My name is Toni; I'm new here and totally scared and confused. In two months, I'll be 50. Don't know if I'm having a nervous breakdown or if it's hormone related. Before I list some of my symptoms, please let me explain why I'm so afraid. My ob gyn said that perimenopause does not cause these problem She won't test my hormones because she feels blood tests are unreliable), my regular doctor said that if my ob gyn can't find anything, then I'll be feeling this way forever ( he did run every test under the sun including scans of my heart, liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands and could not find anything wrong), my psychiatrist suggest hospitalization, and a naturopath also said that my symptoms are not hormone related-she said that my adrenals are depleted and sold me $200 in herbs which did nothing for me. Thyroid levels are checked every three to six months, and my medications are optimized. When I try to talk to friends, family, and other neighborhood women, they also confirm that my problem must be something else because they don't recall feeling like I do. Right now, my biggest problem is fear of what may be wrong with me since nobody seems to relate it to hormones. Fear of having to live like this forever and fear of a future I may not have because of these symptoms. Oh well, here are the wonderful symptoms: Anxiety and panic attacks (nothing in my live is causing them) internal shakes very irregular periods, waves of depression (not like the normal blues) insomnia or crushing fatigue muscle pains, cramps, weakness, tightness leg cramps feeling very cold at times or feeling very hot feelings of fear and doom mood swings and rage bloating on and off brain fog inability to lose weight inability to tolerate stress feelings of suffocation loss of energy inappropriate emotional response gastrointestinal problems flat emotions fear of going out and doing the things I used to enjoy Some of the symptoms, I had developed in my 30s, but everything got really bad this year. So what's going on with me? I need to be here because so many have similar symptoms, and I have nowhere else to go. Please help me. Thank you.

Toni, welcome to the club!! I'm 49 too and can seriously relate to many of your symptoms. Read these forums - and keep reading. The more you read the more you'll be encouraged. Maybe you could give this site address to your doctors -they might learn something! Hang in there, don't be scared, be encouraged!

Hi and welcome! Ohmigod - sit down in front of your computer and prepare to read - every one of your symptoms has been discussed here. Nothing sounds unusual. I myself have not experienced some but I have read about them all since I joined this board. Also I dont like your OB/GYN. I went to one one time that was more interested in the young women (there were lots of pregnant women in her waiting room) I was in my mid 40's at the time and I asked her about birth control, cuz I didnt want to take any chances and she got irritated that I would even think that I might get pregnant and then talked to me like I was stupid. I never went back to her! Any way - Just get yourself a snack, grab a seat, and be prepared to be enlightened! Good Luck! Kelly

Toni, you could have been describing me. Actually, all of us. We all have these symptoms. I've been plagued with them on and off for years. I'm 55 now and started perimenopause when I was 48. Do not fear; you are not having a nervous breakdown and you're not dying. Hang in there! It's a rough ride, but it does end! Hugs, Meryl

Toni I know just how you feel. I have had the same symtoms as you spoke of for 3 years now. I had my hormone levels done and the dr. said "everything is in normal range" as far as my estrogen and progesterone. Well, guess what now I feel as if I am some type of a nut case. My anxiety is out of control right now. Not one friend of mine is suffering from what I thought was meno symptoms. The Dr. thinks that this is brought on by stress. I asked her how can this be............2 periods a month fur on my face wicked anxiety with palps on and off. If the dr. had just said to me "your numbers are in the peri range" I would be feeling a hell of alot better right now. Instead I too feel on the edge of a break down. Not to mention it would be easier on my husband for me to tell him his once fun outgoing wife is in perimemopause. If thats not enough my dhea is so high that I am having a ct scan. What is my dhea? God knows I wont look it up on the webs. I am scared alone and feel like a failure as a mother and a wife. So, Toni you are not alone. I cant believe that my hormones are not making me into this stranger. I just so wanted to hear that this is hormones and not my head doing this to me. I take one day at a time. And if one more person says "Whats wrong with you" I guess now I can say " I think I cracking up" Hope things get better

Toni, hang in there girlfriend! You've just listed about every symptom that I have/have had over the past 5 years. (Meryl and I seem to be related we have so many symptoms in common!) There aren't many doctors out there today that will admit menopause can cause all of these woes and troubles. I happen to be lucky to have one that DOES listen and DOES believe it's menopause related. Stick around Power Surge my friend. Here you'll find so many women that are right where you are, and are so very willing to share their thoughts and feelings with you. And in my opinion, that's the best medicine in the world for a meno gal! HUGS!

