Hi everyone!

I'm new, so please bear with me. I'm 35, had my third child in December of 2007, but didn't start getting my period again until March of 2009. In early February of this year (2009) I started having chest/heart palpitations, numbness in left hand (sometimes) and anxiety attacks. I chalked it up to stress, since they both seemed to go away and weren't constant or debilitating.

I got my period again in late March (24 months since I had last had it). I started getting weird acne cysts on my scalp and the anxiety returned - accompanied by extreme fear of dying and that something was off. Doctor said it was a sebaceous cyst on my scalp and not to worry everything else was normal. He also said that he could put me on anti-anxiety meds should I choose that. I decided to wait it out. After all, he said I was fine & just stressed, so everything should be okay. Ha.

Fast forward a few weeks into May. The anxiety attacks start stepping it up. I go in to the doctor to get medication. I start taking the Zoloft and a week later learn that I am surprisingly allergic to it. Intensely itchy rash followed by swollen glands, etc. etc. SO, I stop taking the Zoloft. Doctor does bloodwork of my white cells, tells me all is fine. During this time I get my period again and it's EXTREMELY heavy compared to anything I'd ever had before. I'm moody and the anxiety is intense. It was so bad I even wrote a letter to my three children telling them how much I love them and if I pass away, etc. etc. <---Which makes me CRY just typing it.

So now, it's been 5-6 weeks since I got my last period, the anxiety is creeping up a lot in the last 48 hours, I'm having weird "moving pain" from one spot of my body to the next (nothing extreme, just uncomfortable), delightful bloating (which surely must be some sign of some cancer), contact dermatitis from something but only on my right thumb, am having trouble sleeping, and now am thinking maybe, just maybe I'm not going crazy, but maybe it's just perimenopause. But I'm only 35.

Could not having a period for so long after I had my baby in 2007 have something to do with it? I didn't wean her until April of 2009.

Help? Please?

Welcome home honey......get comfortable you may be here with us a while. If you wander the boards you might be very surprised to note that many women here are younger than you.......it is absolutely possible to be in peri meno at 35. Roam around, educate yourself.....others will post up here in no time. In the meantime.....deep breathes and know you are not alone. xo

I'm convinced I started at 36/37, so you're not alone. Not at all fun, but there are so many wonderful women here. This board has been a life saver for me!

Hugs....

Hi there,
I take it that you breast fed your baby for two years?
As you know your hormonal profile is completely different during breast feeding. In essence the whole menstruation circus is put on hold. This is mother nature attempting to prevent you from having your offspring too close together. Clever really. I think that it is a little early to panic about menopause yet, although of course, it is possible. It may be that your thyroid is a bit dim and is a bit slow in bringing your cycle back to normal. This may be thyroid dysfunction and your doctor would do well to keep one eye on thyroid function.
Thyroid dysfunction can mean problems with periods and awful anxiety. It can happen after the tremendous hormonal upheaval of a pregnancy.
I really think that this can be the root cause for mental difficulties and post natal depression.
For you, I think that it is early days yet and you need to give things a little longer before you jump to conclusions. If things do not get better, I would want to be referred to a reproductive endocrinologist just to see what was going on. At 35 I would want to know what was going on................. Excess testosterone can be responsible for the formation of a sebaceous cyst which again signals an imbalance somewhere.
At this stage I just think that you need to give it time.

Let us know how you get on.


XIII

Hi there and WELCOME,

Could have cried at your post,especially the part about your children,writting a letter,bless you.

I,m no expert at all just another female going through exactly the same symptoms,I,m 43 but looking back this has been sneaking up steadily since I was 39ish,to now and everything seems to be BAM full on.

Have had arm numbness,chest pains,ANXIETY through the roof,heavy painful periods(lighter now but extreme pain) moving pain can start with slight earache moving to neck then into head, this can be applied to anywhere in the body,if I tell anyone they just look at me like I,m a nutball.

It does sound like you are,I have 2 friends who are similar age to you who both have babies 18months,and are having similar things happening to them also.

