Hi all
Its been awhile since posting because I feel like I sound like a broken record. I have a question for you ladies that have had the weird facial/tingling sensations.
This has been going on for the 3 months on and off. Mostly on. I did go away on a 3 day vacation last week and it all went away!! The second I got back to my house it started up again and it has not stopped. It is migrating around my face and my hands. It is non stop and there is no end. The only time it seems to go away is when I am swimming or in direct sunlight. MY doctor is offically getting sick of me asking the same questions over and over. I have been complaining of this symtom since March and he hasnt really said anything but you are stressed out. When the tingling started my periods started getting lighter, high health anxiety, seems like Im angry all the time, no sex drive, and I just feel plain agitated. Im really sick of feeling like this. On top of it all, my husband has been very mean to me, even going so far as to say I am killing myself with anxiety and health problems and not worry because I can be replaced easily & I will not be missed. He even blew up at me today telling me Im not doing my JOB because there were clothes in the washer and dryer. On top of all this we are trying to sell a house and we are moving in 8 weeks cross country. He told me today I dont pay attention to the kids or the household. It is true I am so distracted with these weird feelings I feel like I am not paying enough attention to the kids.
Went to the gyno...made me go get an ultrasound and take more bloodwork and urine test. We will see what he says in 10 days. I am just beside myself and trying to quit smoking MJ ( it has been 4 days) that isnt really bothering my so much. I just feel like out and out crying. Is there anything I can take to get the tingling creepy crawling feeelings to go away or lessen? I just feel like crying screaming or punching the wall...or my husband..
Help!
Katzurr

Dear Katzpurr---Sounds like you both are filled with nerves and anxiety! There is NO excuse for saying the things your husband said, but as we know, we do say things we don't mean and regret.The sensations you are feeling are most likely nerve endings. Re-read your post and you will know why you have it. It seems like you are under the stress of a lifetime right now. More than the tingeling, I hope that you and your Husband can sit down and have a talk about all the stress at the moment.
I do get tingeling but always in my shoulders that runs to my back under my neck. Just had one a minute ago. My feet and hands like to fall asleep alot lately to, for no apparent reason. There is something changing in us, we know that for sure, and one day it will come to an end, we know that too, but what worries me is the way your Husband spoke to you. Make sure that comes to and too.
I am sorry I can't help much with the sensations you are feeling, try and ride them out and swim as much as you can...I hope your house gets sold with Godspeed and your move goes well as well as your new life cross country-
Hugs.
Girlsmom

BTW, never underestimate what the first days of stoping smoking can do to your nerves! Keep it up. I envy you that you have made it 4 days!!!!

This tingling is known as formication - the feeling of ants crawling around the body.

There are lots of posts on this topic if you do a search. Be sure to spell the word with an M not an N, though

Kat,

You can put this out of your mind. You are having a symptom of peri, and once you get your mind around that, it will be better. I've had it for over a year now, 8 MONTHS of it terrible because no one could tell me what was causing it. When I found PS, I found hundreds and hundreds of posts, on here and other meno sites that describe what you and I both feel.

Please trust us when we say, this is one thing you can put out of your mind. It will not cause your death, it's just a tingling sensation from ovaries going into overdrive before they SHRIVEL.

I do take an antianxiety med, ativan, at its lowest dose everyday now. It has helped, but only how I react, not so much the tingling. Though, it's much better ever since I gave up worrying about it. Please ask your physician about taking something to ease the stress of this difficult time in your life. When so much is overwhelming you (and who wouldn't be overwhelmed with kids, a husband, a house to sell, and a move cross country?) Be kind to yourself. Do what needs to be done, take a walk with the kids AND that hubby of yours (he needs de-stressing too, or a bike ride. You can ALWAYS stuff the washer and dryer full of clothes if someone looks at the house. Take time now to be kind to yourself.

You'll begin to heal from this, I promise.

