I had my physical today. Told him the following: Numbness/tingling in arms, legs, feet Nausea Dry eyes plus eyes getting worse Achey all over Foggy feeling Eye twitching Sleep problems Constant urination Jaw tightness Cold then hot flashes Sore feet He told me after checking pressure points, etc that he honestly believed it was all related to menopause and would give me a diagnosis of early menopause. I'm 46 any my mom was 44 when her periods stopped. My cramping is worse now than ever. He empathized with me and said that he couldn't help but feel for women that were going through this. Hooray! There is a male doctor out there that doesn't label everything as fibromyalgia!!!!!

I am happy you found an understanding doctor kathy.......the last doctor i saw told me i had a "disorder" and prescribed an antidepressant.I have an appointment tomorrow with a highly recommended female doctor and i am hoping it goes as well as it did for you.

Kathy! I bet it was a big relief to be heard and acknowledged for very real symptoms without being patronized. So happy to hear you found a good doctor who can hopefully help you through. Jadebear, wishing you luck with your appointment tomorrow. My old male GYN retired this past July. Although I really liked him and he seemed to "get it", we never could quite balance out things with HRT. Now a new lady doctor has taken his place in the practice and I'll at least give her a fair shot. In the meantime I've contacted Pete Hueseman who has been kind enough to give me referrals in natural therapy compounds. It's been 8 years of symptoms ranging from mild to almost unbearable at times and there's no choice but to try to stay focused on feeling better. Good luck to you guys... Hopeful

Kathy that's wonderful you found an understanding doctor. Mine is the same way. He absolutely BELIEVES that not enough attention is given to women in the '40's' who have numerous complaints about things changing/going wrong with their bodies. He doesn't believe in hormone therapy unless ABSOLUTELY necessary, and he's always willing to listen and work with me when a particular symptom gets too annoying. I think it is SO important for us to find someone that will listen, and understand the fears that we are going through. Without that, we end up feeling so alone and frightened. GOOD for you! Good luck w/the appointment Jade! Let us know how it turns out for you! HUGS!

Kathy - that's excellent news. (well, it would be even better if he just had a pill you take one time and then all of this %#$# would magically disappear). If all we're going to get is sympathy, then it's cheaper (and there are more laughs) to just log on here. Your fellow sufferer, Otter the pain-ridden

I went for my appointment today(which,by the way,i almost didn't go because i have pms right now with high anxiety).....She was a very nice lady,but i came home and cried.....i am being sent to a different doctor tomorrow that she wants me to" talk" to see if it's hormonal or mental.I asked her how he will be able to tell if it's hormonal just by talking to me.....she said he WILL be able to tell.I asked HOW CAN HE TELL IF IT"S HORMONAL WITHOUT CHECKING MY HORMONE LEVELS.....she said he "may" have my hormones checked.So i have this feeling that when i go tomorrow,i will just be prescribed an anti-depressant or something.I KNOW this isn't just mental,i KNOW it's my hormones.I think she is doing this because my blood pressure and pulse rate were high,and she said i was having a slight anxiety attack.....well,i knew that already and told her that i was experiencing anxiety,and that my main reason for going in the 1st place is because this is how i am(anxious,weepy,etc.) when it gets close to my period.She did say something about as long as i'm still having periods,this all may be mental and not related to meno......... So,give me advice please people.....should i go tomorrow and see what the guy has to say?Think maybe he may actually check my hormone levels,or just prescribe an anti-depressant?Should I just go somewhere else if he doesn't check my hormones?HOW do you get a doctor to REALLY listen,understand and do what you want?Exactly what types of tests should be done anyway?

forgot to say....the doctor kinda made it sound like testing my hormone levels wouldn't do any good since i'm in peri.....if i do get them tested and they turn out normal,where do i go from there?

It seems that anxiety is pretty common during peri......so why do doctors seem to act like it's unrelated?Why are they so eager to treat the anxiety with anti-depressants and not address the hormone situation?

Jadebear.....I know exactly how you feel. The anxiety makes you feel like you're losing your mind. I have the rapid heart rate all of the time. What I have started doing is taking 400mg of Magnesium daily. It helps me sleep better which in turn cuts down on my anxiety. Also, a friend of mine starting noticing changes in the PMS stuff when she started taking Calcium. She said it really did help. I try and eat a banana every nite. The funny part is....I was told by a gynecologist last year that I wasn't menopausal when I knew I was. Half of the time I feel like I'm floating and everything is in like slow motion. Weird sensation. I still have a period every month and let me tell ya .....my symptoms are much worse around my period. If you want to chat with me go into that insta chat..I never see anyone in there! I'm always the only one. Why is that?

