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[EnglishRose]

Do u know where your peripheral neuropathy comes from?
Back issues?
What are your symptoms?
Peri was okay except from the start ... just as well as it lasted ten years !
I think I'm now hitting menopause.. feel like crap 💩 physically and mentally four days. Keep checking my pants when I go toilet hoping that the very mild spotting results in a long overdue period.

Hello again,


I don't know where the neuropathy comes from, neither my 5 doctors... fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, ME/CFS, chronic pain syndrome, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, other connective tissue disorders have all been 'diagnosed'.


My main symptom is burning skin (hands, arms, feet, legs, upper back). It's extremely debilitating. It began in February and now it comes and goes as it pleases. I've done tons of tests and been prescribed tons of meds, Venlafaxine, Duloxetine, Cyclobenzaprine, Biotin, Curcuma, amongst others. I have decided to stop all medication and supplements, very confusing. I only take B12 now because I'm veggie.


The Nephrologist has diagnosed a big kidney stone and she thinks that it has been caused by excess supplemental vitamin D (I wasn't aware at the time that I needed vitamin K2 and magnesium along with it, neither my doctor).


My peri also lasted 10 years, but it was not ok... it was a long and winding road of ups and downs (I thought I was bipolar) and when menopause was approaching, I collapsed. I'm exactly 2 years postmeno now. Let's say that the last year of peri was the worst possible nightmare I have ever experienced. Then, 3 months after hitting menopause, the neuropathy started. On the bright side, morning anxiety, insomnia, feelings of impending doom, random bursts of sadness, anger, insecurity and crying have calmed down.


That's why I'm sure you'll be fine once you cross the menopause bridge. Not that you'll have your old life back. That'll never happen but you'll be able to breathe and get to know your new self better (although your old body will always remind you to slow down).


Conolly X

You poor poor girl. My heart goes out to you. Truly.
Nothing I can add as it's one of the few areas I haven't googled the Hell out of. Lol
I hope you find some relief soon x

[EnglishRose]

My restless legs were cured by eating lots of bananas - lack of potassium.  For 5+ years I ate 2/3 small bananas daily and didn't have problems, then I went 'off' bananas  .  Within 3 months symptoms had returned.  I have found some really tasty ones in recent weeks otherwise I take 2 Nurofen an hour B4 bedtime which helps.

I read that CLKD on other posts and went rummaging in my medicine cupboard a few nights ago found some potassium glucanate tablets. I prefer bananas I think, meant to ask hubby to buy some... I'll keep taking the tablets though. X

Oh! Bladder irritation?


Please please don't take potassium tablets unless you've been tested and prescribed them recently.  Potassium is a very dangerous one to supplement by pills, best to get it in food.  Incidentally if you google potassium-rich foods bananas aren't the best.  Coconut milk I think was very good x

[EnglishRose]

Why take a supplement when potassium is readily available in bananas and cheaper!  And coconuts do not have MILK regardless of what the current trend suggests.  They have water which I love ........ creamed coconut is different, DH uses a lot in Indian cookery - the water has been removed and it's been squashed and I can't get enough of it.  Hate the desiccated stuff though 

Mind you, there are bananas.  And there are bananas 

I couldn't find bananas in my medicine cupboard 😆😄
After the above post I'll stop using them now and buy bananas 🍌

[EnglishRose]

Hi EnglishRose. Have you tried Epsom (magnesium) salts in the bath. 4 big handfuls I've found works really well for anxiety and leg cramps. Leg cramps could be due to lack of calcium/magnesium. Are you taking supplements?

Hi.
I've just started taking magnesium but no not used Epsom salts...I don't get much in the way of true cramps,,,now again I get it in my toe... horrible.. y toe points right down..,you can't separate your toes like fingers so it's weird to see and truly painful happens usually before a period...
My restless legs currently is awful.. I'm kicking and wrapping my legs around each other...
for years I've never been able to sit in a chair without fidgety legs so I sit like an Indian, both legs up. That stops the sensation of rls.
Never had it in bed before so it's a new pain.

[Hurdity]

Hi EnglishRose - I didn't know you had gone! That was quick!!! I did a double take as there is another English Rose on here but she hasn't been on for a while, and then a different one (EnglishRose)  was also on here at the same time also called peterspots who came and went a few times - but not a member any more I don't think...

Anyway now I know who you are (roseenglish!) - I just wanted to say having read your story that many of your symptoms are classic menopausal hormonal symptoms/anxiety and depression. The fact that they were cyclical and you did not experience anxiety or depression before menopause points to that and you should never have been given anti-depressants in the first instance.

As you have said from blood tests your oestrogen is low and the most important thing is to get this level up as soon as you can in the hope that you feel much much better. If you are peri-menopausal then you will still get cyclical fluctuations unless you suppress your cycle through very high dose oestrogen or the contraceptive pill ( there are a couple more suitable for peri-menopause) but you might be too old for these?

I had a quick glance through the posts and there has been a lot of talk about supplements etc - and I think you were talking about eating different foods that contain what you are looking for? That is definitely the way to go rather than supplements unless you know you're deficient. In any case a good diet will sort out most things provided you're not in any of the groups with digestive problems like Crohns etc or on proton pump inhibitors like Omp....zole.

Do also read the posts of memebr GypsyRoseLee - she suffered enormously throughout peri-menopause with menopausal depression which came and went dramatically as her hormones fluctuated. She's much better now - though oestrogen treatment (I think she might have started anti-depressants too later but I can't remember). Certainly you should be working primarily towards a hormonal solution in the first instance.

