Oh, I definitely agree with you. Also, we all have such different bodies, different environments and life situations, it would be ridiculous to think that one drug would work on everybody! I'm still hoping that this is going to be my answer. I've slept for a couple nights in a row, an I have my fingers crossed! Hugs, M.

Amen Alice, I agree with this assessment of the treatment of perimenopausal symptoms with medications. That's why riding it out, however painful, seems wise. Blessings.

Meryl, Oh God, those shakes, had them this weekend. Mine are generally accompanied by teeth chattering. I think these are early panic symptoms, caused by HORMONES!!!! I've had anxiety my entire life, but never shook or chattered until peri. Checking out the thyroid isn't a bad idea either.

Chriscarol, there is nothing worse than this -- absolutely nothing. I also get little buzzies in different parts of my body -- a little circle on my hand, knee -- you name it. I'm wondering if it's restless leg syndrome. I really feel for you! This is not a fun symptom! Hope this passes soon! Hugs, M.

I haven't had the shakes very often. One time I got them in the middle of the night at about 3 AM. They woke me up and I was really scared. I thought that I was going into shock perhaps. (I had internal bleeding in the past, which really lowered my sense of security.) I measured my temperature and I noticed that I was below normal. I can't remember how much below normal, but thought that it was a fair bit at the time. I took my pulse and blood pressure. I think that they were pretty acceptable. I think my pulse might have been fairly faint 'though. I drank some glasses of water with salt and sugar, like a home-made electrolyte solution and ate a bit of food. I also wrapped myself in blankets, turned up the heat, and had hot water bottles. It took a while but the shakes went away. However the stress of the whole incident rattled me and I felt quite uncomfortable and afraid. I was feeling anxiety. Again as happened to me so many times with anxiety, I wished that I was not alone. In the morning I woke up feeling much better and feeling embarrased about over-reacting to the symptom. However it sounds like other women find it pretty awful too. I feel a bit embarrased writing about this. Maybe it will help someone else out. Guess I feel that I should be stronger about all this. Maybe I'm getting there?

Guess I purged a little bit of the traumatic memories stored up inside my head. Ha ha! Anyway I remember another incident where I got shaking around noon in the day. I had had a fairly light breakfast and was shoveling snow till a bit after noon and I got the shakes. I thought I had blood sugar problems and felt quite anxious and miserable. I recalled hearing that one should eat an orange to bring the blood sugar up and then a protein food to stabilize it, so that's what I did. It took me a few hours to feel better. After that I started on a program of eating a bit every two hours or so. I also avoided strenous exercise. At night if I woke up I would eat a bit (an apple, some bread and butter) and drink a glass of water. After a while I gave up sugar too, because I thought that it made me feel funny (anxious). I don't know if I just developed a sugar phobia or what was happening. I believe I read somewhere that sugar brings up the cortisol (stress hormone) level during perimenopause. If that is true then sugar can be quite anxiety causing. I don't miss sugar, although lately I have been looking at my chocolate chips which I used to eat, wondering if I could start up eating them again.

New to the board- found it yesterday. Live in the UK so your doctors treat you differently to us. Here they shove you onto hrt or cast you adrift. Have always been a bit anxious but worse after second parent's death, husband heart attack and subsequent unemployment (6yrs ago)- he works now. Had an anxious spell then when I couldn't work and doctor put me on diazepahm but have been worse for the last two years- not on meds. Periods have been erratic for last four years and didn't have one for over six months and started again at Christmas, when my anxiety, which had built up and up, subsided again. Probably had three periods this year (I do keep a diary). I have found that foods I love have started to affect me, shellfish, cheese, occasionally milk, when I'll get horrible stomach ache and then have to dash to the loo. My anxiety has become worse because of it. I am a bit agraphobic and I don't want to go far. I even had to come home after a couple of days when we went on a week's break. I don't even enjoy having visitors anymore in case I get stomach ache. I like to be on my own if I feel unwell. I now work from home, which in a way doesn't help as there is no pressure to go out unless I feel like I want to. I do take imodium, I don't drink or smoke, I'm happily married, no worries at all. I'm an empty nester but it never really bothered me as she had left home once before and I liked it less when she came back! I coped well during times of both parents death, husbands illness, working out of the home 5 days/week so cannot understand why I should feel like I do now! It's really spoiling everything for us as we approach the big 50 and makes me feel so pathetic when there are so many people with real problems, who are much worse off than me. I take Natracalm (passiflora) or valerian to dumb down nervousness and I still have a few diaz to take if I feel really agitated (not together with herbal). I don't like to visit the doctor as we have to wait and are then just given a few minutes before they write you off as a nutty menopausal woman and don't want to listen (we can see a number of doctor's in a practise but there is nothing to chose in any of them). I'm pleased to have found this board and so many women who are like me! I hope this didn't sound like a whingeing post!