Welcome to the club. I have all of those symptoms. It's just the lovely world of perimenopause/menopause. I know this one doctor thought I was crazy when I gave him my symptoms. He said no way is this related to perimenopause/menopause. Wrong! It all is related and there are days where it's all I can do to get up and go to work. One thing you may try is magnesium vitamins. I take 400 mg a day and it helps me alot. I also try to eat alot of bananas. Let me know!

Toni- I am so glad you posted. You could be me. I am 46 and all this crap started in March of last year when I was 45. I started to be unable to sleep thru the night and I mean I woke up every hour on the hour and then did not get more than 2 to4 hours of sleep. Next the panic attacks/terrible anxiety set in like I had never experienced before I mean 24/7 everyday. I had something similar in my late 30's when I was abruptly taken off birth control other than that never like this. I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I would wake up with my teeth chattering and my muscles so tight I felt as if I would break in half. Went to my female internist. She ran a blood test and said everything looks fine maybe you have General Anxiety Disorder and need an AD or a sleeping pill. I didn't believe her. I went to a counsoler for stress she was not convinced at first that it was hormone related but I found this site and a new doctor and I convinced her eventually. She told me that people who suffer from panic attacks DO NOT HAVE Nervous Breakdowns. She said absolutely no way. That made me feel good. I have a couple of suggestions. 1. Find a new psychiatrist right away. Find someone who teaches Cognative Behavioral Therapy. This helps with panic. 2. Find a new Gyn right away. Your drs were as ignorant as mine regarding peri. There are drs out there that specialize in Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy 3. Call Bellevue Pharmacy on this site and get a saliva test done. You don't need a Dr to order it and most times insurance will cover the cost. If not, take one anyway it is worth the piece of mind it will give you. 4. Take magnesium at night right before bed to help you sleep and help reduce the plaps. 5. Find some natural progesterone cream you can apply while you wait for the tests if it is really bad. Call Pete at Bellevue. He can help. 6. Maybe an AD or an antianxiety med can help get you thru this rough spot. I don't take any now but I will if I need to. Like I said, my blood work was normal but my saliva test showed that I was low normal in estrogen and very very low in progesterone. Progesterone gives the body a calming effect and if your progesterone levels are low this is why you are feeling such anxiety. If you don't feel well enough to do all of this alone, get your husband involved. Show him this site and make him read some of the stories. I am better than I was when this all started although this month I had a relapse. Anxiety thru the roof, can't sleep, don't feel like eating, bad mood swings and low lows. But I am working with my Dr and Pete to get this leveled out again. This will take some time and I know you will want this to work right away. It doesn't so try to be patient. I am having a hard time being patient because it is scary when it comes back. But do know that I felt great for six months before it changed again and I have several great months in a row off and on when the hormones were balanced. I come to this site everyday to read and post. It helps me to not feel so alone and scared. I wish I could give you a hug. Everything will be ok. I was right where you are now and I am sort of back there again but it does improve. It really does. The more information you have the better you will feel. Hang in there I am right there with you. Lots of us need help thru this change. It can be miserable. Sandy

Toni and periweary- Hang in there and take a saliva test. I think they are more accurate than blood work. Also Toni eat small meals protein to help calm your nerves. I keep hard boiled eggs on hand. Sandy

Toni - I read your posting and almost cried - You are not alone in this. I know just what you mean. It is scary, but you have lots of support here. What 40Something wrote is so true. 40Something - what a great reply. You really touched something. Almost all of what you are describing about you fits me, too. Thank you for everything that you took the time to write. Hugs, -Mary Beth

Don't worry Periweary, none of my friends are anxious either (yet) even though they are the same as me. I'll be ready and waiting for them when it catches up!