Jadebear, Anxiety IS common in peri!! With anxiety comes increased b/p, pulse, etc. There are many mixed messages re: your hormone level - first he "may" check and then the implication is that a hormone levels wouldn't do any good in peri.. HUH? My hormone levels were checked to confirm I was typical peri. THIS IS the time all the bad symptoms occur. And, Of course you still have periods! What does she think that has to do with it and why would she make that statement? BTW, are your periods irregular yet? Sounds like a lot of inconsistant presumptions and shuffling you off to and fro when YOU absolutely know your body better than any of these doctors do. And don't let anyone brainwash you to the contrary, or allow you to feel it's all in your head. One thing to remember, is you're in charge here. You're hiring THEM. No doctor can throw an anti-depressant rx at you without your acceptence. Just say no. This is where I'd be reluctant to even go to this next doctor in the first place. (this may be bad advice and I'm speaking strictly for myself) Is there a doc specializing in meno in your area? Seems blatantly wrong these physicans don't 'get it' and want to call it or find something mental. It's a crock. Please update us... Concerned, Hopeful

kathy....yes,the anxiety makes you feel like you're losing your mind....and i always have high anxiety right before my periods.I didn't know calcium helps with pms...thanks for that info. hopeful,I still haven't decided if i'm going to the appointment tomorrow,hubby thinks i should at least go see what he has to say.I'm not sure i want to.I'm afraid i will be told it's all mental.....that sure wouldn't be much help to me right now,this peri stuff is hard enough to deal with,the last thing i need is to be told it's in my head. There's no doctors that specialize in meno around here.....but there is one that's more of a naturalist,maybe he'd be more helpful and understanding. I guess i'll decide in the morning whether i will go see that other doctor or not.....if i do,i will let you know how it goes.

hopeful,forgot to say,yes my periods are pretty irregular......

Dry mouth, left eye twitch, hair loss, not being able to see as well, jaw tightness, high cholesterol, even some shortness of breath. He attributed that also to perimenopause/menopause.:cool:

Gotta tell you guys, before I really knew what was up and felt I was losing my mind with all of these horrible changes I DID visit a psychiatrist. When I first started having all of these symptoms you both talk of, he fully suspected I needed to see a good physician, instead. (This was at age 40) His recommendation was GYN to check hormones. I really thought I was losing my mind. As I became more educated and having experienced some relief from HRT in the past I learned that although it would be easy to feel that you are becoming crazed.. (because we ARE!) more than likely if you're late 30's and 40's, it could the beginning of peri, whether the profile hormone level test shows it or not. I believe the key is finding the right partner in your health... no matter the specialty. One who understands the reality of peri-menopausal symptoms and its devastating effects. Just having irregular periods should have been a strong indicator for your doc today. Seriously. I don't mean to sound pessimistic and your hubby is probably right in checking out what this doc has to say. But If I were you, I'd do a lot of the talking about my symptoms and history first. Too many woman fall through the cracks with these uneducated drs. Will be watching to see what happens, and good luck. Hopeful

I'd go tomorrow if I were you Jade - if for nothing else? A piece of mind. Your anxiety sounds perfectly normal for a meno gal, at least in my opinion. It seems that anxiety is one of the biggest complaints, especially in the peri years-I know it has been for me. My doc told me it's probably mostly due to the fears that we are experiencing about NOT knowing exactly what is making our minds & bodies feel so different. I am a FIRM believer that seeking a professional opinion can't hurt - to me, a piece of mind is as good as winning the lottery! Let us know how it turns out. We're all right here beside you! HUGS!

