I keep getting blown off at the doctors. Every time I have been they say no you can't be in peri or just take these b/c pills etc. Well things have been getting so bad this week that my abdomen or uterus is huge. I look pregnant. The pressure is so bad I feel I need to pee all the time. I had this before and they said it was a UTI and gave me antibiotics. It never really went away. But they had also put me on the pill which I think did change some things that were going on. Well the pill made me suffer severe anxiety and I I stopped that so now this huge bloated abdomen is back. My primary care doc said to ask about poly cystic ovary syndrome becasue I have all the symptoms. Well I did bring that up too and they blew it off and said well if that is the case then the pill will fix it. I do not get this. Why wouldn't they test me or get an abdominal ultra sound or whatever.....I have decided to see a reproductive endocrinologist to test my hormones. I called and they said they treat these types of things there. Has anyone had this type of thing or been to a reproductive endocrinologist for this?

I always look pregnant right before my period,at least that is how I feel.I also have to go to the bathroom more.I agree it is hormonal since the pill seemed to help the bloating.Did you consider switching brands instead of just quitting bcp completely?Yasmin made me weepy,depressed and more anxious,so I switched,then switched again.I am now on sprintec and feel much ,much better.Hope you find answers and peace.GOD-bless

I agree on getting a second opinion, if only for a peace of mind. You are your own health advocate and if you feel something is wrong, then I say push for answers. If all is well, wonderful, but if something is not right then you need to find out earlier than later. I agree on pushing for an ultrasound, etc., especially if your PCP recommends more tests. Good luck.

The hormone tests will help you figure out what you've got.

I thought that PCOS was a condition that you have most of your life, not something that waits til peri to show up. Lovelace, I am also having trouble with visible bloat, plus I am feeling twinges of pain and my estradiol is very high. I think I have ovarian cysts, a very common problem and one that might not need any treatment, but when I see the doc next week I'm going to be very insistent about having an ultrasound done.

I switched health care plans and had to pick new physicians. If I wasn't having this current problem I would wait to see the doc I originally wanted, she lists menopause as one of her specialties and she looks like she's in her 40's so I'm hoping she's peri too. Alas, to get in before October I have to see another doc, and I'll switch to the menopause specialist later. I hope this doc I'm seeing next week is OK and doesn't write off my symptoms without actually checking to see what's going on. I've never had this kind of pain before and it's really bugging me, and like I said my estrogen is so high. So definitely keep pressing.

Lovelace: New Doctor Time! Definitely see someone else...and don't be afraid to get a second, third, fourth, or more, opinion! Don't stay with any doctor who makes you feel like you are being blown off (and it sounds like you are.)

I wonder if some of the women who have died from ovarian cancer actually reported symptoms early enough to be saved but were blown off by docs.

It amazes me how little is known about perimenopause despite the fact that women have been going through this for millennia. The more I learn the more I realize that it can be a dangerous time in a woman's life. At the very least it spoils what would otherwise be fine years !

What irks me most is how perimenopause is so frequently written off, like we're expected to feel like **** because it's "natural". I've written this elsewhere ... losing the ability to have an erection is "natural" too, but I don't see any doctors telling these guys to just go home and get over it, or giving them anti-depressants. I also resent the casual manner in which women's reproductive organs are removed. I know the situation ISl changing, but why now ? Why did it take so long ??? Why do I feel like I'm marching directly behind the avant-garde ? And why am I self-medicating ? Why have *I* had to request hormone tests ? Why did the first doc who heard my complaints about peri symptoms only offer me BCPs and not discuss other options ? Why are young women so ignorant about perimenopause ?? (I was one of them !)

Okay update...I just went to the reproductive endocrinologist- I had an ultra sound, my uterus is fine and my ovaries have cysts but they are the normal cysts. I guess all women have cysts there. This is how it was explained to me. He even could tell that I had ovulated recently by looking at my ovary. I told him yea I think I did yesterday. Anyway he did do blood work and is testing for Polycystic Ovary. He said just because they look okay does not mean you don't have it. And you are not born with it. It is usually common in women who are overweight and have high cholesterol and high triglycerides or diabetes. He said he has seen the bloat thing before. He did not reveal much, he said he will see me next week with the results and does not want to go into anything until he knows everything. He did say a few things about testosterone though. Which had never crossed my mind. He also talked about me losing weight. I gained weight when I had my son four years ago and never lost it. I need to lose 40 pounds. So I will post about this again next week. He was shocked that noone had ever tested me or had done the ultra sound. I brought up peri too and he said the tests will tell him. I just hope something will show up, that might be able to be helped. You guys understand....

Great info ! Thank you for posting that ! Are you going to see your estradiol value ? I hope so, I'm curious to see how yours is compared to mine.

I am also overweight, 40 over my fit weight and 20 over my happy weight. :-) I do not have high cholesterol though, just had those checked and I'm fine. Also blood glucose was very good, low end of normal.

Can I ask how old you are ? I'm 47, will be 48 in a few months. I have also never had ultrasound.

Lovelace, am glad u are getting things checked out. I can tell that u already have a sense of some relief. That is what makes a difference. Glad u had the ultrasound,etc. Bloating can be a sign of ovarian cancer so am glad u had yourself checked out and all seems to be well. I hope the other tests out well and it is just perimenopause; as bad as it makes us feel, it wont kill us.

Sandra- I am 38. My mother had peri in her late 30's and had menopause at 41. Yup, it was all over by then for her. So that is why once I started to feel bad three years ago i immediatly thought peri. But my doctor kept saying no no no you are too young. I even told him about my mother. Yes it is a relief to have the ultrasound. It is like a wand type thing that they put in and he can see it on the screen. I had one when I was pregnant in my first trimester. It is very easy and no big deal. But it was a relief to see that there were no growths or tumors or cysts. I kept thinking the worst. I am not sure what blood work I had done other than T3, T4 testing. my aunts have thyroid issues that did not come up with the regular thyroid tests. So I asked about those tests. He tool like 5 tubes of blood. I just hope something shows up so I don't look nuts. He did say that if I was in peri he should be able to tell. I will update again next week.

I agree...the men get special attention when they have problems....Viagra is usually covered by insurance but the pill is not always....what is that about.