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[Chicksville]

Hi, I live in a house full of men and have no close female friends or family. I know that I'm at the start of the menopause, I have been on the heaviest period I have ever know. For the past 4 days I've had to change protection every hour to two hours and that's doubled up tampon and towel. Massive clots, I've gone through four pairs of jeans, I'm just sticking to black leggings now. I feel weak and tired all the time and have developed a tight throats that seems to come and go depending on my periods. At night all the windows are open yet I'm burning up and my husband has to sleep in elsewhere because he can feel the hot coming off me. How long does all this go on? I'm 47 and feel really down. My skin is all spongy and feels thick and I have thick thick flakey bits of dandruff falling from my scape all the time.

[nearly50]

What a shame, you've got a lot going on. Unfortunately no-one can say for sure how long this goes on for. Are your periods still regular? You could have a look at the Stages of Reproductive Aging to get an idea of the different stages - there's a table half way down. My last period was like that and I know how draining it is so I feel for you.
https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-document-library/straw10.pdf'sfvrsn=2

Ibuprofen might help stem the flow a little and if you make a doctors' appointment they should give you tranexamic acid to stop it. They might send you for an ultrasound to see if you've got fibroids, could maybe suggest using a coil, or HRT. Don't hesitate to ask anything about anything on here as there are loads of women who've been through it all.

Also worth getting vitamin d, iron/ferritin, and thyroid checked out at doctors.

[CLKD]

   browse round. Make notes.  Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful.

Is there a dedicated GP interested in womens' health at your Surgery or a Practice Nurse? 

House 'full'  -  how many would that be then 

[Chicksville]

There is no specific GP that I see at the dr's surgery plus there all men. I have seen one and I told him my symptoms but said that because I was still having periods and they were regular (ish) then it wasn't the menopause. I have a (medically induced) under active thyroid so many of my symptoms are put down to that. These are things that I have noticed over the past year or two:
Change in periods (lasting about 10 days spotting to very very heavy). Dry mouth while on period like i can't quench my thirst. Flaky scalp. Hair looking and feeling brittle. Facial skin looking thicker. Whiskers starting to grow on my chin. A feeling of tiredness and "can't be bothered". Find it harder to get up in the morning and flat asleep at night. Feeling hot and puffy all the time. Feeling bloody useless all the time, even over little things. Not doing my job properly at work. Getting angry quickly, crying quicker and feeling like tears are all ways just below the surface. Dry, sore and smelly lady parts. No sex drive. Sore and achy boobs and nipples. A sore throats and feels tight when I swallow (only during periods). blurry vision. I can't think of any others at present but most or all of the above come and go depending on period cycle.

My house full is three boys and two dogs both boys and my husband.

[nearly50]

Sounds like you're maybe in the late reproductive stage then if you look at the link I posted. Once there's a 7 day difference in cycle length, you're judged to be in perimenopause. Your hormones are all over the place at the moment so much will be down to hormonal imbalances. Like CLKD says, keep a diary to see how things go but it all sounds pretty 'normal' I'm afraid.

[Chicksville]

Your hormones are all over the place at the moment

That's me to a tee!!  I want sex to show my husband i love him but it hurts so much and i feel like crying.  One other symptoms I forgot to mention was the 'Jimmy Legs'.  I feel like I need to move my legs all the time just before i fall sleep.  Its a running joke but it does get a bit much some nights.

Thanks for the link, its a ready good read.  Trouble is I do feel alone in this and not able to discuss it all.

[babyjane]

we have a thread on Restless legs

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34583.0/topicseen.html

Underactive thyroid can cause heavy periods, it did with me, so much so I had a hysterectomy in the end.

[CLKD]

Your GP is SO OUT OF DATE    try to see another or the Practice Nurse.  Go to the Surgery and explain that by symptoms you know that you are entering peri-menopause, regardless of age.  Have a look-see at the Daisy web-site too ........ make notes and take along to the appt.?

The GP doesn't have to be female in order 2 be interested in various types of conditions, mine has an extra qualification in order to cope with we women ;-).  Of course, I can't remember what the letters are 

Have you had recent blood tests for thyroid function, VitD, anaemia?  Bloods for menopause can be hit or miss as the hormone levels alter all the while so the results can be reliably un-reliable!