Hi MaryBeth- Thanks for your reply. I felt I had to write because I was going thru something similar when all this started and I have had a relapse this November. None of my friends are experiencing this that will admit it. It is so sad that this is still a hush hush topic because it really needs the attention and validation of the medical community or women will get taken down the wrong road and suffer more. Thanks to Dearest for this wonderful site and all of the work she has done. It is really a GOD send. This is the only place I have found where people can discus how they are really feeling, get encouragement and support. I am sorry MB that you are going thru this too. It is hard. I am feeling a bit of improvement but not enough to let go of the worry that this crap will continue forever. I am on the second week of my new NHRT persrciption so I will just have to be patient and since adjustments were made last week I guess that starts me over again (added more progesterone to the mix) This can really be exhausting. I can not wait till this is all over and I am myself again. Hurry up postmeno! Sandy

First, need to apologize to all you wonderful ladies for taking so long to reply. It seems the minute I turned 49, this year turned into the year from hell. Everything that can go wrong has been going wrong. Last week my kitty got sick, and she may be dying. Will pick her up from the vet in an hour. But, I have been reading lots of messages posted here, but I'm still not convinced it's peri. I used to believe that hormones were the culprit to my problems, but so many doctors convinced me otherwise that I lost faith in myself. And since the last one ( a naturapath) convinced me that my adrenal glands are shot, I now freak out about that and blame all my symptoms on that. Oh yeah, for the first time in my life, I just got a period two weeks after the last. It was mainly spotting and watery. Now, my anxiety is really out of control. Every time I try progesterone cream, I get hot, clammy, more anxious, and sweaty. Also, anti-anxiety meds and antidepressants don't really seem to work anymore. Pimples are popping up and my skin is becoming oily. I had a pretty rough time with puberty, but this is so much worse. Made an appointment with my gyn for tomorrow, and I will demand to be tested for several hormones. And I won't take 'no' for an answer. I need to get ready to pick up my fur baby, so I'll get back to you ladies later. Much love, Toni

Man, You sound just like me. Right down to the AD and anti- anxiety agents not working anymore. Hormone tests are useless. In peri the hormones can fluctuate from hour to hour. Don't listen to doctors. It sounds like peri to me. I had a horrid history of PMS, so can expect a miserable peri. It's a long, rocky ride. Hang in, there. Learn to trust yourself. Not some medical "expert," who is flying by the seat of his pants.

Although my psychiatrist never suggested hospitalization. At my worst I kept begging to go to the hospital, because I wanted to be cured of whatever was possessing me. My thyroid accounted for some of the panic. Have the thyroid checked? Hospitalization is usually only necessary for those who are a danger to themselves or others. I'm just riding out the pain, because time seems to be my allay. And hope. Try some of the suggestions. Progesterone and the pill make me feel more depressed, but since I get the psychiatric variety of PMS, so this is understandable. I'm sick of this. May we be mellow old ladies. Also exercise, get light, eat healthfully and all that boring stuff. I guess I've found better doctors. Any doctor who discounts the impact of hormones is a dimwit. I've researched high and low and found plenty of valid medical studies, stating that hormones are implicated in mood and anxiety symptoms. More and more is coming out. They know squat. This adrenal burnout sounds hookey to me. My cortisol was slightly elevated from depression and stress, which is medically validated.

We must have better doctors here. Plus, you have to tell them what you want.

Dr.s don't know- only you know. I've given up on them for now; mine just told me that after three months of being on the pill for all the peri symptoms and still having raging hotflashes, horrible anxiety and all the rest... "go off them." I've been having a very weird period for over a week, now it looks like I'm bleeding internally because it's so red- I'm so scared. "just go off the pills".. is it that easy? what about checking me out? What is going off the pills going to do to me?Jeez, I just finally got boobs again from being on them (also 10 pounds) ha ha. I'm stressing about everything again and it's unbearable. It's a good thing I did go ahead and go back on an antidepressant.... doesn't seem to help the way it used to though. Is it true they don't work the same when you're hormones are screwed up? I'm 33 years OLD, and my mind and body thinks it's 53! Plus, I just spent a gazillion dollars on christmas gifts and stuff and my husband will probably either freak or be totally understanding and think I am ridiculous. I don't even know anymore when I am overreacting and being too sensitive! I used to have a handle on this. I wonder if the pill has made me be more depressed.... some of you women have said that it did that to them. I'll be finding out. I also am wondering about natural progesterone cream.... I"m scared to try it. Having a bad day just about every day s*cks... try being a mom to two wild 6 & 4year old boys.... I love them so much, I just worry they are starting to think I've lost it too. Peace

susieeb Hi Try the progesterone cream or natural progesterone thru Pete or another compounding pharmacy. It has helped me some with the anxiety. You are so right about drs. Most don't know a thing when it comes to woman's hormones. Keep trying to find a good dr in your area. Pete lists doctors that work with natural hormone replacement in different states. This is the most awful thing I have been thru and I can not wait until it all stops. Sandy

