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[trickis]

Hi

Has anyone experienced breathlessness, a squashed head feeling and dizzy spells. Is this part of peri-menopause. I did have really bad palpitations, so was checked out thoroughly, thankfully my heart is fine.

I feel unwell and emotional.

Any idea about some relief from it, Starflower etc?

Thanks girls

[Luigi]

Hi
Well I have had these symptoms, dizzy spells only last a second or two but I go into meltdown! I have also had breathlessness but have a hiatus hernia which sometimes causes this, but when my hormones fluctuate it always exasperates everything!!!
I get palpitations when I'm tired or my iron is a little low, maybe worth getting some bloods done?
I'm 43 and relatively new to all this peri menopause but I sometimes feel really unwell and yes very emotional!
The joys of being a woman!!
Hope this helps
L x

[zelda]

I had all of the above and it was Peri.

[trickis]

Thank you girls, yes my blood is fine - phew.

Just taking each day as it comes, just started taking evening primrose oil so maybe that would help.
Also discovered Red Clover tea and you can get in capsule form, supposed to minic estrogeon, just in case it would help any one.

[Mary1962]

Yes had all of those during peri. Mine's improved a bit as some of mine was very low ferritin due to very heavy periods during early stages of peri so had iron supplements.  But now they've eased I still do get a little bit of those symptoms.  I currently take EPO and I think it helps balance me emotionally a bit

[trickis]

Thank you girls xx Sure I will be back soon with more symptons!! xx

[Jannew]

Hi, Thought I would join this forum as I have just started with breathlessness and feeling very lightheaded, was beginning to feel very worried about this as I am breathless just sitting! I have being to the doctors and they said no problems with heart etc, put it down to premenopause due to the irregular periods, hot flushes etc. Had no idea before that breathing problems were part of this new joy!!

[nearly50]

Maybe get your blood tested Jannew to see how your iron/ferritin levels are? I was really breathless when my ferritin dropped to 10 and it stopped when I took iron supplements.

[Hurdity]

Hi Jannew and trickis

 

Yes I agree - aside from getting your heart checked out the docs should always do blood tests to check for anaemia/low iron - I got these sensations in first pregnancy when I got anaemic - so nothing to do with meno - although hormone levels are extremely high in pregnancy!

Jannew - how long are your cycles and can you cope with the symptoms and flushes at the moment? Do consider HRT when these become unbearable - and depending on your age when you are likely to reach menopause - this is advisable to protect heart and bones at least until the natural average age of menopause.

Both - better to look at lifestyle and diet rather than take supplements although in small amounts a select few have their place. ie concentrate on making sure you are not going to be deficient in any nutrients - as well as taking lots of exercise and getting out in the fresh (if a bit cold!) air, to help you feel good and improve your overall health:)

Hurdity x

[Jannew]

Thanks for all the advice, will take this all on board!

[VanessaM]

Hi Jannew

How are the dizzy spells?  I am curious as I started this whole dizzy business back in January. Its started with a full blown vertigo attack and has not settled since.  I get dizzy in the morning, but not like seeing stars and tweeting birds - just kind of weird, the I get tingle sin my head and often that is followed by a mild but persistent headache.  Also sometimes a I get an odd sensation in my legs, sort of heavy but light at the same time.  Just odd really.  I have had a brain scan and all is normal. Bloods are normal.  is this similar to what you have?  If so, how are you coping?

Vanessam

[WCR123]

Vanessa I have been dizzy since January as well. More of a brain moving at a different pace to my head. Makes me sea sick. I almost always have a low grade headache as well along with a tight band around the back of my head. I've had scans and blood tests as well. Still trying to figure out what this is or whether it is peri related...


Jen

[VanessaM]

Hi Ladies

I have posted most of this on another thread just now as I was getting confused between the various threads active on this matter.

I thought I would share with you some of things I have found out and done in relation to my dizziness.

First doctor prescribed Betahistine diyrochloride 16mg for the vertigo.  I do take these from time to time, but cut the tablet in half. It does take the edge of the dizziness. I am worse in the morning, just when I need to work on my computer. Also taking straight forward over the counter clarytin also helps a bit. This doc thought I had labyrinthitis but this has since been over ruled as it has gone on too long.  All blood tests have been fine.

