Hi all, I'm new to this forum. I'm a 43 year old female and I've been having burning skin sensations that move around my body for the last five weeks. They feel like a bad sunburn. As soon as one area clears up, another area starts. I've been to my physician and he's done blood tests, a complete CBC and also tested me for Lupus, B-12 deficiency, and thyroid disease. I've mentioned perimenopause to him but he seems to think I'm too young. There has been no testing for perimenopause. I have just started having irregular menstrual cycles. In April, I had two periods. The first one lasted 9 days which is highly unusual for me as I usually go only about 4 to 5 days. My second period started two weeks later and lasted 4 days. In May my period was normal but in June I started two weeks late. I have had regular menstrual cycles since I was 11 years old until now. Could this burning skin sensation be tied in with my irregular cycles and could this all be a start of perimenopause? My physician did prescribe me Neurontin for the nerve pain but it did not help and actually caused me to have panic attacks. I go back to my physician on the 14th of July. Are there questions that I should be asking him?

Hi Vickie, I too have had burning especially in my arms when I wake up in the morning.It started about three years ago along with many other symptoms which seem to be perimenopausal. I'm 43 as well and no doctor could figure this out.I had numerous tests run and they could find nothing. I also had restless leg ,insomnia,anxiety,depression especially before my periods.I had adrenaline rushes also that would leave my skin burning and would make me overstimulated. It doesn't burn as much now but it's still there off and on.

Thanks for the reply rjfrost. I just think that all of this ties in together somehow. I have a very thorough physician. He's actually my family practitioner and will be happy to send me to a preferred gynocologist but I started with him first because I didn't think it was hormonal at first. I too suffer from some mild depression and I get really moody and agitated before I start my period. I usually get a headache the day before I start. My short term memory has deteriorated over the last few years and I quite frequently lose my train of thought. My Grandmother started perimenopause at 42 yrs old. I can't go by my Mother because she had a hystorectomy at 34 years old. All of her sisters had hystorectomies before the age of 40 so I'm kind of on my own at figuring out if this is my problem.

Hi VickOH....

yes, i have had that burning skin sensation a lot! it's hormonal ... and no, you're definatley not to young to be in peri! it can start as young as 35! most dr.'s don't validate this, so don't expect them to know to much about this, they don't. You're better off learning on your own, and staying here, on PS.....you'll learn a great deal, and never feel alone! I would definately say you are in peri, your periods are starting to act crazy, and now the burning skin ...yep! just get ready for the rest ... but hey, stay here, and you'll be ok, this place is a God send!

Welcome to PS!

Ditto that Vick!!!!! Idiot Doc don't know a thing about peri!!!!!!! With what your periods have been doing OF COURSE your hormones are acting up! I used to get that burning sensation too.....anxiety (another hormone based lovely!) would do it to me....still does on occassion.....just try to remind yourself that it cannot hurt you.......read all you can on this site....the best info you will get anywhere....you can also use the search up top and type in the words you are looking for like burning, crawling skin or such.......you will be amazed!

take care and welcome to PS!

Me too me too...... I've had a resurgance of this darn burning prickly skin sensation. Usually hits me just before my period and for the duration of it, well at least the first 5 days. I am 42 and used to only have 3 day periods at the outside now I have a full 7 day period, first couple of days normal bleeding then day 3-4 virtually nothing then day 5 starts up again but only light. These sensations are more pronounced down the fronts of my legs and the fronts of my forearms but mostly my legs. I'm worse at night while trying to relax before going to bed and sleep and first thing when I wake in the morning so maybe adrenaline is something to do with it too. It's been back since the anxiety has come back full throttle. I had months of none of it while my anxiety was at an all time low. I have also had many tests but everything is normal and my doctor is at a loss to what is causing it apart from anxiety as he thinks I am also too young for hormonal problems. He even did an Estrogen and Progesterone hormone blood test this last cycle but that didn't really show anything conclusive, not that I thought it would but it at least gives me a baseline to go by now. I have been given the name of a doctor who treats holistically and specialises in natural hormone treatment so I am considering giving her a call and making an appointment to see her even though she is in the city 2 hours drive away but it's my last hope to try and get to the bottom of what's going on with me. I don't want BHRT or anything like that as I have tried this already with disastrous results but maybe she will have other options for me.

The worst part of all this is the fact we are so young to be starting with full blown horrid symptoms and we could be facing many years of this

Rox

Thank you all so much. I'm sure you guys realize how much you've just helped me since you've all been there. This has been nonstop for five weeks. Will it ease up? I will be sure to stay here and keep reading and posting. I really do appreciate all your help. Thanks ladies. You've lifted a heavy weight from my shoulders.

VicOH I forgot to ask if you are suffering with anxiety as burning skin sensations are a classic symptom of anxiety too and of course anxiety seems to be the number one worst symptom for many in peri and meno. When my skin is like this it is also hypersensitive to touch. If I scratch myself it stings for ages afterwards, it's like all my nerve endings are on fire which they probably are since I'm highly sensitised from the anxiety. I also have extreme muscle tension to go along with it as well as a gazillion other symptoms it seems.

So much for the list of 66 symptoms as I'm sure there are a gazillion

Rox

The first time I had this was about the time my cycles started to go haywire too...usually 2 weeks early.

The first place i noticed it was on my arms and then on my feet(odd Iknow)
I relate it to more of an icy hot feeling for me and it would be more noticable if the air was cold...it would make this feeling alot worse.
HUGS Mikki

I've noticed, the more I think about the burning the more the pain magnifies. So, I would say yes there is some anxiety involved. Twelve years ago, I had terrible panic attacks for about three months straight. I even started developing phobias. I talked to a friend of mine who is a phsycologist and she gave me this great book on anxiety. Everytime I felt an attack coming on I would grab that book and read. My attacks started coming less and less. I finally got control back without medication. I have had some panic attacks with this too, not quite as severe but it seems when I went off the Neurotin, they went away. I did read that skin burning was part of anxiety but I'm hoping to stay off of medication for as long as possible. Hope I can. This burning started in my lower back, moved to my groin area, then my left upper thigh, then to the top of my left forearm and down into my hand, next my left shoulder and the top of my my arm, then inside my right hand and right forearm, and now it's under the bicep of my left arm and under my right forearm. It feels okay when I first wake up in the mornings and gradually gets worse as the day goes on. I have noticed, if I'm busy with something the pain subsides.