Not Pre-menopause Options

[rivcelt]

Ladies,

It's been a while since I've posted; some of you may remember me. This post seemed to best fit in this discussion area.

My story is not meant to frighten but merely a cautionary tale for all of us reminding us we must be diligent and proactive in our own health issues. No one else will advocate for you but you.

For some years I believed I was entering perimenopause. In early 2000 I was forced awake by a pounding crashing headache that felt like it lasted forever, but in reality probably only a few minutes. I was rolling around in pain. My heart was pounding like crazy. A month or two later it happened again. Weird, I thought. My sent me to a cardiologist who strapped a holter monitor on me. No problems there. No more headaches either.

Sometime around 2002-2003 I began sweating. No heat, just sweating in the morning. I'd sit at my computer typing a paper for a college class and sweat would roll down my ribcage. Lasted about 30". then stop. Weird again, I said.

Late 2003 I began sweating more profusely. I had moved from the high desert SW to the South and attributed it to inability to acclimatize.

In 2004 I returned home to a dry climate. Kept sweating but still not an issue. Went to see my gyno or my GP I can't remember which. My hormone levels were checked and everything was normal. My BP began to fluctuate--I'd had low before, but now I'd check it and see it up to 150/90, lasting about 30". Then it would drop well within normal range.

In 2005 I found myself sweating more. Anxiety in the morning became an issue. I'd wake up with my heart pounding and I felt very wound up and worried even though there was nothing to be worried about. Still attributed this to peri. I sweated longer. My shirts would show signs of perspiration at 8 a.m. I started to avoid wearing colors because they showed sweat. Began to adjust my schedule so that I didn't have morning appts. I got semi-claustrophobic when I'd find myself in rooms that had no air movement (I mean a fan directly on me, with a window open). The back of my shirts would get drenched. Hormones checked again. Normal. My doc prescribed some kind of prescription anti-perspirant that worked, barely, then stopped working.

In 2006 my anxiety worsened and so did my sweating episodes and my bp spikes. I started googling "hyperhidrosis". Stumbled on a Mayo clinic educational page addressing adrenal tumors called pheochromocytomas. I checked the symptoms and I had at least half or more. I was frightened since it is a very RARE disorder (1 in 40 mil Americans get a diagnosis of this type every year). Kept thinking it was peri. I had a huge headache and high bp that landed me in the ER. The physician there didn't even manage my bp but told me I had a sinus infection (I did not) and wanted me to take IV antibiotics. I checked myself out and refused tx. Kept searching on the internet because something wasn't "adding up". Went to another gyno who prescribed bp pills. I refused tx again. It didn't seem "right".

In 2007 sweating and anxiety increased even more. Taking xanax on a daily basis. Sweating episodes could last at least an hour, sometimes 2-3. My hair would be drenched. My bp still fluctuating wildly. Tried experimenting with my thryoid meds (I thought I was over-medicated which can cause anxiety and sweating). Worked for about two weeks, then back to the usual. In June my hormones were checked for the 3rd time. Normal.

In July I went to Maine (cool, raining etc.) I sweated the WHOLE time to the point of conspicuousness. My spouse could see it oozing out of my pores (by the time I was sweating from head to toe including the back of my hands, arms, genital area everywhere). I was never hot when I sweated.

In August I went to see my gp armed with the print out from Mayo. Complained about sweating again. She tried to offer me the rx antiperspirant again. You already gave that to me, I said, and then said I think there is something wrong with my adrenals. She said the only thing it could be was a pheochromocytoma and she's seen one in her 20"+ years of practice; I handed her the printout and said I have 90% of the symptoms. She said we could find it on a ct scan and so we ordered one. When the radiologist sent the report I was in her office 30" later. Highly suspicious for pheo.

She sent me to Mayo Clinic because no one in my fair city of 70,000 had even operated on one before or treated it. Mayo ran me through one week of tests and confirmed it was a pheo. Before surgery I had one more headache and my bp spiked to 235/115. On Monday, Sept 17 I had my right adrenal gland removed along with the tumor by a Mayo surgeon. Thankfully it was benign and confined to my adrenal gland only.

Since surgery, ladies, I GET COLD. It's heaven. I can wear flannel pants in the a.m and my bathrobe. I don't turn on the AC full blast in 40 degree weather. I can wear my cashmere sweaters again. I shiver. I love taking hot showers to warm me up. Anxiety is gone--I feel no sense of urgency about anything and my bp has returned to normal.

I'm not implying any of you have what I had, but again I'm posting this because had I not self-diagnosed I might be dead or severely handicapped from a stroke.

Please, all of you, listen to your heart/gut/intuition whatever you call it when you feel something doesn't add up. Had I listened to my doctors I'd chalk my situation up to perimenopause and hormones that fluctuated but never caught by a lab blood draw and still be suffering from a deadly disease.

Well, when I finally start experiencing pre-menopausal symptoms, I know they'll be a breeze compared to what I experienced for the last 7 years...

Riv

[kar4242]

Wow, what a story. Thank God you're okay and you followed your gut. I've been having a terrible time myself for awhile now and my doctor wouldn't do any tests on me, not even blood work, in April of 2006 when I got really sick with a headache (I still have it). I went to the ER after 2 weeks with a tension type headache and they did a CAT scan. They told me to find a headache doctor (neurologist) who also did an MRI and I switched my primary care physician who did blood work immediately. Thank God my head was okay. I found out some other things medically wrong as well from my blood work which I hopefully can keep on top of with diet and exercise. I am gald you posted as I see a lot of women just chalking things up to perimenopause or menopause without investigating things.

Be Well.

[robin07]

Riv

I am so glad that you kept searching because things didn't add up for you. What a lesson in the power of your own intuition and determination.

Happy things are much improved for you. Stay well.

hugs to you
robin

[rivcelt]

Hi,

Thanks to the ladies whove responded so far. I feel like I finally reached the end of an ultra-marathon where the race officials kept moving the finish line.

I have to add that I would talk to friends and tell them my symptoms; they would also pass it off as perimenopause (almost like they were glad I was finally experiencing it--which was weird in itself...do we want our friends to feel miserable like we do?)

I had two elderly ladies who were sitting next to me in the Bangor airport and watched me fan myself....I was always fanning myself to dry off...and they commented and decided I was "going through the change" and asked me about my periods, which have gotten a bit lighter but not enough to pay attention to.

As women, we do need to remember that not everything in our 40/50s is related to hormone fluctuations; let's remember not to be so easily led into lumping everything into menopausal related issues. That's what the medical community has been doing to us for centuries it seems.

Anyway, in the next few years, I'm sure I'll be back and happy to talk to all of you againa!

Riv