it be that I liked being on the OCP and initially Prempak C but absolutely hated the Mirena?  I honestly felt that made me feel awful and couldn't wait to get it removed.

To be fair, I did tell her I had wanted to try and ride out my symptoms if at all possible.  Asked if my husband understood 

Anyway,

Told her about my decision to lose some weight, cut out alcohol (I have definitely been drinking more lately) She suggested trying lifestyle changes especially cutting out alcohol and cutting down on caffeine  and increasing exercise too - and to come and see her in 3 months (or earlier if necessary)

She thought thyroid bloods would be a good idea (it was normal in December) and added in U&Es and cholesterol too. My BP was up a bit but I always do have a bit of white coat hypertension.  Suggested B vitamins too.

So, I will try all these things and see what happens.  As she says, if I still have a cycle this may go on for a few years yet - ho hum!

I will keep reading all the threads on here - so inspiring and comforting! 

Thanks again for the support 

Cupcake14 x

[CLKD]

VitD checked?   Also, PMT-type symptoms can be eased by eating every 3 hours, 24/7 even in the night ;-).  Not to increase your over-all diet but to spread it more evenly to keep blood sugar levels more even.  Stops anxiety surges.  That is: 24/7 52/12!