Hi, I have been "lurking" on the boards for some time and decided I needed advice from you all as you seem more knowledgeable than my doctors!!

I am in my early 40's and starting experiencing the past month weakness and really low energy, like someone pulled "the drain" and all my energy was seeping out. It started as what I thought was low blood sugar, and fatigue. My doctor has me checking my glucose levels, but so far for the most part they are good, but I feel like they are low..weird. Also, have been experiencing this "crashing fatigue" where it feels like I just need to sleep, and my whole body feels like it is dead weight.

Then I started to get this heavy feeling in my legs and tingling in my hands, feets. It started to scare me so I went to the ER last week and they did blood work, and CT scan to see if I was having a stroke. Thankfully, everything was fine. Although, they did say my Potassium was on the low end of normal. I went back to my PCP and he did more blood work, a full thyroid panel and checked my Magnesium, and Folic levels, all normal. He said he was perplexed and wanted me to just watch it and go back in 2 weeks. I do suffer from Anxiety, for which I take Xanax.

In the past year I have had a multitude of changes..hair thinnning, insomnia, changes in cycles, as far as length and flow. My mother was completely done with menopause at age 46.

I also had an MRI this past August, for an urelated issue, but that was normal too.

I guess I worry this is neurological like MS, and not hormonal..but the strangest part is yesterday, I felt like my period was coming and the heaviness in my legs started to dissipate??

Any thoughts would be so very much appreciated!! I really am glad to have found this board.

Take Care

Sunny

First off...Hi Sunny :0)
You just described my peri to a T!!
Your situation sounds very, very typical to all of the stories on this board.
I too, feel the relief of ALL my symptoms the second I start my period. This month I have heavy arm and legs and a nice size oedema build up that I never, ever had before. I hope it will pass in the next week when my period should start.
The fatigue, everything you have said are the most common symptoms out there. The trips to the Dr. and ER as well ;0) The walking away without any concrete diagnoses.
I hope you come back lots and share your journey with us! We are always learning something new!!
Hugs,
girlsmom

Dear Sunny,

Welcome to PS.

The more I am into it, the more I realize that peri/meno is a multi-layered journey. We experience symptoms, have a doctor confirm that nothing dire is wrong, and then suffer from health anxiety nonetheless (seee the 34 symptoms of menopause!).

You have had a full workup from what you described. Please try to relax about your health. Come to the Boards and post often. Many of us have found that sharing and venting and even ranting is the best medicine of all. And you will find tons of wisdom here. I would not be where I am today without my wonderful Surge Sisters.

I hope to see you around often.

All the best,
Marcy

Sunny:

I suspect you are experiencing plain ole anxiety. I do, however, find it odd that the docotrs did not test your heart. Have you ever had a stress test or EKG. Just a thought. Again, I suspect it is simply peri/anxiety, but it never hurts to have your doctor do a through exam.

I used to worry incessantly about MS. I was so fatigued all of the time. Almost to the point I felt like I was going to pass out everytime I stood for more than a minute. It took me YEARS and tons of doctors to finally be diagnosed with sleep apnea. I was waking up 40 times an hour to take a breath. No wonder I was tired!! Do not stop until you get answers. I find myself frequently thinking that everything is related to peri, but I sometimes have my doubts.

I don't mean to be a downer, I just want you to feel better. Hugs to you!

Shakin'

Thank you for the quick responses, I truly appreciate it! You made me feel better...and I am trying to keep telling myself that it makes sense for it to be hormonal and anxiety.

The thing that scared me the most was just the complete zap of energy and like I had been carrying weights on my legs..then the tingling, scary stuff...

I have had in the past year a pretty thorough work up. Due to GI problems..ugh..won't even get into that!!

So, this is my latest and greatest, I guess.

I think having anxiety and being me..I fear the worst..plus it certainly does not help to have my doctors look at me like I am walking around with 12 heads!!

Thank you all again...it gave me some peace of mind.