I have mixed feelings about testing hormone levels. Personally, I have already decided that I will NOT do traditional HRT, so I have not had my hormone levels tested. I already KNOW that I am in peri...I don't need to pay money to have someone in a white coat confirm it. However, if you did want to try natural or bio-identical hormones, I suppose the testing would make sense. But don't hormone levels fluctuate greatly during prei? Isn't that the cause of a lot of our symptoms? How often do you have to do testing, and readjusting of hormone therapy doses? I guess I've decided to identify my symptoms, and to do whatever I can to treat/deal with them. I've made enormous changes in diet & exercise, and am using Revival Soy. I still have crushing anxiety & depression, but I am resisting using antidepressants - because I think my negative emotions are due almost entirely to negative circumstances in my life....and there isn't a pill in the world that can fix THAT! But if anxiety and/or depression is one of the prei symptoms you are experiencing (and natural remedies such as a healthy diet, exercise, soy, vitamins & minerals have not made a difference) and an antidepressant could help, wouldn't that be a good thing? Would it be better if a Dr recommended HRT? Jadebear - I hope you find some relief. I would be willing to give ADs a try, even if the doctors think it's "all in your head". You know - and WE all know - that it's hormonal. Maybe medicaton will help you through a rough patch. I mean, this does come to an end sometime, doesn't it?? Best wishes to you.

Jadebear, Did you go to your appointment? I fit right in with this conversation. Have so may of the same symptoms and have been told it is just my hormones by GYN and counselor. I have anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue and mood swings! My doc said that some women have it easy some very hard during this time. She felt I was about in the middle. Sometimes I feel that I surely must be the extreme! Anyway - let us know how you are doing Jadebear. Boone

Well,i decided to NOT go to that appointment afterall today.I didn't feel it would be right to pay money to try and convince a dr. that my symptoms are real and hormonal and not in my head.I WISH i could find a doctor that would listen to all my symptoms and pat me on the shoulder and say "you poor thing,this is all obviously hormonal,let's see if we can come up with a plan to reduce your symptoms and get you back on track and feeling better...let's work TOGETHER at deciding what's the best route to take."(of course,this is a fantasy...lol) I feel slightly discouraged(but,hey,no anxiety today cause my period started)...i think my next plan of action is to schedule a pap exam and physical to make sure i'm in good health and then take matters in my own hands.I am thinking of trying the revival soy.......but i have a question.....do you guys discuss your self treatment with your doctors?those of you who use revival,do your doctors know?and what do they think?what about those of you who use natural progesterone cream?Most doctors aren't very supportive of that are they?

Jadebear we could be twins! I have struggled with anxiety for the last couple of years, so much so that I haven't wanted to go on holiday and when we were away for a couple of days I just wanted to run on home! I just felt so sick and anxious! I did actually have to take a tiny bit of a diazepam yesterday as I felt so tight and I wasn't doing anything special or going anywhere! I wonder what the hell it's all about sometimes. Now if I had a problem... I had heavy periods for years and was back and forward to my doctor. I didn't get anywhere until I took my husband with me and I ended up going to a blood specialist who put me on iron tablets. My doctor wouldn't give me b.c pills as I was 40 and didn't need birth control (DH snip). I always came out feeling a bother and always cried after my appointments but needed to go as I needed a sick note for work. I had lots of short-term sickness throughout these years, even though I am a conscientious person and never took "a day off for the Queen" (a "sickie" when you can't be bothered to go in to work). Though my workmates were understanding and supportive my employers were not and I was made to feel a bad person because of my health. Now I work from home, whether I feel ill or not, it no longer matters and I have given the doctor's surgery wide-berth. I don't think doctors have much idea really and I think you US gals are lucky having Doctor Pete, who seems far more in-tune with our womanly probs. I'd love to know what his wife has to say about him!

Ok,i am obviously going to the wrong doctors and maybe saying the wrong things when i go in.....where do i start?What exactly do i say when i go in?Why are these doctors not taking me seriously and just thinking it's all mental?

Dear Jadebear, I don't really think it's that you are saying the wrong things - I think it's that the doctors don't want to take the time to mess with a "hormonally challenged" patient. I think they would rather make lots more money helping the "easy" patients. Here is my reason for this conclusion: For about 11 years I went to the same GYN doc. He was a well respected doctor and he always seemed to take good care of me and I thought he knew me fairly well from my annual visits. I was an easy patient - healthy, good natured - never had anything wrong with me physical or mental. Never even had PMS. Then I turned 41 and began to feel very weird, emotional and tired. His immediate solution: antidepressants. I told him that I wasn't depressed and that he knew I never had emotional problems before. Antidepressants - that's all he could do for me! I was crushed! Well after 2 years of trial and error with all sorts of medications, doctors, reading books, etc. I felt certain this was my hormones. A friend recommended a local female doctor that was independent and not part of an HMO or preferred provider. She spent two hours talking to me on my first visit - TWO HOURS!!!! She said yes I was anxious after all that I had been through - but that the source of the problem was my hormones and frustration. I must say that she is still working to balance my crazy hormones and things are still not perfect - but I am getting by and at least I finally found a medical professional who would listen and get to know me and make a valid diagnosis. This doctor, a great CBT counselor, my dear hubby and the women I have met on Power Surge have literally saved my life. They keep reminding me "ITS JUST HORMONES -IT WILL BE OVER SOMEDAY". Keep looking for a better doctor Jadebear - they are out there - but they are few and far between! Ask other women you know who are in peri or have had hysterectomies. Boone

