I am SO glad I found this board as I am sure I will get an answer here. I am 53, in good health and on birth control pills. Every year I go for blood work and, as of last January, had enough hormones to get pregnant. I am going through a very stressful time as my mother is very sick and I am an only child so the burden of everything falls on me. Up until 2 months ago, I was dealing with everything fine. In November, I started to experience panic attacks, crying, being very cold, being very hot, an assortment of crushing chest pains, lower back pains, severe bloating, (although I "feel" bloated, in reality, my stomach is still the same size) symptoms of IBS, waking every morning at 3:30am (on the dot) trembling and worrying, hyperventilating, rib pain, sore breasts and a general feeling that all was REALLY not well. I went to my doctor who examined me, did blood work, ekg and told me I needed Xanax. I declined the offer because I think you need to treat the problem, not just the symptoms. I made an appointment with a psychologist (seeing him next week) to get to the root of all of this (and be declared sane once again). I have an appointment to see my gynecologist for my annual pap test/mammo in 3 weeks. Two days ago, after going to the bathroom, I had some spotting. First time in my life. I'm not due for my period for a week and a half (last period was VERY heavy and long. The one before that lasted 2 days) and since I am still on the pill, I know when I "should" be getting it but it's been irregular sometimes appearing on Monday, other times on Thursday (it's actually due on a Tuesday). Last night I was sitting in bed when I felt this tingling creeping up my neck and my face started to burn. I felt shaky, had heart palpitations and went into the bathroom. LO AN BEHOLD!! My face looked like a giant strawberry with purple ears!! I got so scared I thought I was having an allergic reaction to "something". I sat in the bathroom putting cold water on my face for about 20 minutes then realized..THIS IS A HOT FLASH! It took about 30 min to go away then ALL of my symptoms (clamminess, stomach ache, gas, panic, etc) totally left and I felt fine. I immediately went on the internet and found this site. I have 32 of the 34 symptoms that indicate I am going through menopause. Is is actually possible that I have been feeling THIS crappy for the last 2 months because of hormone fluctuations??? I have had all the age appropriate tests and everything is normal. I am also in good health, don't drink, don't smoke and don't really think I have any diseases. (cancer, heart disease, etc) I REALLY thought I was losing my mind. I've been depressed, distracted, almost agoraphobic due to never knowing how I am going to feel. Sometimes I feel like there is a helium balloon in my stomach, sometimes I period cramps when I am not due, sometimes I just feel an overwhelming sense of doom and other times I feel fine. Ladies..what is your take on this??

Gosh, your symptoms sound so like mine. I feel for you so much with your mother and being the only one to cope with it all. I lost my mother in November after a long illness the last few months of which I can only describe as the most stressful of my life.

I think what is happening to you is happening to me. I think you are going through menopause and because your hormones are fluctuating you are less able to cope with stress. I am convinced of this because I feel like I haven't coped at all well since November and I have been through far more stressful events in my life prior to perimenopause.

All the symptoms you describe are ones that I have had and have been backwards and forwards to my dr. who just prescribes antidepressants - treating the symptoms not the cause as you say.

Be reassured that you are not the only one suffering - I have found this site so helpful since I started all this hormonal stuff.

I live in the UK and our system just isn't set up as well as yours in the US so I don't have access to the compounding pharmacies etc. that you have but I have just found a private doctor in London who sounded so reassuring that I will probably pay a visit to her.

All you can do is get through each day, try not to worry too much about your symptoms - they are all normal - but they can be distressing and you wonder sometimes if you're ever going to feel normal again. Take time to read some of the wonderful notices on this site - that alone should help you feel a little better.

In the meantime, have you tried taking Magnesium - that is supposed to help greatly and a water spray for those burning hot
faces.....

Hugs

You also sound like me. A year ago October my mom went in the hospital and had bypass surgery and was very sick after. She had to get dialysis because her kidneys were failing. She was in the hospital for 2 months and came home for a week and back in the hospital for 10 days, then to the nursing home and got an infection in her leg, had to go back in the hospital the end of January and have a vac put on her leg. Had to have a skin graph done. All this and more. She came home from the nursing home in April but still had the vac on till July. I am the only daughter so I was also taking care of all the finances and decisions. I have 2 older brothers but they always left every thing up to me. I was a mess through all this, and this is when I started skipping periods, having anxiety, depression and everything that goes with it. I understand how you feel. We also were having our own problems and I just felt I could hardly handle it. Just please make sure to take care of yourself. I know that is hard when something like this is going on and I know I didn't really, but looking back I wish I would have. Hang in there and take care. It is normal what you are feeling along with your hormones jumping all over the place.