I've been going thru 95 % of your symptoms for that last couple of years. They bounce around most of the time from 1 to another. For the last year my periods were coming 2 - 4 days early every month , and i bled " my norm " 4 days. I just turned 45 in Nov of this year and my last period ( which i'm still on ) day 8 !!! came 10 days early. I've never had an irregular period before. :x Out of the blue a couple months ago i started having anxiety / panic attacks when i layed in bed trying to sleep. A couple times i woke up in that state. Your not alone , and i do think from what i've learned so far that your going thru peri . YOU are the 1 paying for this test , she does not have the right to deny you this. When i want a test done , just from looking at info online, i tell my Primary doc and she orders it. I just had my hormones tested last month and the results came back Neg ! Will be making an appt. with my GYN , as SOON as i stop this bleeding! I'm taking " Flexeril " at nite to sleep as well as help my TMJ symptoms , that started with all of this. Take Care and keep us posted.

Hi Tony, I haven't written on the board recent, I just come and read without signing in.. BUT I feel compel to answer your post.. Forget what your doctors have told you> have we not all heard that song and dance Ladies? Guess at this point you no longer feel alone! Most of us have been here for awhile many much longer then me, if you find the time please go back and read posts from the past.. You will see every symptom you have mention, since someone has battle it at one time or another... Yes it scary! > Hell I felt so bad two years ago I begged my doctor to send me to a neurologist, since I believed I had MS. There was just to many things strange things going on with my body.. Next week I will be 48 and all my problems started right after I turned 42. In these 5 years I have been to a endocrinolgist-psychiathrist-neurolgist-rhematologist-allergist-gastroenterolgy, OBGYN (several) and of course my very patient family doctor a internal medicine doctor..beside the mainstream medical care I have tried herbal treatment. So where does this leave me? Beside calling myself a hypochondriac >I am no better off.. I'm staying away from doctors, except my family one... I'm pretty much a recluse and love it.. I work from home, have no friends but it seems to be what I need at this time of my life... Stress I can not handle even in small doses... I'm skipping Christmas, since it brings back sad memories from my childhood.. I rarely can find the brain cells to read a book. But recent I have had days where I have felt normal> that's saying a lot for me. The past two years my periods where coming every 18-21 days and lasting 10.. My life was one big period and PMS. I was on the pill three times> HA they made me feel worse.. BUT the last two months my periods have been a week late, not for sure what it means but since I feel better it has got to be GOOD! Wish I had answers for you but I'm still struggling like so many other here. Oh I just recently recall my Mother's younger sister becoming a recluse in her late 40's> I mean buying a cabin by a lake and rarely leaving it... My Mom die the year I started peri-meno but she was not like that, she was social and out going. I remember my Mom saying menopause drove her sister nuts! So I'm trying to contact my Aunt and see if she will talk to me I can sure relate to feeling nuts! ~Crista

Meryl, oh my gosh, you have been at this since you were 48? Are you doing better now than before? I don't even know if I can make it another hour; I feel so weird and can't even put it into words.Toni

Periweary, I just feel so weak and sick; I can't believe it. I no longer know who I am. It seems as though as if I'm outside my body. This morning I just had to lie down. When hubby asked if something was wrong, I just told him I need to sleep because I'm going through the final transformation. Don't know where those crazy thoughts came from, but this is not something a sane woman would say. And right now, I'm very afraid of my thoughts. Toni

Kathy46, thanks for the suggestions. I already take the magnesium so I'll add some bananas. Toni

40something, wow, thanks for your input. I did contact Pete but have not heard back from him. I did see my gyn again and had a long talk with her. She apologized and is having all hormones tested. To start me out, she gave me a prescription for Estrace and Prometrium. Of course, I have not yet started them because I'm afraid of the side effects. It seems, nowadays, I'm afraid of everything. Thank you, Toni