Various trips to doctors and A&E - everyone tells me I have tension headaches; no mention of hormonal imbalances at all.  I had some physio which was supposed to ease my neck muscles but it made no difference at all.

Major panic and anxiety, imagining the worst possible.  Finally I paid for a private brain scan which was actually the best thing I could have done; completely clear.  (I know this is not an option for everyone as it is quite costly, but the best £269 I could have spent)

A friend recommended some yoga type exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idmmJHS72IE
These do help a bit, or at least they make me feel as if I am doing something positive.

Eye test - recommended!  My left eye had deteriorated quite dramatically and new glasses have again helped a bit.

Dentist - worth a check up. All normal, but he is referring me to a head/neck specialist all on the NHS thankfully as this is getting expensive.

Osteopath tomorrow to rule out any neck issues (I have had some trouble in the past).

I am also having leg cramps - feels like I have walked up a mountain every day! This is why I thought it might be bone/nerve related.  I have since been advised by the lovely ladies here that this is yet another typical peri/meno symptom. 

Yesterday I found this article which is now making me believe all this is all hormonal:

http://balancedapproaches.com/people/ching/cases/sharon.html

I am taking bio identical HRT but only progesterone.  That's another story and I will post a separate thread.

I think my next step may involve another visit to get HRT revised!

The good thing for us all is that we can share our experiences and support each other here. Spring is coming and that can only help. 

[Annie0710]

These my first symptoms when I suddenly felt ill, bloods flagged up low B12 and perimenopause so make sure you get a full blood count done.  They also sent me for a 24 hour heart monitor and then called me back for heart scan, confirmed original heart arrhythmia diagnosis but not dangerous

When your heart starts racing try a really quick deep cough as sometimes that can reset it x

[Lu2]

Hi,

Sorry to bump up this post after my own radio silence of a year. You were all so helpful to me when I posted last year about this time thinking I was going to die because I was short of breath, my chest hurt, I was perpetually dizzy, etc.

After you all had kindly calmed me down a bit, and the chest x-ray came back clear, and the doctor gave me the details to call a counselor when my health anxiety levels went through the roof, and I started taking iron supplements and then forgot to take them, I was ticking along quite fine. The breathlessness was infrequent - only really about a week before my period (I am perimenopausal, we suspect, as I have frequent Niagara Falls jobs, and an infrequent absence at 46) and I could cope. I've been exercising quite hard (still fat, but fairly fit now) to try an increase my lung capacity and was actually hoping to wangle another spyrometry test to see if I had rejuvenated my lungs having abused them for 6 years previously with a 10 a day habit.

Hurrah! And thank you again for all your reassurances!

I was ticking along fine all this year when almost to the day, boom! My breathlessness and the sore chest have come back with a vengeance. Anxiety levels have  soared, of course. This breathlessness nonsense was preceded by a weird, to say the least, virus thing where I was experiencing lung spasms. The doctor looked blank and referred me for another spyro test to be followed if necessary by another chest x-ray. I need to organise these but have been far too scared to do so (I know that if something shows up on an x-ray, it's too late. Really, I should dig down the back of the sofa and pay privately for a CT scan and put this ridiculously out of control anxiety to bed once and for all - the knowledge that there's some hope for ex-smokers if the dreaded c-word is spotted on a scan; next to none by the time it shows up on a chest x-ray is quite debilitating).

Anyway, as I sit here wondering if I am going to be okay today, I have found an article that may be helpful to all my fellow breathlessness sufferers: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/health-centers/women/does-menopause-cause-shortness-of-breath/

It's from this year, and it explains quite a lot. It has certainly calmed my nerves a bit. It doesn't say whether it gets better. But I hope that, like me, any of you who suffer this debilitating side effect of the perimenopause, will feel better knowing that it is a thing. A thing that has been studied properly and that this may eventually filter through to the doctors who can be reassuring at the start of the whole process.

Thank you. And sorry once again for not having been back on for so long.