Peace and Love,
Bonnie

THANKS FOR THE REPLIES I DO APPRECIATE IT. SORRY THIS IS CAPS BUT I AM WORKING AND I HAVE TO KEEP MY CAPS ON.
ANYWAY I AM JUST CONCERNED OF COURSE MY DOC SAYS NO ITS NOT MENOPAUSE BUT SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE TRIMENIAL NERVE IN MY BRAIN THATS SWOLLEN. HE TELLS ME TO TAKE 6 IBUPROFEN A DAY. WELL THAT HAS NOT WORKED. BEFORE THAT HE TOLD ME IT WAS STRESS. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS WORKED WAS GOING AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AND BEING OUT IN THE SUNSHINE. ITS DRIVING ME NUTS BECAUSE OF COURSE ALL THE BLOODWORK I HAVE HAD DONE SAYS MY HORMONES ARE FINE. NOW I AM WORRIED ONCE AGAIN THAT THIS IS MS OR SOMETHING WORSE. OF COURSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF WOMEN LIKE ME THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. IF IT WAS A BRAIN TUMOR I PROBABLY WOULDNT BE ABLE TO WALK OR SEE SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MARCH. BUT THE FEELINGS ARENT SO MUCH CREEPY CRAWLY BUT LIKE SOMEONE IS TOUCHING MY FACE CONSTANTLY OR THERE IS SOME KIND OF COBWEB ON MY FACE. SOMETIMES IT TINGLES..MAYBE I AM JUST SPLITTING HAIRS HERE. ITS JUST AMAZES ME WHEN I WAS AWAY I FELT GREAT NO PROBLEMS.
I AM HOPING THIS IS ALL PERIMENOPAUSE CRAP AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE. ITS JUST A CONSTANT THING ITS NOT LIKE OH I GOT A TINGLE AND IT GOES AWAY ITS NONSTOP. IS THAT HOW IT IS WITH EVERYONE ELSE? I AM WORRIED OUT OF MY MIND AGAIN. MAYBE THE STRESS IS MAKING THINGS WORSE. I AM SWEATING RIGHT NOW TO NO AVAIL AND THE FAN AND AC IS ON. WHAT THE HELL WHEN IS THIS CRAP GOING TO END? I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS WAY TO YOUNG FOR THIS JUNK..IM ONLY 37!!!!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING
KATZPURR

Katzpurr-

I'm so sorry you are suffering too and you are so young!
Just because its not menopause, it could be start of perimenopause. In any case-
I have had weird symptoms too and have doctors tell me its a mystery, its this, its that, its serious, its not-on and on.

I don't know how your doctor came up with swollen trigeminal nerve and then prescribed ibuprofen.
I doubt a GP is qualified to tell you that. If it was trigeminal neuralgia, that is different. It is a horrible pain- described as the worst pain known to mankind and it would be treated not with Advil, but something for neuralgia, like Tegretol. Its pathetic how these idiot doctors pull this stuff out of their you know what!

If your doctor truly believes your symptom relates to the trigeminal nerve, he should refer you to a neurologist.

If things stopped on vacation, I would think it is the stress you are under and maybe an antianxiety might help.
Stopping smoking and selling the house etc- I'm sure this is super stressful.

Your husband is not making things better and believe me I know what that is like. I wish they could walk in our shoes for just one day so they would know what it is like.

Next time you see your doctor, ask him how he came up with "swollen trigeminal nerve". I think there must be a manual of
stupid things doctors say to us when they have no clue!