It can be really frustrating trying to find a doctor who realy understands and cares. I went to many drs (including my ob/gyn) who I went to for 15 years and not one ever even mentioned peri -meno or meno to me. I was 49 when things started to happen ( all kinds of symptoms that I now know are on the list of 36) unfortunately I ended up having a total hysterectomy plus later my gallbladder removed. Now I have even more problems! but I didn't give up and finally found a female dr - she is not in any plan so it is expensive but she believes in helping women and that too many drs just don't want to learn about female issues - I am now on bio-identical hrt for about 2 months. Haven't noticed a lot of changes but am hopeful that sometime in the near future things will start to ease up. I wish I could say that I feel great and then I could help some other women but I have to give it some more time. Sorry this is so long but I really am concerned about anyone else who has to go thru this - by the way, the way I learned about all of this meno originally was by reading Suzanne Sommers book (not that I am promoting it) but it seems like she has done enough research to make sense. Power-surge has been a very positive comfort zone for me too! - without it I would certainly think I was crazy!

Boone,you had a 2 hr. visit with your dr.?That's amazing!!Every doctor i have been to just rushes people through like herds of cows!!And I HAVE been talking to people about who they go to see.....that's why i made an appointment with the one i saw monday...she was highly recommended....unfortunately,not what i was hoping for though. kammom,i am glad you found a good doctor too...and i hope you start feeling better soon.....i'm sure it will just take some time. I am on a quest to find a good doctor,and i am not gonna give up until i find one...

Jadebear, The two hour visit was amazing and it gave her a chance to get to know me, my history and look beyond the anxiety I was feeling. This doctor is in her late 50s and only sees a few patients each day. She no longer delivers babies and just spends time getting to know each patient. She said she no longer wants to be the type of doctor that works for HMOs and is only allowed to see patients for 10 minutes. When I first starting seeing her I was having major anxiety and hot flashes from lack of estrogen. My blood tests always were in the normal range - but she knew from my symptoms that I needed hormone supplements. As we started HRT, she let me page her through the hospital anytime I needed to talk. I tried not to abuse that privilege - but used it a few times. Natural HRT has made me so much better - still not perfect but better than when we started. She also keeps reminding me that with time my hormones will eventually balance. I wish you success in finding someone to help you Jadebear. Have you asked Pete Heusman for any recommendations in your area? Pete has been a big help with the Natural HRT dosing.

Jadebear, I know how frustrating this can be, I have been to many doctors and feel for the most part nothing they have tried has helped. Right now I just stay away from them and that helps... Well if your crazy and get comitted ask for a double room so I can join you! ~C

Jadebear, In general peri is the time when some women struggle, because the hormones are fluctuating constantly. So, the first doctor you saw is totally misinformed. I started taking antidepressants at 30ish, primarily due to PMDD,(severe PMS) but when peri struck they quit working. The natural hormones haven't been studied in a scientific way, so all the results you read in these books are purely anecdotal. Since heavier women have a higher rates of breast cancer, due to retaining more estrogen, I wouldn't call natural estrogen safe. Estrogen is documented to help vaginal dryness and flashes. Long term it could help prevent colon cancer and osteroporosis, but there are safer preventative measure other than estrogen. Current medical consensus recommends HRT for short term use, as in 3 to 5 years. SSRIS and Xanax have been studied in PMDD favorably. However, since placebo rates are also high, the results are questionable. In double blind studies natural progesterone did not help PMS. It may have some sedative properties, but the stuff makes me bloated and sad. Calcium has also been helpful in double blind studies. Chaste berry seemed to be effective in a small German study. The hormones and the mind are difficult to seperate for some women. This has been holy hell. I have had some expanses of light, which convinces me this may not be a life sentence. Risks vs benefits, must be weighed with any drug, and natural hormones are most certainly drugs. Anxiety and depression take a very real physiological toll on the body and mind, whether hormonally induced, or what. I have read that 10% or women have panic, in peri period, 18% just with flashers. Also, more current research is showing that a woman is 3 times more likely to be depressed in peri than at any other time. The depression rate rises in adolescense and fall after menopause in women. Coincident, I think NOT. If you had a reaction to the pill, severe pms, or likely any other hormonal issues, this could be a rough ride. Hang in there, ladies.

