Ladies Only Question - Perimenopause??

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

42 HERE and having same problems as OP. Right now it is 61 days and counting (and nope, not pregnant either). Lat month it was 27, before that 24 and before that 32 days. My mom was "finished" at 39, my aunt at 41 and my cousin is 10 days older than me and going through what I am, so menopause runs early in my family.

Night sweats, Yuk!, PMS - all the time it seems, brain fog - yep got that too. Getting old SUCKS!

 

[Christine]

42 HERE and having same problems as OP. Right now it is 61 days and counting (and nope, not pregnant either). Lat month it was 27, before that 24 and before that 32 days. My mom was "finished" at 39, my aunt at 41 and my cousin is 10 days older than me and going through what I am, so menopause runs early in my family.

Night sweats, Yuk!, PMS - all the time it seems, brain fog - yep got that too. Getting old SUCKS!

Great.

I just wish it would just do what it will do. My mom's perimenopause symptoms lasted 10 years!! Can you believe it?

She had very heavy periods (thank God I don't have that yet).
Skipping periods
Periods to close together
She was freezing cold all the time (even when it was warm out)
Crushing fatigue
Irritability

For 10 freakin' years! That was actually BEFORE all the menopause stuff started (hot flashes). Now that she is through it all, she feels MUCH better. Her body temps are regulated, she's not freezing anymore, and her moods are very stable.

I just can't imagine 10 years of this, although it's been going on for 2 or 3 now. Today, I'm just having one of my bad days.

The only thing that I can "hope" for is that, because I don't have a thyroid gland, maybe, somehow this will make the menopause start earlier.

 

[hiwaygal]

Well, the most *unfortunate* thing about this is that perimenopause is just about impossible to diagnose. The hormone levels flucate so wildly that even though they might be in the normal range they are going all over the place. I talked to my GYN about this before and they won't even bother to test me until I've missed a few periods. The doctor said that, until that happens, the tests are too unreliable.

This is interesting information!

I will be 40 in a few months and after talking to my mom (who started having "strange symptoms" around 37/38) I talked with my doc last week, and she said she will test me in a few weeks when I see her for a follow-up. I didn't know the tests could be unreliable...

I'm not sure if my problems are thyroid related (just switched my synthroid dose again) or just plain hormonal...all I know is if this is just the begginning, I don't want to know what the rest of it is like!!!

 

[Christine]

This is interesting information!

I will be 40 in a few months and after talking to my mom (who started having "strange symptoms" around 37/38) I talked with my doc last week, and she said she will test me in a few weeks when I see her for a follow-up. I didn't know the tests could be unreliable...

I'm not sure if my problems are thyroid related (just switched my synthroid dose again) or just plain hormonal...all I know is if this is just the begginning, I don't want to know what the rest of it is like!!!

Yeah, the tests are horribly unreliable if you are in peri. They are good if you are actually in menopause. I went to a website awhile ago: I think it's called powersurge.com and they have all kinds of information. There are specific days in your cycle that these tests should be completed. According to my doctor, "sometimes" they can catch a flucuation, but most times not. It's not like thyroid tests where the levels are stable for long periods. Apparently, these female hormones can change hourly.

 

[MAKmom]

Great.

I just wish it would just do what it will do. My mom's perimenopause symptoms lasted 10 years!! Can you believe it?

She had very heavy periods (thank God I don't have that yet).
Skipping periods
Periods to close together
She was freezing cold all the time (even when it was warm out)
Crushing fatigue
Irritability

For 10 freakin' years! That was actually BEFORE all the menopause stuff started (hot flashes). Now that she is through it all, she feels MUCH better. Her body temps are regulated, she's not freezing anymore, and her moods are very stable.

I just can't imagine 10 years of this, although it's been going on for 2 or 3 now. Today, I'm just having one of my bad days.

The only thing that I can "hope" for is that, because I don't have a thyroid gland, maybe, somehow this will make the menopause start earlier.

10 years is normal.

I think your mind can overcome alot of the irritablility meditation is great for that. PBS had the Dalilama & other monks on doing brainscans. They were showing how emtotions are learned. Being happy is something you can control. It was very interesting.

I 'm not saying the hormones are not making it hard....they only scanned mens brains...HMMMMM. But you can lesson the time you are going to be mean. I start feeling like I'm going to loss it & try to center myself. ( I come here to relax) ME TIME.

 

[Christine]

10 years is normal.

I think your mind can overcome alot of the irritablility meditation is great for that. PBS had the Dalilama & other monks on doing brainscans. They were showing how emtotions are learned. Being happy is something you can control. It was very interesting.

I 'm not saying the hormones are not making it hard....they only scanned mens brains...HMMMMM. But you can lesson the time you are going to be mean. I start feeling like I'm going to loss it & try to center myself. ( I come here to relax) ME TIME.

Kathleen,
I think you are right. I guess it's all about how much you can control it. I tried VERY HARD while I was at my desk to snap out of it. I was doing deep breathing and getting on the DIS (I find it relaxing). It seemed to get worse, so I thought that maybe if I posted about it and got some feedback, I could come down off the ceiling. But, I just couldn't wait that long. So, I had to come home to get some "ME" time. I ended up getting on the treadmill to see if I could walk some of the tension off. I don't think that even helped. My heart rate was elevated before I even started so the treadmill kept slowing me down.

 

[MAKmom]

Kathleen,
I think you are right. I guess it's all about how much you can control it. I tried VERY HARD while I was at my desk to snap out of it. I was doing deep breathing and getting on the DIS (I find it relaxing). It seemed to get worse, so I thought that maybe if I posted about it and got some feedback, I could come down off the ceiling. But, I just couldn't wait that long. So, I had to come home to get some "ME" time. I ended up getting on the treadmill to see if I could walk some of the tension off. I don't think that even helped. My heart rate was elevated before I even started so the treadmill kept slowing me down.

