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[EllaM]

Hi everyone, coming to the end of my 6th week on sick leave as a result of awful peri symptoms. I am sure my own hormones have been fluctuating horribly over this time. Just coming to the end of a bleed and was hoping this new cycle would be better for me but so far no improvement. Woke this morning with a bit of nausea, fatigue, dry mouth and just generally feeling crap.
I have another appointment at the meno clinic in June but apart from waiting for this to settle naturally it looks as though Zoladex may be the only other option to see if that can improve my quality of life.
Have other ladies experienced long periods of feeling rubbish? (it's not all anxiety although this has been a feature. I would say it's the generally feeling rubbish that is more the issue).
It can be very frustrating as evenings I can feel relatively ok then it's back to square one in the morning.
Sorry to vent but I'm so scared that I will never feel healthy and happy again xx

[Cider]

Hello,

I spent 3 months off work at the end of last year with what I initially thought was stress and depression but turned out to be perimenopause. I didn't want to take any medication, either antidepressants or HRT, so I am battling it through with nutrician and exercise. I have been lucky that I have been able to make some changes at work to reduce stress factors there, but I still get very tired, headaches and generally feel a bit rubbish from time to time and especially if I don't have time to fit in a workout, it's nowhere near as it was towards the end of last year though.

[EllaM]

Thanks Cider and so pleased you are feeling generally better.
I do feel really down but if I could feel well enough to get back to work I would be so much happier. I just feel generally rubbish and no where near well enough to cope with work as I manage a team dealing with finances. It is a demanding role and I really need to be on top form to cope.
Feeling so frightened but knowing that other ladies have had similar experiences does help x

[Dyan]

EllaM hi!
I know how you feel. Been there and now back there again but I have the anxiety & low mood with it.
Just feel generally unwell. Once I get my mirena changed( you may have seen my thread) hopefully it will all balance out and I'll feel 'normal' again. Whatever that is?

[EllaM]

Hi Dyan, I saw the thread but will have a good read. Dr Currie has suggested a mirena to me to avoid the effects of starting and stopping utrogestan but I am interested in how the Mirena makes such a difference to your overall wellbeing.
My manager has just been to do a sickness interview. It's so difficult because you just can't predict when you will feel well enough to return. He was lovely and there was no pressure but I just want to be back to 'normal' again. I have a wonderful husband and two grown up children and want to spend quality time with them.
I hope the new Mirena sorts you out xx

[EllaM]

Hi Sparkle. The plan is to work 12 noon till 6 but at the moment I just don't feel well enough to be able to do this. It's often not until the evening when I feel remotely ok.
Apart from being off to have my children and periods of sickness as a result of peri I have worked full time for the last 34 years so don't cope well with being away from it.
I wish we knew why we can go to bed feeling reasonable then wake feeling awful. It seems that this is a common problem x

[Hurdity]

EllaM - sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish. I can't remember  how old you are, where in menopause you are, what your periods are doing and whether you have tried/considered HRT? You will have posted about this I'm sure!

Hurdity x

[Hola Lolly]

Hello to you!

I have been feeling pretty unwell for 2 years now, but things are looking up. I've tried tablet form HRT, Evorel Conti patches and now 10 days into the Oestrogel/utrogestan route.  It's early days, but I am having far more good days than bad, with mornings being the worst time.  I was bleeding pretty continuously with Evorel Conti. 
I've been super healthy my entire life and it's hardly surprising that some of us develop HA due to feeling so groggy.  Nausea, headaches, lethargy, tiredness and just a general feeling of malaise.  Strangely, I've never had a hot flush but my menopause has been hellish due to these other horrendous symptoms. 

Lolly X

[walking the dog]

Hi ellam did you ask to see Dr M in June ? I'm there in July wouldn't be suprised if bumped into you there one day. Sorry to hear your not too good hope visit to meno clinic helps

[EllaM]

Hi Walking the dog, yes I should be seeing Dr M in June. Just hoping she can help me.
We should both wear a red carnation so we can ick each other out although not hard amongst the sheepish looking students! 😉 x

[EllaM]

Hola Lolly (really spooky as my daughter's pet name is Lolly and she is fluent in Spanish!).
I have had some good times on this regime so can only presume it's my own hormones fluctuating in the background causing the problems.
I hope you improved health continues. Ciao xx

[dangermouse]

The reason we tend to feel better in the evening is because of our circadian rhythms. We pump out a rush of adrenaline at around 5am (add an hour for BST) and then it gradually subsides and then builds again from 11am and then really starts to climb at 2pm, peaking at about 5pm, gradually coming down at around 7/8pm. 5am and 5pm are when there are the highest amount of stress hormones floating about.

Low oestrogen makes us pump out extra adrenaline to keep the heart beating sufficiently and high oestrogen naturally causes high adrenaline. In peri we get massive surges up and down making all our symptoms worse at these times.

Getting your oestrogen levels balanced makes a huge difference - not easy in peri though! I had to stop working for 6 months (without pay as self employed ) as didn't know it was my hormones, and now I'm on the pill I still feel lethargic some of the month but I am so much better and can function again. I know how you feel, like you're never going to get better and its very frightening - but you will!

[EllaM]

Thank you for the explanation Dangermouse. Today has been one of the exceptions when I have felt awful all day!
Oh to have balanced hormones again! I have been here before, it is very frightening but I have so much to live for and I have come through it before. Tomorrow is another day xx

[EllaM]

Hurdity, thank you for your response. I was not ignoring you, I did respond but it seems to have gone in to cyberspace somewhere
To answer your question, I am almost 51 and have been experiencing awful peri fluctuations for approx 5 years. Peri was never suggested to me as everyone was convinced it was my thyroid (Hashimoto's). I ended up having my thyroid removed as a result but when my symptoms returned 3 weeks later it was suggested there was another cause but no one put 2 +2 and made 4. It was me that began to realise it was cyclical and when I found this website hey presto!
I have been on hrt for 2.5 yrs and utrogestan and estradot 75 for the last year and a half. Prior to this my periods were regular but changed in nature e.g prolonged spotting, thinking my period was never going to start properly.
I have managed a year without sick leave although at the predicted times I can feel awful - days 7-15 then when starting and stopping utro.
These last few weeks have been really awful though which I disappointing as I thought I was over the worst. I am sure I have ovulated as had stretchy mucous, felt really poorly followed by mid cycle spotting. I was also only able to tolerate 5 days utro as I felt so ill (was it adding to my own). I have had a reasonable bleed (4 days)
When my own hormones are behaving i do fine on the hrt - no sweats, flushes, good sleep etc but when they are fluctuating it seems to make me feel worse especially around the usual pre/ovulation time.
I do wonder if there is anything that can help me feel better as I'm not too keen on the thought of Zoladex.
Dr Currie has suggested either stopping hrt or if that is too daunting trying the Mirena. I am too frightened to stop the hrt but just don't know which way to turn x

[dangermouse]

I used to have it all day around ovulation as my oestrogen surges were so strong then too!