Well, I've been though what I thought was the worst..perimenopause with light headness and major anxiety and mood swings but I was wrong. Now I am in menopause and haven't had a period in over a year. First year wasn't bad with occasional hot flashes. Now I am headed towards the year and a half and I am feeling like a furnace. I can almost put up with that but now the "Joint and Muscle" pains are here. I am just about to make a Dr's appt. and feeling like a hypochondriac. Does anyone have really bad pains in their hands upon waking up in the AM? It feels like someone has been hitting my fingers with a hammer. It hurts to straighten them out. When I get out of bed my feet are also tender. After a few minutes it all gets better. I do have mild aches in hands and other joints throughout the day along with my hot flushes. It's really something when my chest and face and arms get beet red. I love this board as it keeps me grounded and prevents me from feeling alone and crazy. I wouldn't want any of you to have these symptoms but it does help to know I'm not alone and crazy!

I have arthritis of the fingers, but the pain isn't hammering. It's more stiff and achy. Oh, the joys. I am such an anxious, sad mess.

I have been going through perimenopause since 1994 and have been postmenopause since 2000 at the age of 49. I was on synthetic hormones but because of the findings that came out in January 2002 I went off of them. Within a couple of months I was at the doctors with night sweats, hot flashes, achiness all over and horrific anxiety and depression. No one said it was being caused by lack of estrogen, they just sent me for all kinds of tests and put me on three different antidepressents that did absolutely nothing for me. Then they put me on ativan which helped with the anxiety but still ached all over, couldn't sleep, hot flashes all day long and night sweats all night long. It was absolutely hell. Then I watched a PBS program with Dr. Erika Schwartz and I read her book as well as purchasing the book "Screaming to Be Heard" by Dr. Vliet. What a Godsend. I went to my OB/GYN and asked that she order hormone test on me and to start me on natural hormones. I still have the anxiety (hyperventilation) but the achiness has been helped tremendously and last night I slept through the night for the first time in almost 2 years!!!! I think it will take some time because my hormone inbalance caused so many symptoms that take time to go away. If I were you I would strongly urge you to buy Dr. Vliets book because it is a wealth of information and she really explains how estrogen depletion as well as testosterone and progesterone are all VITAL hormones that we need for good health.

hi everyone... so glad i found this site..you all have tons of info!!... I am 49, and have so many of those same problems... insommia, anxiety!!, and hot flashes, night sweats... i was on natural progeresterone cream, but the salvia tests said i was over saturated, so i had to stop....so i am waitng on another test to come back... i wrote to that Pharmacist too, and he is gonna get back to me...cant wait!!...........Debbie in TN:o

Debbie, Welcome! It's nice to have another power-surge "Sister." You'll find that LOTS of people here have symptoms like yours, and also lots of caring advice and empathy. P-S is a godsend! Jacquie

FROM DEBBIE, GLAD TO BE HERE I have learned so much already......i am doing my salvia test this morning....lol........let ya know how it turns out..........Debbie / TN:)

Does anyone chew on the inside their mouth[toung,cheeks,so on] and clench their jaw. This has been driving me crazy lately.Im going to the dentist soon.Im sure its a STRESS thing.

HI Renee Yep! It's a STRESS thing. I chew my lip and clench my jaw. The lip chewing is the first sign for me that I'm totally stressed. The jaw clenching is bad though. My back molars are slowly griding down. Dentist is not too pleased with me. LOL!!! Peace AA

The pain in the jaw that everyone is describing sounds like TMJ. It is very common. Jaw clenching and grinding is all part of it and stress is a trigger. I have to wear a night guard on my teeth at night. It is to protect your teeth. If you don't wear one what happens is you wear down the enamel on your teeth. You will also end up with sensitive teeth and a lot of times the nerves in your teeth get inflamed. Root canals and all sorts of problems we don't need to be added to the long list we already have!