Pardon my typos, hope you get the jist.

And the antidepressants can level the anxiety. My major complaint is that the suckers can stop working. Of course, all drugs have side effects. I first got Prozac from my gynocologist at about the time it hit the market. He used natural progestrone, in patients, prior to the studies that discounted it. I don't take doctors seriously now, nor expect for them to save me. This meno ride has made me rather cynical. I still take Effexor, but the hormones are stronger than the drugs. More estrogen did squat, actually I was worse. I take a baby dose of a patch, but no progesterone, as the stuff make me feel awful. Since this is the hormone that surges premenstrually it could be a culprit. Three medical people told me not to worry about this amount of unapposed estrogen.

And, I came out of the womb squalling in anxiety, so I can't blame hormones totally. These butt slaming peri panic attacks are another story, however. They're better, but it wasn't fun being panicked chronically and begging your family to take you to the hospital, because I felt impending insanity. No death panic, as death may have been a blessing in early peri. My thyroid was whacked too, which was a double whammy.

Also, due to the chronic fluctuation of hormones the tests are far from accurate. I'm speaking from experience. Go by the symptoms. Worsening PMS, changes in periods, night sweats, etc. Medicine is really in the dark ages regarding hormones. And some feel it's not politically correct to classify a hormonal problem, such as PMDD, as a mental disorder. It's under further investigation in the DSM 1V and the shrinks fight like hell about whether it should be included. I have every last symptom. The last two periods were a bit better, but this has been a long bumpy ride.

Thanks for the replies everyone.I am so confused(once again)about all this stuff and wonder whether going to a dr. is even worth the hassle. Chris,so progesterone surges before a period?I have heard estrogen does.....pms seems to be my biggest problem anymore,other times of the month i don't do too bad.When i have pms,my anxiety level is so high i can't hardly stand it.So is that due to low estrogen during that time?I have always had pms,but now that i'm in peri,it's so much worse.I've even thought about trying the progesterone cream again,but i keep thinking why bother if you don't use it during your period,that's when i need something the most(right before and during).....i also read that low estrogen is actually what causes anxiety/panic.I don't know what's right and what's wrong,so i feel like i should quit reading too.

Jade, Heck, hormones are so confusing it's enough to make your noggin' spin. All I know is that estrogen is prescribed for premenstrual headaches, so I'd assume this would be because it plummets then. Also, Prometrium, which is natural progesterone lists PMS type symptoms as a side effect. This estrogen dominance stuff never made sense to me. Then again I'm confused when it comes to hormones. I just know progesterone makes me bloated and sad. I also believe, if it works for an individual, be it soy or SSRIS, go for it. Life is Short! Placebo responses are high in many of these situations to complicate matters more. And the brutal insomnia is enough to ruin anyone's quality of life. Hang in hon, as my shrink said, "You only have to go through menopause once." He has plenty of patients our age.lol

Both estrogen and progesterone rise in the latter half of the cycle (progesterone rises ONLY if you happened to ovulate that month, otherwise you have almost zero the entire month, and women in their 40's and early 50's often do not ovulate), but both hormones drop a couple of days prior to menstruation, which has always been when I got migraines (usually the day before the period). Now, of course, I get them any old time! cris, if a doctor said to me, "You only go through menopause once," I'd sock him. I mean, come on, TEN YEARS or more of suffering shouldn't be reduced to that kind of statement. That is a huge part of your life; it's not like it's a weekend or something.

Aimee, I guess the physician's statement was rather smug, but since permanent insanity has been a fear of mine, it was helpful. Hormones confuse me. I think my brain likely reacts to the fluctuations rather than having a "hormonal imbalance." PMDD rather conditions one brain to react to the hormonal swings, increasing the chances for a rough menopausal transition. Or it could be bipolar.lol Yeah, now that you mention it I've been at this 8 years, 3 of which were totally debilitating. I hope I've seen the worst of the worst. I also had the combo of peri and mild Graves. Panic City. Aimee, I hope your headaches are at bay. Except for a dull premenstrual ache that hasn't been a problem. Migraines are suppose to be a nightmare.