My symptoms started with a huge bang in April, after several months of severe stress. Just got my saliva hormone test results back, and for both progesterone and estradiol, I am in post-menopausal range, at the age of 42. Prior to April, I think I was doing pretty good, except for the stress. Could all that stress lower my hormone levels that much, all the sudden?

progesterone: .06 ng/nl
estradiol: 1.6 pg/nl

These were taken on Day 22.

I'm so confused......

Hi mtn steph:

I do not have a straight answer to your question but I can say that stress will screw up periods real easily. I know that stress can do amazing things to your body. When I was much younger and stressed, I would miss periods and/or be late.

I think this is an excellent question for you obgyn. I hope that you get answers soon.

Hugs to you,
Jeaninne

Yes, stress caused me to plunge into an abrupt menopause. I had a major stressor being just fine prior to it... We just do not have the "reserves" to fight off stress when our bodies are trying to adjust to the lower hormone levels. Any emotional baggage we bring into meno just get magnified in my opinion. Our adrenals get taxed during stress and we need them to be in good shape to help us out with peri/meno and this transition.

Please take care and I hope things improve soon for you. I am right in there with you on this and in the very thick of meno.

Hugs,
mood_swinger

I can only answer for what happened to me. And I had so much stress and then bam....I am in Meno. I might have been going through it anyway but when everthing happened in my life I think that it just reared its ugle head back and gave it to me. So I do believe that stress can trigger meno, and even make the symptoms stronger.
Good luck to you..
I have been going through this a year.

Sishaircut

I believe that is exactly what happened to me...everything was fine, then with a move to a new city, leaving behind lifelong friends, a marriage, and my twins going off to college = instant symptoms Amazing how that works

That's exactly what happens to me. I've been post for 6 yrs now and I find when something stressful comes in my life I break down. And this last one I had was so major I ended up in the hospital. I think age has something to do with it also. My mom is 87 and she always has stress for no dam reason!
hugs char

Hi:
The more I think about that the more I can see thats what happened to me, Shoulder surgery in February, with extensive P.T. stopped working cause of injury, twins at college, missing them, loosing beloved dog last year, never felt like I could recover. Do you think that could have put me into menopause?
Jpie

I absolutely agree that increased stress amplifies your peri/menopause symptoms...

I started with peri crap around age 43 and stopped my periods at 47......and am still suffering with huge anxiety and insomnia at 49 - where my older 2 sisters and my mum stopped at 49/50 with NO overbearing symptoms whatsoever!

C x