I am so confused and in desparate need of guidance. I thought I was falling apart until I Googled upon the PS site and realised that perhaps what is happening to me is not the beginning of an early death. My symptoms include painful joints and muscles to the point of imobility sometimes. Going from 0 to almost bladder critical in 0.5 seconds, depression, skin outbreaks, bloating, obsessive thoughts. Forgetfulness and a general foggy feeling sometimes. Inability to get to sleep and then when I do waking up sweating and not being able to get back to sleep. I have been wondering if I am mentally ill for some time but having found the site and read so many of your postings I am now ondering if perhaps I could be experiencing perimenopause.

I am 39 and although my periods are what I would call regular they can be quite weird. Bleed for 2 days then nothing for about 2 days and then bleed for 5, this has been happening for around 6 months maybe. I have not experienced hot flashes but have felt a weird kind of tingling almost like pins and needles but not pins and needles across my shoulders and down my arms. I sometimes get weird muscle and joint pain that can arrive suddenly and leave just as suddenly. Or sometimes take a day or so to build up and then a day or so to disappear but never lasts longer than that. Oh and I get strange itching that feels like spiders are walking on me - another reason I thought I was going mad until I found DEAREST.

I would be so grateful if anyone could shed some light as I am ashamed to admit that I am not very self aware. I tend to just let nature do it's thing and get on with life but all these things going on at once seems just crazy. I know if I go to my GP he will be dismissive, just wanted a few opinions from ladies that are expert on this subject before I make a decision as to what my next step may be.

Sorry if this is a bit jumbled I am new to forums and message boards and my brain is not as it was for some weird reason. I even seem to have lost my ability to spell lately. I used to be ok but now I find myself looking at words, even those spelled correctly, and thinkng that they just don't look right. OK, I am just losing my marbles, you can tell me straight!

I would appreciate any input at all. Thank you all sincerely for reading this. I wish you all the very best, from what I have read you are a force to be reckoned with and I am humbled to be here.

Kind regards, Miki.

Miki,

You'e not losing your marbles. You do sound like you are in Peri, though. Perhaps if you went to a gynocologist instead of a regular GP you would not be dismissed.

Miss Tibbs

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I think you are right about seeing a gynocologist. I decided today to go back to my GP on Monday and ask for a referral (I am in the UK where we do not have direct access to gynocologists.) I did speak to my GP once before about what was going on and he told me I just needed to find a special "happy place" in my head and visit it more often! Hmmmmm, ok.

Thanks again for your time I really do appreciate it.

miki

Your GP doesn't seem to fully grasp the situation. I hope you can see a gyny soon. At least now you know what it is. I don't think anyone has suffered an early death from perimenopause yet.

Miss Tibbs

Miki

Poor you sounds horrible. I am up because of hot flashes its been going on for 3 weeks - oh joy :-)

Anyway, back to you.

I started tracking my periods in 2000 so that I could see the pattern and understand what was happening to my body, not everyone is as anal as that :-) but it has given me great insights. As I could see changes I started to look after myself in other ways, exercise and diet, but also complementary therapies. I bought books on natural menopause so that I could fully understand what would be coming.

In recent times I have completely given up anything with sugar in it, and have increased my water intake. I take mult vits and minerals, b complex and a range of other things that are personal to me.

So one of the things that I would suggest is that you keep a food and mood diary for 1 week, review it and then look at where you can make changes. Cut out the crap basically and you will feel much better.

I also saw a great therapist who told me my pineal gland was out of whack, which makes sense, so I am taking some drops for that. So if you can find a kinesiologist that may be helpful. Also try some reiki so that your energy systems can be rebalanced.

The key is that whatever treatments and dietary changes you make, they should be personal to you, I wouldn't take something because it works for someone else. I recomend seeing both complementary practioners and a doctor - preferably female, and only make informed choices.