I hope you find some comfort from this site as I,m sure you will. you are not alone

Kath

Just read xiii reply and what an excellent post. x

i started at 33 , i blame it on having a tubal at 21 , cuts oxygen off to the ovarys......

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond, ladies. I'll ask about the thyroid tests, but like so many of you, my doctor looks at me like I'm nuts. Even the receptionist is beginning to get annoyed at my phone calls these last few months.

I appreciate the advice! Thanks again!!

Then fire your doctor and find one that gives a poo! I agree with the breast feeding theory throwing your hormones off a bit. If it is however peri then you aren't alone. I believe my symptoms started around 33 but don't think I was completely in realization until I was 36 as to what was going on. I do recommend finding a doctor that will do a blood serum test on your hormones just to see what is going on.

I am 45 and starting perimenopause but I wanted to let you know about my earlier experience which sounds just like yours. WHen I was 38 and had been breastfeeding my second child for a year, I had TONS of perimenopause like symptoms as my body was "going back on line" after my first period--free floating panic attacks, pins and needles that I had testing for as I was convinced it was MS, numbness, sadness for no reason, vaginal and bladder irritation, health anxieties and obsessions. No doc had an answer for me as it seemed too late for pospartum depression to appear.

After about six months, my cycles got regular and all my symptoms completely resolved for the next seven years. I did take Celexa and an occasional xanax which helped me get through this time. Only in hindsight do I realize that everyone one of those scary symptoms were a result of temporarily crazy hormones.....

sissyl, thank you so much for taking the time to post. The symptoms ARE scary! Heart palpitations, anxiety like mad, now a strange pain that travels around my body....weird. Thank you for the reassurance that I am NOT losing my mind. =)

I thought I was losing MY mind, but my mind returned eventually once my periods got regular, though it took a few months and I did take ADs.....Like you, I had no problem with pregnancy and breastfeeding baby #1 even though I bf her for 2 years--must be bc I was younger with her and had more hormone reserves. I remember thinking I was dying and how tragic that would be for my kids too...And my symptoms kept changing--just as I was learning to cope with one, something else would spring up.

Now 45 and seven years later, I just started in the past few months again having anxiety attacks, hot flashes, nausea etc as my periods grew lighter and so far am feeling better on low dose BCPs (KNOCK WOOD!!).

The scariest part for me back then was not having any idea what was going on and because I didn't have anything simple and clear-cut my doctor didn't "get" it....Hang in there!

"I thought I was losing MY mind, but my mind returned eventually once my periods got regular, though it took a few months and I did take ADs.....Like you, I had no problem with pregnancy and breastfeeding baby #1 even though I bf her for 2 years--must be bc I was younger with her and had more hormone reserves. I remember thinking I was dying and how tragic that would be for my kids too...And my symptoms kept changing--just as I was learning to cope with one, something else would spring up."

That's it EXACTLY! Ever changing symptoms, doctors who are looking at me like I'm nuts and overreacting, and thinking that I've got something horrible and how sad it will be for my kids. *sigh* Why doesn't anyone ever tell us these things happen?

Thank you so much for sharing your story!

When I had my 4th child, I went through the same thing. I was 34 at the time. I had health anxiety soooo bad! A simple stomachache was stomach cancer, a headache was a brain tumor. I thought I had every type of cancer you could imagine during that time. And I felt like, what a tragedy that I would be leaving my 4 small children behind. It was the darkest and most awful time in my life. I didn't think it was post-partum depression and had never had that with my previous children. I kept running to the doctor for every symptom. She just kept pushing ADs on me, which I eventually broke down and took. Had I not gone on ADs, I probably would've lost my mind! Thank God, after a year I was totally symptom free and my anxiety was almost gone, with the exception of a few anxious moments here and there. Fast forward to 11 years later...the perimenopause years. My health anxiety is starting to creep up on me again. I don't have the classic hot flashes, night sweats etc but do get all kinds of other weird symptoms. This site has been a godsend. I no longer run to the doctor for every little thing, knowing that most of my symptoms are hormonal and that like many women before me...I will get through this.

