Hi. I'm a 32-year-old mom to three young kids. My children were born 2.5 years apart and I nursed each for at least two years. My youngest is now 3 and when I weaned him almost a year ago I began having some pretty bizarre symptoms. My periods are regular, although they are now lasting up to 12 days and I know I'm ovulating because I have extreme pain, weakness, dizziness and killer migraines for several days during that time. I also have fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches and weakness, major panic attacks and non-stop anxiety for most of the month, especially bad before and during my period,which also usually starts with a migraine. I have seen rheumatology for slightly positive Rh factor, but they found nothing. Neurology said I have no actual muscle weakness, even though some days it seems hard for me to even get around my house because my legs feel numb. I have had an MRI and CAT scan, which thankfully showed no tumors or anything. I also have extreme sensitivity to all medicines, supplements, foods and even my wedding ring now causes me to break out in blisters. My GYN put me on bioidentical progesterone, which I had to stop after a weak due to muscle cramping and twitching, which pretty much has never gone completely away. I tried estrogen patch, too and had crazy racing thoughts and shaking. My general practitioner thinks I'm depressed and I agree, but its a side effect of feeling like total crap all the time!! I've had panic disorder most of my life and it too is magnified by 1000% right now! The only help I've gotten is from an alternative doctor who told me I had adrenal exhaustion and is treating me with some herbs. NO ONE has ever mentioned perimenopause, but after finding this website I wonder if this might be part of what is happening to me. Is 32 too young to be starting this??? I am desperate for help. I have three kids to take care of and right now I just can't be the kind of mother I want to be. Thanks.

I am 32,have been having symptoms since I was 29.You are not too young.I had a lot of the same as you,espeially the constant anxiety.I am now on low dose birth control and feel much better.GOD-bless

Wow your story sounds like mine. I am only 27 with two kids,3 and 11 months old. I started having really weird symptoms after i had my first baby and then its really bad after i had my youngest. I also have really bad joint pain, muscle weakness. I have internal shaking 24/7, i have GERD and muscle spasms and twitches. I can't even nap during the day because i wake right up with the shaking. I also get weird taste in my mouth, tongue numbess, numbness in legs and hands. Burning legs and just feeling off all the time. ALso had a CAT scan and MRI came back fine. Everyone thoguh i had MS. I so hear u about not being the mother u want to be..... I wonder if it is hormones... How did u find out about adrenal exhaustion? What test did they do for that? And did you have your thyroid checked?

I have had my thyroid checked several times, once it was just outside of normal showing hypothyroidism, but the other two times it has been in the "normal range", though still a bit high. I have the GERD, too and the numbness sometimes. My alternative practioner didn't do a formal test for the adrenal exhaustion, but I think they can do a saliva test. You have to have a really open mind when dealing with alternative care sometimes, but as I said before I am getting desperate and he at least did offer some sort of help. He thinks my body is sort of stuck in the pregnancy/lactation cycle and told me I really need a reset button. Haven't been able to locate it, yet. I'm trying to give the herbs time to see if they are really going to help, but feel like I'm going totally crazy in the meantime!

I am 40 and can relate to what you are describing although I am no dr! I have been having symptoms such as yours for the last few years. I had 2 drs tell me that I was too young for peri and my new gyn said my hormones are changing and I am taking Buspar for anxiety. I had thyroid tested also and it was normal. Yup....everything normal. Wouldnt test my hormones though because he said they fluctuate so much that the test is pretty much useless which echoes what most of the ladies have said on here. I have also wondered about adrenal exhaustion as far as my anxiety goes. I will have to bring that up to him on the 26th when I go back for a consult. Hang in there with us! We'll get you through!

Kim

I am 38 and began this crap at the age of 36 and I was told I was to young and nobody would tell me it was my hormones! Yet when prescribed a bcp it cured me of all the ailments.....but no no I can't be peri lol. Yah on the whole depressed/anxiety/panic disorder thing ......well yah I have panic and anxiety because my bodies physical problems are scaring the beejesus out of me!

Hang in there, be persistent with your Doctors to listen and if they don't find a new one! Don't take "you have anxiety for an answer" and continue with your family and obgyn until you have answers! Keep a journal and write down everything you feel, everything you try, what the results are of certain meds etc. It will help you later if something comes up or you are having a really anxious day you can look back and read it is just a normal part of your cycle.

*hugs* Sister, you are really not alone.

Have u thought of seeing another doctor? I know that if your thyroid is even a little bit off, it can cause lots of symptoms that mimic peri. I seen an episode of Mystery Diagnosis and that is what happened to the lady. they checked her thyroid several times and kept saying it was fine. It was 2 years later when she seen another doctor that she had said that her thyroid was just a little high. Turned out she had Hashis.

I'd get your thyroid done first....also most regular labs will say your thyroid is ok if your TSH is under 4.5....but most endocrinologists will treat you if you are over 3.0!

I started having major heart palps, racing, and shortness of breath with my fourth child...went to the ER for it and then they let me be induced. After about 6 weeks postpartum the heart palps sort of slowly went away. Throughout the year I had trouble with depression and some occasional heart palps and shortness of breath.

I got bloodwork done and my thyroid showed slightly low plus I had the Hashi's antibodies. The endo gave me Synthroid but after three days my heart palps were horrible....took more tests and my thyroid now showed fine. (Also my depression had been slowly lifting on its own over the past couple months). That was back in August and my thyroid is still stable...which amazes the endo. I think it had something to do with having the baby.

Anyway I do still have some heart palps and shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping. I may see a dr and ask about it...I had surgery recently which REALLY messed up my heart rhythm and gave me worse shortness of breath but that seems to be slowly easing off again. My mom was having peri in her mid to late 30's and I am almost 34....my grandma had her very last period in her 40's which seems kinda young to have complete menopause. So I am watching this.

Anyway my point is that you should see an endo, esp if your TSH is over 3.0. You may need meds.

Thanks. I'm going to push this with my endocrinologist, who up to this point has only looked at my hormone levels. My GP was the one who did the thyroid tests for me and I know one was 4.7 and the others around 4. He told me even at 4.7 that it was not elevated enough to treat. Guess that's why everyone says go to a specialist!

My endo would have treated that immediately....