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[Jinja]

Hi, I'm 44 and have been having what I think are perimenopausal symptons for a few years. My periods have become quite erractic sometimes I have a midcycle bleed followed by a late period, last month I was 10 days early. My periods are quite short but I usually have 1 very heavy day. I have nausea like morning sickness for about a week after my period when I am also very emotional, I also have terrible itching on my back and legs
I have been to the doctors numerous times who say I can't possibly be menopausal as I'm too young. Even I know I'm not menopausal but peri. I have had all sorts of blood tests and the only thing that shows up is anaemia for which I'm on iron tablets and blood clotting drugs for during my periods. I also take DIM supplement which has helped with PMS and painful breasts.

The question is should I go back to the doctors all I have been offered is the mirena coil for heavy bleeding which I do not want. Am I at a stage where hrt can be given?

[Hurdity]

Hi Jinja

 

It's tricky at this particular point to know what to do for the best - oestrogen levels fluctuate widely so sometimes go very high and then dip very low - adding oestrogen can help with the dips but some women seem to report that at times levels become too high (due to their own peaks of oestrogen around the time of ovulation).

A Mirena coil is a good idea because then you could start to add a low dose oestrogen and see if you feel better.

What peri-menopausal symptoms are you experiencing? Also what days of your cycle were the blood tests done and I presume it was FSH that has been measured? They are unreliable to diagnose menopause but at least a couple of tests need to be taken several weeks apart when you are young, since oestrogen replacement is important if you are likely to have an early menopause.

Hurdity x

[Jinja]

Thanks for the reply, my symptoms are heavy and earratic periods, increased pms, sore breast, stomach problems, fatigue, nausea, occasional hot flush, brain fog, memory loss. I have had all sorts of blood tests but they have never tested my hormone levels because the doctor said because my mum was 51 when she went through the menopause I couldn't possible be going through it so young!

[Hurdity]

Hi Jinja

This is what the NICE Guidelines say about diagnosis of menopause at your age:

1.2.5 Consider using a FSH test to diagnose menopause only:
in women aged 40 to 45 years with menopausal symptoms, including a change in their menstrual cycle in women aged under 40 years in whom menopause is suspected (see also section 1.6).

Although blood tests are unreliable if you are young then it is worth doing a test (taken on Days 3-5) of your cycle and then repeating it a few weeks later. Docs tend to go by symptoms but not everyone fits the standard pattern. Have your cycles varied in length by at least 7 days, sometimes? They do tend to get shorter before they get longer, and often when they get shorter pms symptoms get worse and oestrogen levels fluctuate as I said in my post below - so HRT doesn't always help at this early stage.

There does tend to be heritability in age of menopause but that's not to say there can be exceptions. Really if you have been experiencing symptoms that seem like menopausal symptoms rather than severe pms the doc should ofer you a blood test for FSH.

Some women are recommended to go on the Pill at this point as this regulates their cycle - there is one called Qlaira which contains bio-identical oestrogen (estradiol).

Hurdity x

[Jinja]

I've had quite a few periods with a midcycle bleed followed by a late period which I assume was probably an anovulatory cy le this month was the first time I've been really early.
Unfortunately I can't go on the pill as I have migraines with aura.

[Jinja]

Went back to the doctors today. Another round of blood tests and an ultrasound to rule other things out but at least the doctor did mention the word peri menopause, so I feel like I might be getting somewhere even if it does take a couple of months

[dogdoc]

Jinja...you can join a very very large number of us here who are most definitely perimenopausal in our late thirties/early 40's. Not too young unfortunately.

Tara

[Tangerinedreams]

Hi there, I second that last message as my symptoms started in my early to mid 40's so about the same age as you.  My Mum also went through meno at 52, but looking back she was a nightmare for quite a long time before this age!  and bear in mind that peri is meant to last anything from 4 to 10 years.  My Mum told me the age her periods stopped, but not what age she started getting symptoms.  I don't think they took things as seriously 20 years ago. They still don't now.

I think your Dr's are fobbing you off.  Have you taken the menopause quiz where it asks you questions about your symptoms and at the end it tells you if you are probably experiencing meno or not? I can't remember if it's on this site or not, but when I did this it said something I was experiencing symptoms, and it hit home to me then.  I will have a look where this is and let you know. 

This is the scordchart for you symptoms:-

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/greenscore.php

[Jinja]

Thanks for the replies, my mum was lucky and didn't have any symptoms just a few irregular periods then stopped.  I think this doctor seems more open to the fact I could be peri so hopefully I'll get some sort of treatment as the thought of feeling like this for the next however many years is a bit scary