I can't help with the interstitial cystitis side of things but there are plenty of members who can advise on this condition and these symptoms.

Anyway all the best

Hurdity x

[Kathleen]

Hello EnglishRose.

Unfortunately I've nothing useful to add ( no change there then !  ). I just wanted to say welcome back to the forum and wishing you well.

Take care.

K.

[EnglishRose]

Hello EnglishRose.

Unfortunately I've nothing useful to add ( no change there then !  ). I just wanted to say welcome back to the forum and wishing you well.

Take care.

K.

Lol 😂
Thank you x

[EnglishRose]

*drum roll*

PERIOD STARTED

It's the first I've had since starting oestrogel which delayed it..it is by far the worst pms I've ever experienced I felt clinically depressed for 4 days and this new pain and restless legs and weird sensations to my legs lumbar buttocks and spine truly ramped up in intensity and duration these last four days too,

Not knowing w for sure if my mood and physical symptoms were due to a pending period only made me feel more terrified as I could not make sense of it having never experienced back issues relating to hormones before..it's new... and the restless legs... I'm hoping it's because I'm oestrogen deficient now so these new symptoms are a result of that ... but there's undoubtedly a hormonal link as the last 4 days I hsve been in so much pain with this horrible back and legs issue...it's been ten times worse and my mood ... OMG. So low so very very low...

I suspeced my period due to other symptoms but my periods are irregular so now it's started (and BOY has it started, a lot of blood for me) I feel more in control if that makes sense.. I understand it now...if i feel that bad again i now know why.

I truly hope I don't feel like this again. I hope it's because of the oestrogen introduction and lowering of progesterone ...

I've been sweating on walks, turning heating off, spots, huge sore breasts, depressed, anxious, angry, PLUS these new symptoms ramped up big time

Please God don't let the next one be that bad

[Charys]

You are 3 days behind me ! My 9 days of spotting also became a....

and BOY has it started, a lot of blood for me

!!!

As you know this last two weeks I have also felt up the wall with panic, anxiety, sweats day and night and severe low mood of the type I've never had this badly on this 'peri journey'. So, yep, hormones ER, freaking hormones !!!

I understand it now...if i feel that bad again i now know why.

You know earlier in this thread, and via PMP I said I recognised the things you were talking about - just as I do in myself, and the reasons for them. However, WHEN they are happening it is overwhelming and you can lose your sense of logic. I honestly spend time out loud repeating to myself 'this will pass, this will pass'. 

[Charys]

It's the unknown that's so frightening isn't it.

Yes ! Life to this point was about patterns and rules......not at all now...

[EnglishRose]

It's the unknown that's so frightening isn't it.

Yes ! Life to this point was about patterns and rules......not at all now...

It's horrible. I'm using a towel, haven't used one for many years but I've reduced Progesterone and introduced oestrogen this last month.
And I kinda guessed I was due on but you never bloody know in peri until it happens.
If I could look at the calendar and see my due date I'd handle things much better.

I was physically comfortable 8 weeks ago, peri for 10 years, but it waa not effecting my working or life in general.
Now I have a range of truly debilitating symptoms that scared the crap out of me.
So then I had to accept them...learn to live with them , hope the HRT will make them go away.. and as you say, I learned they had a pattern and
 I'd just got used to them and then BAM they ramp up along with severe depression and anxiety which as you say makes logic and reason impossible to obtain which leads to more anxiety and depression. But I have no idea why only in hindsight since this mother of all periods started
But living in fear of your own body and mind is no fun.😞 and it all hit me at once

How did our mothers generation go through this in silence??

I'm praying Oestrogen levels will sort this crap out.

Remind me are you on HRT ?

[EnglishRose]

Hi EnglishRose - I didn't know you had gone! That was quick!!! I did a double take as there is another English Rose on here but she hasn't been on for a while, and then a different one (EnglishRose)  was also on here at the same time also called peterspots who came and went a few times - but not a member any more I don't think...

Anyway now I know who you are (roseenglish!) - I just wanted to say having read your story that many of your symptoms are classic menopausal hormonal symptoms/anxiety and depression. The fact that they were cyclical and you did not experience anxiety or depression before menopause points to that and you should never have been given anti-depressants in the first instance.

As you have said from blood tests your oestrogen is low and the most important thing is to get this level up as soon as you can in the hope that you feel much much better. If you are peri-menopausal then you will still get cyclical fluctuations unless you suppress your cycle through very high dose oestrogen or the contraceptive pill ( there are a couple more suitable for peri-menopause) but you might be too old for these?

I had a quick glance through the posts and there has been a lot of talk about supplements etc - and I think you were talking about eating different foods that contain what you are looking for? That is definitely the way to go rather than supplements unless you know you're deficient. In any case a good diet will sort out most things provided you're not in any of the groups with digestive problems like Crohns etc or on proton pump inhibitors like Omp....zole.

Do also read the posts of memebr GypsyRoseLee - she suffered enormously throughout peri-menopause with menopausal depression which came and went dramatically as her hormones fluctuated. She's much better now - though oestrogen treatment (I think she might have started anti-depressants too later but I can't remember). Certainly you should be working primarily towards a hormonal solution in the first instance.

I can't help with the interstitial cystitis side of things but there are plenty of members who can advise on this condition and these symptoms.

Anyway all the best

Hurdity x

Thank you as always Hurdity.
I appreciate the time and thought put into your reply as always. I value your knowledge always
Rose