THANKS FOR THE REPLIES I DO APPRECIATE IT. SORRY THIS IS CAPS BUT I AM WORKING AND I HAVE TO KEEP MY CAPS ON.
ANYWAY I AM JUST CONCERNED OF COURSE MY DOC SAYS NO ITS NOT MENOPAUSE BUT SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE TRIMENIAL NERVE IN MY BRAIN THATS SWOLLEN. HE TELLS ME TO TAKE 6 IBUPROFEN A DAY. WELL THAT HAS NOT WORKED. BEFORE THAT HE TOLD ME IT WAS STRESS. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS WORKED WAS GOING AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AND BEING OUT IN THE SUNSHINE. ITS DRIVING ME NUTS BECAUSE OF COURSE ALL THE BLOODWORK I HAVE HAD DONE SAYS MY HORMONES ARE FINE. NOW I AM WORRIED ONCE AGAIN THAT THIS IS MS OR SOMETHING WORSE. OF COURSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF WOMEN LIKE ME THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. IF IT WAS A BRAIN TUMOR I PROBABLY WOULDNT BE ABLE TO WALK OR SEE SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MARCH. BUT THE FEELINGS ARENT SO MUCH CREEPY CRAWLY BUT LIKE SOMEONE IS TOUCHING MY FACE CONSTANTLY OR THERE IS SOME KIND OF COBWEB ON MY FACE. SOMETIMES IT TINGLES..MAYBE I AM JUST SPLITTING HAIRS HERE. ITS JUST AMAZES ME WHEN I WAS AWAY I FELT GREAT NO PROBLEMS.
I AM HOPING THIS IS ALL PERIMENOPAUSE CRAP AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE. ITS JUST A CONSTANT THING ITS NOT LIKE OH I GOT A TINGLE AND IT GOES AWAY ITS NONSTOP. IS THAT HOW IT IS WITH EVERYONE ELSE? I AM WORRIED OUT OF MY MIND AGAIN. MAYBE THE STRESS IS MAKING THINGS WORSE. I AM SWEATING RIGHT NOW TO NO AVAIL AND THE FAN AND AC IS ON. WHAT THE HELL WHEN IS THIS CRAP GOING TO END? I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS WAY TO YOUNG FOR THIS JUNK..IM ONLY 37!!!!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING
KATZPURR
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So many people here have health anxiety, that's why we're here. Most people are like the cat, they get a weird sensationa and they say "hmm that's weird" and they keep going. The sensation doesn't scare them, it goes away. We on the other hand feel every fleeting thing and escalate it, believe me my face has tingled, I have had what feel like jolts of electricity going through my head, my arms feel weak from time to time, I have had every weird sensation in the book. I am like you, it causes me anxiety, and has for about 12 years. But I have learned how to live with it and function without meds. You have to accept what is happening to your body, you have to realize we are ALL born, we ALL deteriorate, and we ALL die. For your marriage and for your kids sake you have got to stop talking about it to them or around them, it will be better for you as well. I know this sounds like Im sticking up for your husband and in a way I am, I drove mine nuts but stopped short of loosing him all together, at first they are very understanding, but after upteen doctors visits and 5,000 different miscellaneous bodily complaints it gets unfun and their life is drug down as well.

You need to put 1 hour a day aside to come here and dicuss your fears and concerns about your health, DO NOT look up any weird sensations on the internet, with an hour you will have a disease! Make a point not to talk about it anymore with your family friends or co workers. This will be so hard at first, because you want people to be aware "just in case" you want to hear from them that they've felt it to maybe they have, maybe they haven't...it doesn't matter. You can do this.

Talk to yourself, when you feel something weird and you say to yourself "omg, this is new, I haven't felt this before, this is bad" the very next thing you should say is "SO WHAT" because really so what? If Im in the grocery store and all of the sudden I feel like I need to run to the car, I tell myself "just die here" then I stop and wait, I don't die, it passes. It hardly ever happens anymore, but when I first started dealing with anxiety, I was nearly agoraphobic. I just decided after listening to my Grandma (who is 86 and very much alive) say that she is "dying" for the past 30 years (longer than that, according to my mom) I was not going to waste 86 years of my life on this crap.

You have to learn to accept it not ignore it, and don't expect it to ever go away, you will always be sensitive to your body, but you can change how you react to it.