Thanks for sharing your story and hang in there. I come to this site often for support from all the wonderful ladies here.

Jaemama, you sound just like me. When I did break down and try the AD, I got Zoloft which I am apparently extremely allergic too (oh what a fun surprise! *lol*). SO, now I'm worried about trying another one. The health anxiety is atrocious though. And isn't it something that so many of us have the fear of leaving our children behind during this. There has got to be a study in all of this somewhere.

My husband's older brother died at 43 of neuro-endocrine/colo-rectal caner last August and did leave behind his 10 & 5 year old sons, so I'm sure some of my anxiety stems from that.

Again, thank you all so much for sharing. I so very much appreciate your willingness to show me that I'm not alone in this.

Hi Girl:

You are so not alone in this. I started at age 36, 8 months after my son was born.
Welcome to Ps.

Hugs to you,
Jeaninne

I am 32 and have been having bad symptoms for about a year.I had a tubal when I was 22 which I know with out a doubt has thrown me into early peri !! SO yes sweetie it can happen and it *****..I have gotten the "oh hunn your way too young " from Docs, Family and friends and you know what I say to that.I say....go eat a fly !!
Hope you find that this sight to be a life line.
We are in this together !!

Peri-M, started at 37 for me....

Wish I knew, what I know now.. at 52 !

Hi sweets.........yep sounds like the peri monster.......I was 31 when I started symptoms.......best advice I can give is fight till you get the RIGHT help......it took me 4 years of screaming into a black hole to get someone to listen........in that time I was dx with Bipolar my symptoms where so bad.......4 months ago I was formally dx with peri, not with blood, but with a comprehensive look at symptoms and family history by my new and improved dr........The bipolar dx has since been retracted.......feel free to pm me if you want to talk......

Take care, you are not dying and be very, very kind to yourself........

We are here......

[font="Palatino Linotype"][/font][size="2"][/size] Hello, I am new to this website and am beyond relieved that I found it! After googling many of the odd symptoms I've been having the last four months I arrived at a website dedicated to menopause. I've been desperately trying to find others who've gone through what I've been suffering through for months and haven't had much luck until stumbling upon this thread today. I am 34 (turning 35 in October) and I, too, had my first child at 33 (9/07) who I breastfed until this past February (17 months). I didn't get my first post-partum period until last November and then (due to my fear of being pregnant at/after 35) I insisted that my husband & I try for baby #2. I got pregnant immediately in December, but discovered in February that the pregnancy was "unviable" and was told I could have a natural miscarriage or a D&C. After having a VERY unplanned c-section with my son after a long rather traumatic labor I wasn't keen on more surgery, so I decided to go the natural route. The entire process took about 5-6 weeks and was traumatic to say the least. The "main" week I bled so much that I was truly convinced I was going to bleed to death and one night we started to pack up to rush to the emergency room and then things calmed down unexpectedly on their own for a few hours. I refused to deal much with the grief and was fixated on getting pregnant again and "moving on"; however, the week prior to my first post-miscarriage period I became increasingly agitated and anxious and finally, the day before my period I had a choking sensation as I drove home (after a horrible visit to Target where I encountered several very pregnant women filling out their baby registeries where I cried) and began a series of panic attacks that lasted off and on for three days. I've always had a tendency towards anxiety, but never like this before. To make a long story short, I've been in and out of the doctor's office more times this summer than I would wish on anyone. I've had virtually every blood test possible *EXCEPT* any hormonal testing -- big surprise, huh? Even had an MRI to rule out brain disorders. I've had tingling on my tongue and around my mouth. A spot by my nose and in the corner of my eye that is sort of numb; numbness and tingling/pins & needles in my extremities; diarhea (sp?); my right foot & hand sometimes just feel "off" which is hard to explain; my legs sometime feel shakey & like they're vibrating; my latest odd symptom is palpitations/chest vibrations at night -- I wake up from a deep sleep with this several times per/night. I wonder if it is related to progesterone cream? I started using a prescription version from a compounded pharmacy this cycle along w/ magnesium (for the twitching I get at times, too) and the next night this began. Reading experiences of other women on here I wonder if the progesterone cream is to blame? It's still happening even though I stopped the cream 5 days ago but I'm told it can stick in your fat deposits for awhile.