Susie

Bichonluvr and Wuzzie....Isn't life just amazing? First we are very normal, typical women and then all of a sudden we are hormonally whacked out. I am only 49...my 50th bday is this March. That in itself is scaring the bejeebers outta me. I know I am going through the menopause...had a brief, extremely light 3 day period back in June and then nada since then. I've been having the hot flashes (last night threw the covers off quite often to cool off and then I'd wake up freezing and having to cover back up and then hot again). Its crazy. My sleep patterns are all messed up now. I used to be able to sleep all night and now I'm waking up all hours of the night...I have weird dreams too. I'm in places I have never been before but I know my way around and I'm seeing people vividly I have never met before either. Past life as Sylvia Brown would say? lol I always feel nervous and jittery now, I'm not sure if what I having are panic/anxiety attacks or not. I get a heavy pressure in my chest...its not painful but its heavy and I get dizzy too off and on...like as if I am partially drunk or something. My wrists will ache like crazy and I get the lower back pains and just an all around achiness, fatigued a lot, plus to top it all off I regained 25 lbs. I had lost and its all in my middle UGH! and whenever I eat now it feels like it sits in a ball right under my rib cage. I don't mind growing older...in fact I look forward to a wonderful long life but I can do without all this extra stuff screwing with me. I get the feelings of doom too....worrying about dying and what would those I love do should I die..or I start worrying and freaking out what would happen if something should happen to them. I have cried more now than I ever have and its really bugging me. I'd sit in the bath tub and have feelings of impending doom and thinking about the wonderful man in my life and my son and what would they do if I die and I'd just sit there and cry and pray and rock back and forth. Sometimes I feel like I am going nutty. After all...only nutty people do that don't they? lol Man...only a few months ago I didn't feel this way...now its like coming on like gangbusters. sheesh!

I feel like I have just been reading my life in all of your posts. My Mom passed away two years ago. She lived with me and my family for 6 years. I started having heart palps and anxiety around the time that she got sick. I was 42 I will be 46 in Feb. In the past 6 months I have had irregular periods one very, very long and at times very heavy. I have hot flashes in my face, feet, hands, neck. I also have the basketball under my ribcage especially as the day goes on. During my marathon period, I lost about 10lbs. That was good, but it was not in my stomach! I get dizzy spells, can't concentrait, itching skin. I think at times I have an incurable disease! My sister finally sat down and told me that she had the same symptoms as I have been experiencing around my age. We are very close, but she usually does not talk about things like that. I am telling my little sister everything that I am going through. I pray that she does not have any of this, especially the marathon period!, but I don't want her to be scared if she does. I feel for all of you ladies and I hope that we all get through this very soon. My sister says that she is much better physically and mentally. I can't wait!

GOSH!!!! Thank you all SO MUCH. You have no idea how relieved I am!!! I'm finding explanations for all my symptoms on this board. For the last few months I have thought I was losing my mind from the stress of my mother's illness which, up until now I had been able to handle. The chest pains, the stomach muscle spasms..the spasms in my calves and neck..the IBS symptoms..the panic and anxiety..the visits to the Dr. during which time she has repeatedly told me I'm fine and here are all the answers!! This board is a God-send. It's allayed all my fears and freed me to be able to take care of my mother in her final days. I have an appt. with my gyno in 3 weeks for the blood work. I expect to be even more reassured at that point. I only wish I had found this board months ago and spared myself the stress of thinking I was going crazy!

wow, we are all carbon copies of one another going thru the same symptoms and feelings -- that makes me feel great to know that I am not alone going thru these awful things and that I can come here for support and comfort. I really don't have anyone to talk to about what I am going thru and it gets very lonely. I don't have a good relationship with my husband, we don't really talk much, just coexist. So I spend most of my time crying over things I can't change and praying over things I can change.

Bichonluvr, i went through something similar on the homefront - . had a traumatic period at work, all these triggered I believe my peri-meno now. I've been without a regular period since like 3 years ago, longest stretch 6 months. and the best thing is .... my ob-gyn says my FSH is normal...

i'm 45, have all the classic symptoms - and I am normal, not peri!!!

i've kinda given up hope on the medical community, i have to fight for myself, read all i can, be knowledgeable.

did you ever watch the movie, Lorenzo's Oil? it's about parents who had to fight for their son armed with their own research before they finally saved his life. Google for Lorenzo's Oil & you can read all about it.

hang in there, i tell myself that too & read up all you can about this season of life.

k