As far as your family, I decided one day it was very selfish and self absorbed of me to waste their time and bring them down. If Im truly sick with a cold or flu, I let them know as they would me, but if my butt hurts, I don't need to mention it! If my arm feel like it has glass stuck in it every time it rubs against my shirt, I don't need to say it out loud! If I collapse, they will take care of me, end of story.

I hope I didn't ramble on too much and I hope I didn't make you feel worse in anyway, I wish I could hep everyone here.

Hi Katzpurr, you poor thing. Take it from me though that 37 is not too young. Perimenopause can start anytime from 10 to 15 years before menopause sets in. I started my peri around 35, with irregular periods, mood swings, and by the way, I went through a phase where I had exactly what you describe - the tingling crawling sensations - I also experienced weakness in my limbs, oversensitive skin where I felt like I was sunburned (but I wasn't), panic attacks, horrible heart palpitations that sent me running to a cardiologist, and most recently weird tingling/burning like sensation on the left side of my face with oversensitivity and flushing (the minute I take one sip of red wine).

This is all part and parcel of a woman's body beginning to change and make the transition that will eventually lead to menopause.

I also had blood tests to see if I was perimenopausal and nothing showed up, but I listened to my body and knew that there was something going on. I gave up going to doctors since I found that all they want to do is run tests on you and give you drugs and they have no idea what is going on. Lately my facial sensations gave me a big scare when I went to the doc and he wanted me to go and have a test for a rare form of cancer that makes your face flush if you take a small amount of alcohol. Can you believe it! I was so panicky and stressed, and then I started searching through this site and found that many other women have weird symptoms on their faces and bodies and I decided my doctor has no idea what he's talking about and so I decided not to have the test. Same thing happened to me years ago when I had the tingling crawly sensations in my body. One doctor scared the hell out of me by saying maybe I had MS. Well, here I am, still alive and kicking.

I went to a great naturopath regarding the creepy crawly feeling and he did confirm it was a mix of stress with an exhaustion of the adrenal glands and he mixed this nice licorice potion for me (licorice is great for tired adrenals) and in a few months the whole thing resolved itself, never to return.

Lately, the only thing that helped me cope with peri symptoms has been this website and also a great book (which I recommend to everybody) called "What your doctor may NOT tell you about menopause" by Dr John R Lee. Trust me when I tell you that if you read this book you will find out so much more about your body, about perimenopause, and menopause and how it affects us and what we can do about it. I have followed Dr Lee's advice and I have been able to get some very good results so far. I still get some of the weird symptoms, like the sensitive facial problem, but I no longer pay attention.

I am sure that you are perimenopausal (and by the way, Dr Lee recommends testing hormones through saliva assays and not blood tests, and he explains why - in short, blood tests for hormones are not accurate). With all the stress you are going through and the worry, it's no wonder your symptoms are exarcebated. Stress can do lots of things to hormones too, and you get fluctuations and that is why you are getting all these weird symptoms. Plus, Dr Lee says that perimenopausal women never get a proper hormone level reading as they are up and down every hour. So don't put too much faith in the hormone test you had.

As for your hubby - yeah, maybe he finds it difficult to understand just how horrifying this experience is for you and though I am sure he is trying to understand what is happening with you, it can be difficult. I think that you will find a much better support network through this site and through educating yourself as much as you can through books by reputable doctors who know what they're talking about. Dr Lee is one of these people, and the other book I can recommend is "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christiane Northrup MD.

The only way to help your symptoms is by helping yourself. By empowering yourself with knowledge and getting in tune with your body you will breeze through menopause and come out a wiser and stronger person. I have recently been pronounced "postmenopausal" by my doctor, through a blood test for my hormones. I will still go and have the saliva ones though. But having said this, I am now 45 yrs old and I know that I am menopausal, but it took me since my early 30s to get here (and back then my blood tests were all normal).

My final advise: DON'T WORRY! BE HAPPY! LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL, AND KNOW THAT ALL YOU ARE EXPERIENCING WILL PASS WITH TIME.

Cheers, RP