I want to Thank You for starting this thread. I wanted to but I was not brave enough. I was so happy to sign on today & see it.

 

[Brianne]

So doctors can come up with Viagra but can't even figure out a test for women going through peri/menopause.

To the OP--you've described me to a T. It's the same problems every month. Fun, huh? I've heard that about the 10 year thing as well which thrills me to death. NOT.

No answers but at least you can see you're not alone in this!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I talked to my GYN about this before and they won't even bother to test me until I've missed a few periods. The doctor said that, until that happens, the tests are too unreliable.

DAMN!


mickeyboat, you're welcome to come. I'm making golden glow potaoes. Maybe we need to call it something else! Do you want to bring the buns?

Christine, if you find the DIS relaxing, we are clearly not reading/posting on the same threads!

 

[mickeyboat]

mickeyboat, you're welcome to come. I'm making golden glow potaoes. Maybe we need to call it something else! Do you want to bring the buns?

You know, I never went back to that thread after I posted. Too funny!

Brianne - good point about Viagra. I couldn't believe that when my water broke early when I was PG with Hannah, it took them 18 hours to figure out that the leaking fluid was amniotic. I bet if there was something leaking from a man, they'd know what it was instantly.

Denae

 

[disykat]

I was diagnosed as perimenopausal at 34. I'm 44 now, with no sign of menopause. My mom went through menopause at 60. I was most succesful treating symptoms with birth control pills, but I had to stop those at about 38 when my blood pressure went up. I briefly tried HRT and hated it, so stopped almost immediately. My doc said he could put me on antidepressents 10 days prior to each period, but since they were irregular I'd probably be on them all month - so I decided to pass.

Since I just had a hysterectomy, it'll be interesting to see if my symptoms change at all. (I still have my ovaries, so I'll still have PMS) At least I won't be waiting for a period.

As hard as it is when you feel that "on the edge" feeling, at least you can rest assured it's normal and you're not nuts!

 

[Christine]

DAMN!


mickeyboat, you're welcome to come. I'm making golden glow potaoes. Maybe we need to call it something else! Do you want to bring the buns?

Christine, if you find the DIS relaxing, we are clearly not reading/posting on the same threads!

You know why I find it relaxing? Because I feel like hell on wheels and I get on some of these threads and SNAP....Not a good thing. But it gets my inner evil out. I kind of felt bad because I thought I was being a little condescending on the Restaurant Board. I just don't GET those people that LOVE the Liberty Tree Tavern.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

You know why I find it relaxing? Because I feel like hell on wheels and I get on some of these threads and SNAP....Not a good thing. But it gets my inner evil out. I kind of felt bad because I thought I was being a little condescending on the Restaurant Board. I just don't GET those people that LOVE the Liberty Tree Tavern.

You are so BAD!!!

 

[KelNottAt]

Whoa. I'm still a few pages back there...transfixed by the 10 year affliction.

I think I'll stay on The Pill forever and stick my head in the sand.

edited for typo

 

[Blondie]

Welcome to my world!

I guess it'll get worse before it gets better.

 

[MAKmom]

You know why I find it relaxing? Because I feel like hell on wheels and I get on some of these threads and SNAP....Not a good thing. But it gets my inner evil out. I kind of felt bad because I thought I was being a little condescending on the Restaurant Board. I just don't GET those people that LOVE the Liberty Tree Tavern.

I was going to try the Liberty Tree character meal for the 1st time this year!

HOw old is the thread?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I was going to try the Liberty Tree character meal for the 1st time this year!

HOw old is the thread?

Knowing Christine's mood today, it's a very recent thread...

 

[Pugsley]

I think I'll stay on The Pill forever and stick my head in the sand.

So if you stay on the Pill, will you ever know when menopause is happening? That’s my problem – my GYN says to just stay on the Pill because it will help with the symptoms. But you can’t test for it when you’re on the Pill so how will I ever know if I’m going through it? I'm guessing that you keep having a period as long as you're on the Pill, but I'm not sure about that. Maybe it would just be best to stay on it until I’m about 60 and then it should be safe to go off (I guess!) That would be fantastic to go through it and not even know it.

 

[Snowysmom]

I just found this thread and it is interesting! Especially when C.Ann said that left handed women go through menopause earlier than right handed women. I am left handed and at 50, have just hit menopause. I thought it was a little early but that might be the explanation! Luckily I have had very few hot flashes but some days I could bite off people's heads if they looked at me! Plus, migraines got worse. I always had migraines just before my period but it got worse in perimenopause. Now, the mood swings are less (although DH may tell you differently!) and migraines are less too. What fun!

 

[Christine]

So if you stay on the Pill, will you ever know when menopause is happening? That’s my problem – my GYN says to just stay on the Pill because it will help with the symptoms. But you can’t test for it when you’re on the Pill so how will I ever know if I’m going through it? I'm guessing that you keep having a period as long as you're on the Pill, but I'm not sure about that. Maybe it would just be best to stay on it until I’m about 60 and then it should be safe to go off (I guess!) That would be fantastic to go through it and not even know it.

Yes, if you are on the pill you won't really get any hormone flucuations, so it does help. But at some point, they will want to take you off the pill because of your age. If you have gone through menopause, then when you go off the pill you will probably have a "crashing" menopause. It will come on very rapidly and strong, much like having a hysterectomy.

I would go on the pill myself if it didn't cause me to have so many other side effects.