I've been terrified for months that I'm dying and I, too, have worried that I won't be around to see my beautiful son grow up. I've suspected all along that unbalanced hormones are at play due to the onset of the anxiety/panic/symptoms -- right after a huge shift in hormones (even after a miscarriage your body still reacts like it's given birth) and then my first period. I also weaned my son from breastfeeding a month before the miscarriage after 17 months so I lost those feel-good hormones, as well. Apart from a lot of morning sickness during the 1st trimester I found pregnancy & breastfeeding were great for my mood and helped curb my tendency towards anxiety. I've also had terrible mood swings during PMS since high school. My Mom was the same way and menopause was terrible for her. My grandmother also went through a situation quite like mine at 33 when she gave birth to her 4 th child and then had a hysterectomy. She thought she was dying for 6 years and was constantly in and out of the doctors office (and her father was a doctor!). No one attributed her problems to hormonal shifts/imbalance and she really suffered.

I still worry that something else more sinister is going on, but I try to temper it with the fact that I've always been healthy and there is a clear onset to all of this. Perhaps I am also starting perimenopause? My menstrual cycles have been a bit shorter (but regular & I do ovulate) and are lighter since the miscarriage. I've tried everything under the sun to help myself and it's a long road once you've become anxious. My meditation instructor told me about an anti-aging doctor she sees who's helped her thyroid issues tremendously. This woman specializes in womens hormonal issues and prescribes bio-identical hormones, etc. I have an appt to see her & have a bunch of tests next month and I am praying she can help me (at least somewhat). Sadly I will have to pay out of pocket and I have GREAT insurance, but such is life. This is worth it.

Thanks to all of you for helping to ease my fears a bit. Sarah

Hi Sarah....

Welcome! So interested to read your post. Sounds like you have had a very very rough year! I just want to assure you that your symptoms sound just like the ones I experienced after pregnancy and breastfeeding at 38.

Anyway, I wanted to add that my symptoms completely resolved after about nine months and I went back to a regular period and feeling normal again--tho my mental and physical symptoms lingered for a few cycles after my periods resumed. Your body and mind might get back in rythym on its own where you are still pretty young. I did use an SSRI and xanax and a good multivitamin to get me over the hump. Seven years later, I'm here at 45 bc NOW I am starting peri.....

Might it make sense to see if your body regulates on its own before adding outside hormones to the mix? It did work for me, but everyone is different. Your tests might give you some good information too.

Hi Sarah
I had a traumatic time after having an emergency section with my daughter 7 years ago.
I was lucky in that she was born healthy,but my mind and body has suffered since.
I bonded with her but I still ended up with PND
Then my periods when mental....very very heavy,lasting 2-3 weeks
I was sweating alot too,no matter how many times I bathed or sprayed deodorants,my tops were ruined with the constant sweating
Nobody tells you about the shift in hormones when you bleed heavily,do they?
I haemorraged after my 1st baby daughter too and suffered PND !
definite pattern here!
This went on for years,until it got to where I was so weak,I was light headed and constantly lying down to recover from dizziness.
blood tests revealed I was severely anaemic with a blood count of 8.Nurse said if it was to drop to 6 I would need a blood transfusion
So I was iron permenantly ,but also saw a Gynae for further tests.I started to convince myself I had Ovarian cancer as the bleeding was shocking and the clots were scary.I had visions of my children at my funeral and became quite obsessed with death and dying {I know it sounds mental}
I even imagined that I would not wake up after general aneasthetic!
A laparoscopy,Hysteroscopy showed all was normal,apart from a very thick uterine lining of 15 mm
and a few adhesions.They fitted a Mirena and my periods stopped......
It was HEAVEN!.The pain in my ovary went,my breast pain went and all the other aches and pains which convinced me that something serious was happening, all disappeared.
Unfortunately the coil came out after 8 months.I had another one fitted and that one fell out after only 3 months....
Recent blood tests have shown that I am not going through the Menopause {as I thought} and that I was again,anaemic....
My doctor said to carry on with the iron until I see the Gynae in Sept
No recommendations to tackle the other problems though,including the deep depression I was sinking into,the panic attacks,anxiety,waking in the night,crying episodes.....and the return of all the aches and pains
I found this website { A GODSEND!} and decided to see what else I could find until I see the Gynae for possible ablation....or even Hysterectomy which I said ...was my last resort.
Nobody wants unnessesary surgery but nobody wants to keep suffering either so I spent hours researching alternative methods
I came across Agnus Castus,which had been recommended before,{and I rubbished it without even trying it}
Anyway,in my local herbal shop I found a big tub on offer so reckoned I,d nothing to lose.....
I have only been taking it for 5 days and feel some difference already!
I dont feel down,I feel NORMAL ......no breast pain,no anxiety......
time will tell if it regulates my hormones and lessens the heavy bleeding
I,m not saying Agnus castus is the answer for you too,but maybe there is something similar to help you with these debilitating symptoms?
I hope you find some relief Sarah,please let me know how you get on
Donna