Take Care and I plan on sticking around~

Sunny

Sunny, heads up again on the thryoid which can cause great fatigue....what are your lab reports (and ranges) if you don't mind, for FT4, FT3 and TSH (thryoid),....low potasium (I think don't quote me) may be a sign of parathyroid problems...(willl have to revisit that one)....Joan

Hi Sunny,
your post title caught my eye as this is what I have experienced over the past 18 months.
I think that my symptoms have been caused by a combination of anxiety & stressful life events combined with peri hormone stuff. I think there could be a number of causes & you probably need to explore as many as you can.
I think a lot of women go through these kinds of symptoms at peri / meno but I have also read about people with chronic anxiety suffering from these symptoms.
A useful thread for you to look at on PS would be the Adrenal Fatigue one on the Open Menopause Diary section.
There's an awful lot on there but you may be able to relate to some of it.
Sorry you feel so awful, hope you find some answers & help soon!
love Sarah xx

Great idea to post your thyroid results with the ranges. There is something called subclinical hypothyroidism where you test in the normal ranges but still have hypo. Based on what you describe with symptoms as well as your low potassium level, I suspect that you may have adrenal fatigue. You described my sensation of the heavy arms and legs perfectly. You feel like you've got lead weights on your limbs. I sometimes feel that heavy sensation in my head and in the center of my body...basically you feel like you're carrying an extra 100 pounds. It is exhausting, I know. I've feared all those neurological diseases as well. Had blood work, saw a neurologist...all normal. Then I tested my adrenals and all other hormones via saliva tests and it showed that I had very low cortisol and borderline hypothyroid.

Post your thyroid results as Slowbear suggested and if you haven't done a hormone panel, you might want to consider either a saliva or blood test for estrogens, progesterone and testosterone...just to see where you are. The cortisol/adrenal test is best done via saliva. For your low potassium level...try eating or drinking some sea salt a few times a day...like a 1/4 tsp in water or just eat it and then drink some water. What is your blood pressure? Is it low?

MarieR

Sarah...how weird...we posted at the exact same time....hope you're doing well! Thanks again for such a great PM...you're such a great support!
MarieR

Wow...thanks so much ladies! I don't have my thyroid results, they just called me from my doctor's office and told me they were in normal ranges. But, I will go pick up a copy and post them. I never heard of parathyroid or testing through siliva..interesting...I am going to have to ask my doctor about that next week when I see him. Thank you, I would never have known about that.

I did have my hormones tested back in October and was told they were in normal ranges.

It does give me peace of mind to know someone else can relate to what I am feeling, even though I don't wish this on anyone either...

Thank you all so very much!!

Have a great "hormonal free" day!! ( Well, we can hope, right?!)

Sunny~

Hi Marie,
Wow! How weird-when you said we posted at the exact same time I didn't realise you meant the EXACT same time lol!!!!
You know that you have been an even bigger support to me & to many others on this forum, thankyou!
Sunny-Marie is very knowledgeable about all this stuff & is very helpful, hope you find something that helps soon!
love Sarah xx

[font="Comic Sans MS"][/font]interested in knowing if any of you attributed this heavy feeling to weight gain?i feel the same way ,have gained weight,but i really have a heavy feeling and weakness in hands and legs.already talked to a neuro,and he was amused when i asked if i needed a walking aid.i feel much better 'HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING"---EVEN A SHOPPING CART.i SEEM TO REMEMBER POSTING THIS ON ANOTHER FORUM-----don't ask me where?

I've posted this before, but I'm going to post it again.

If you have what you think is weakness or any neurological symptom, either go to your regular GP or get a referral to a neurologist and have them do a neuro exam. They can easily tell if the weakness is sensory, or if it's real because the neuro exam will help them find out if you have neurological deficits. Once it's determined that the weakness is sensory in nature (i.e. you feel weak, but there is actually no loss of strength in your legs) then you can go on your way and chalk it up to peri without having to 2nd guess the symptom/symptoms.

I have MS, and from the first time I had symptoms (which was many moons ago), my neuro exam was always "off." For years they couldn't figure out why, but finally everything came together, somebody did an MRI of my brain and voila, MS.
So, IMHO, it's better to be proactive so that you can dismiss the possibility of a disease and be able to blame peri for the weirdness.

P.S. MS really isn't a disease to be feared. I see that fear expressed quite often on the board, but most people have RRMS and function quite well with the disease, even though you do have to make some accommodations to your life due to the neurological issues. Right off the top of my head, I can think of the public face of MS...folks like Neil Cavuto, Ann Romney, Clay Walker, Montel Williams, Tamia Hill, who live and work with the disease. There's a great website sponsored by the NMSS called "faceofms" and it helps understand how people with the disease adjust and go on with life. Okay, stepping down from my soapbox, LOL.