I hope that you start to feel better soon. Or at least in control

hi y'all

well, saw the doc today (a different one to the last) - couldn't go on monday as planned as life got in the way as it often does. getting to the doctor seems to slip off the priority list when life, kids etc etc present their own demands. however, today the pain in my kneee was so bad that nothing was going to stop me going to get at least prescription strength painkillers.

anyway, on the "am i perimenopausal" topic - well i am a little further down the road to finding out.

i explained all the symptoms - tired, painful muscles/joints, mood swings, trouble sleeping, strange tingling in arms and body, weird periods (on 2 days, off 2 days, on for 5 to 7 days).......

the most debiliatating thing for me (right now) is joint pain. i asked if my symptoms could be hormonal and he said that although he has NEVER come across joint pain being hormonal, he also has never come across a human that could not confound or break medical rules. he said that we should rule out arthritus and the other obvious joint attackers before exploring alternitives but that he would not discount anything right now. may sound a little non-commital but i was pleased that he seemed to at least be open minded. i also have to go for a pelvic scan to determine if there are any obvious physical reasons for any of my symptoms. after the results have been discussed he will or will not refer me to a gyny. when i mentioned menopause he seemed surprised but said that although a possibility at this stage it was best to see what the results could tell us first. he may be of the opinion that no way is it peri but i think he at least would be open to discussion - a step in the right direction i hope.

so i left with mega painkillers and appointments to make for tests. what happens next on the journey to diagnosis remains to be seen. fingers crossed! just glad i wasn't told i needed to find my "happy place" again.

first test results (blood) should be available within 14 days. so we will see.

hope you are all well today.

miki

Hi Miki,

I have all of your exact symptoms too. I'm 42 as of midnight tonight. I've been to two endocrinologists, a neurologist (clean MRI), a naturopath, and my internist (about 10 times) ... all in the last month. No one has any answers. My internist suggested perimenopause yesterday, so I'm off to see my gyne in a couple of days. I am literally going out of my mind. Since I have just recently got my hyperactive thyroid under control (the first time in 2.5 years), I suspect this could all be thyroid related. If my thyroid is turning on the juice again then it's time to get that sucker out. If my labs come back normal again, perimenopause is the only thing left.

As difficult as the physical symptoms are ... it's the emotional rollercoaster that I cannot stand. Some days all I can do is cry and I really think I am going to die. 42 seems young for perimenopause. I wasn't planning on having any more children anyway, so it's no big loss. I just want some answers. One month ago, I had no symptoms, and now I am riddled with them (muscle twitches, night jerks, itching, quick hot fashes then cold spells, numbness and tingling all over, muscle tightness and joint pain that comes quickly and goes even quicker, heart palpitations, and my feet sweat???). My period came 10 days early this month and that is HIGHLY UNUSUAL for me. I can count on both hands how many times I've been late and/or early in the last 30 or so years. Can perimenopause come on this fast?

I hope we both get some answers fast.

Tsimmu

Well, then I'm in the 'anal club', because I've been tracking my body since about the same time (I'm about 9 years into this). It has definitely helpful to see what is going on and you have ammunition when talking to a gyn and choosing on how to deal with this change.

The first sign of something wrong with my periods was that I would start a period bleed for 3 days, stop for 2 start agin for 1, stop for 1 start for a few hr's spot here and there. This would go on for, at it's worst about 11 days, but the always came on time. I was about 36 when that started.

I am 40 now and my periods are, as of last winter, what I was thinking irregular was, where it just seems to come 2 weeks early or 1 week late, I can get them within days of ending one ans starting the other, but irregular was what the above was also. I think when we think irregular we don't think they are if the always come at the same time. HUGS Mikki

Hi Tiamigo
I posted something similar about my neighbor anr her joint pain. She woke up with a swollen knee a week ago and now she is starting to have stiffness/pain in her hands, wrists as well. They did alot of blood work, only 2 tests are still outstanding and nothing has been found. She is off for an MRI of the knee tomorrow and the Dr is also looking to rule out arthritis. Her symptoms besides are very similar of peri. She is 42. What really confuses her is that her Dr. is a 49 year old woman with Children and not once has the mention of peri come up.
I will certainly let you know if *the rule* is being broken and no arthritis is found. I know most of us complain of terrible joint/muscle pain from time to time (I have stiffness in my lower back that only goes away temp. with physiotherapy but always coms back). Good thing to rule out any other possibilities...please let us know what you find out.
Girlsmom

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