I was just talking to a friend about this a few days ago.

I started peri in my late 30's, but really it was hard to know if it was the start of peri or just my PMS symptoms getting worse. I'm not sure when I crossed the "border" so to speak...

In any case....Here I am....

LOL

Hi Girl (and all),
Welcome to Power Surge. Yup, you can be in peri.meno. I was about 35 when I had my first big ole' anxiety attack - thought for sure I was dying - heart beating so fast I was waiting for it to blow out...so certain I was dying I went to the ER... After all the test - they said I was having an anxiety attack...geez!!

Sugar

Thanks to all of you kind women who responded to my post; it was such a huge relief to find this website and to stumble upon a group of caring strangers who understand. I sent my husband the link to this thread and he couldn't believe how similar it sounded to what I've been going through. I am truly at a loss as to why good doctors don't make a connection to hormones -- particularly when a person's symptoms/anxiety, etc. surface around a major hormonal shift like pregnancy, miscarriage, menopause, etc. It seems like some sort of cruel joke that we're all out here fighting to be heard, virtually begging for tests and educating those who should know more about this than us. I am so exhausted by all of it and get depressed when I have what feels like a "good" day where I feel almost "normal" only to be followed by 5 crappy days where I feel wierd, off, etc. I am really hoping the specialist I see in a couple of weeks can offer me some help. If nothing else I wonder if trying bcp for a few months might help. We shall see?

I could not agree more with this. If you do the math, there are 40,000 active members on this forum, which is English speaking only. Add on the number of people who read and are not members, then those who are probably suffering but haven't found this site, and those who don't have the internet....must run into millions. I think we are blessed to have found this place. I find it unbelievable that my doctor, who is a WOMAN about 40 years old is totally oblivious to the hormonal stuff. I've been hospitalised twice with racing heart/palps and got the all-clear both times from a full cardio work-up, yet still says "I've never heard of racing heart or palpitations linked to hormones". I hope you get some help and support from your specialist.

Hugs

I agree --if you figure half the people on the planet are women and all will eventually go through menopause it is amazing how little understanding there is about this from doctors or even just out there in the general media. I always thought menopause was going to be a few hot flashes that I would giggle about with my friends, followed by the happy relief of no more periods.

When I was in my thirties and having hormone probs after breastfeeding (panic, anxiety, tingling, twitches etc) neither my regular doc or my woman GYN connected my symptoms with my hormones. Why is there such a blind spot? How scary it would be if we didn't have this site to help us figure out this puzzle.

Your hormones might get back to normal on their own if you can stand waiting it out...in my case it took maybe 6 months after I stopped breastfeeding to feel normal again. Or if mood swings and PMS are a problem even when your cycle is regular than the right bcp may help. I'm on them for peri symptoms at 45 and they are helping. There are some good threads on bcps on this site you might find interesting....