Chriscarol, thank you for your kind words. To me this whole mess feels like PMS 24/7...it's horrible. I'm not quite 50 yet, and don't know how much more I can take. Especially if it gets worse as we turn 50. At least that's what my mother's friend told me. And it is getting worse each week as I get closer to 50. Sometimes, I just don't have the strenght to exercise. And all this brain fog is making me nuts. I have been crying so much because nothing really seems to help me. It makes me wonder what kind of future I'll have. Toni

Hi Shimmerrr, I has not been this bad before. Then my periods became very light and watery; that's when things started to get out of control. Hate to see what life is like when the perods to stop. Toni

Hi Snowmoon56, thanks for the kind words. I too feel like I have PMS all the time. The pill was no help since I could not tolerate them. I'm scared to death to end up like your aunt because I don't want to leave the house anymore with the way I feel. And I used to be outgoing and doing so many things with my life. Now, I'm afraid of everything. Hope you get a chance to talk to your aunt. Toni

Try not to project!! I still believe this ends someday. Not today though. :twisted: Everyone's experience is different, so don't think you'll follow the same pattern as your mother's friend. Two years post, most women feel better than before this whole insanity started. Man, I was DEPRESSED this cycle and I'm still bleeding. I've been having closed periods lately. Hate that. I'm sick of this, as I'm sure we all are. Hang in ladies.

Snowmoon, My ability to handle stress is awful, as well. Shoot, menopause is driving me nuts. I prefer to be alone for the most part, too. I can't stand my own company! LOL I'm sorry Christmas evokes painful memories for you. Perhaps starting a new tradition with your loved ones would bring comfort. It's a good sign that you're having more good days. It's a roller coaster ride!! I'm astounded by how alike we all feel when we share our situation. Being dealt a lousy hormonal hand I'm amazed some women go through this unscathed. No need to feel alone any longer.

Toni- I would go with the bioidentical hormones from Pete. I think what your Gyn perscribed are synthetics. The bioidenticals work better. Sandy

Toni,I hope that you are feeling better knowing that others have and/or are experiencing the exact same symptoms and that you are far from being alone. Your original message really made me choke-up with tears because I've often felt the same way. Glad to hear you are going back to the doctor and taking control. Doctors are often stupified by what a woman's body goes through during this phase of our life. I've gone thru 3 OBGYN's since I've been down here in FL and I got lucky on the 3rd one. I've had more body changes in the last 2-3 years with spine problems and I just take it one day at a time. It has become one of the biggest challenges I've ever had to face thus far. With the drug alerts on Celebrex and Vioxx and now Aleve, I am afraid to take my Bextra since it's in the same class of drugs. Boy, does that pill work wonders for me but I have cut it down to 2-3 times per week instead of daily.Peri has taught me where my limits/boundaries are and where my pitfalls are. Since I'm a real people-person, it's best I surround myself with people at work who care. That is the main reason I keep coming to this site - for the many friends I have made this past year. This is a very caring and comforting crowd of women here at this site who will support you and help you through your worst of times. This is where you'll get the best advice and lots of encouragement when you are feeling down. For me, the anxiety is the worst and I go to work in tears because I just don't want to leave the house plus work is so stressful. I have not been able to handle stress since the year 2000 and I know it's all hormonal. These last few months, I have been working myself to death and have just been so exhausted. The work situation is soon to change after the first of the year and I am proud of myself for sticking with it. I don't know how I hung in there besides shear determination and being bull-headed. I absolutey refuse to be pushed out (that's a long story I'll tell one day soon after the 1st of the year).Toni, keep your chin up, know that you have people here who understand and care (even when our own personal friends are unable to), and keep us informed on how the doctor visit went. Take care of yourself,Tina

Toni,One last thing I forgot to mention ...Please don't be afraid of your own thoughts unless they are harmful which I doubt they are. Your body is changing and the remark you made to your husband about your transformation is true and not abnormal at all. Now's the time to start listening to your little "inner-voice" that we've learned to push deep down and ignore. It's your "true-you" trying to tell you something and help guide you along. If that sounds strange, I'm sorry but for me it worked back in 2001 when I was deep in the throwes of peri and so very lost and removed from my own self. I felt so off-track in my course through life.It was hard at first to learn to listen and trust my inner-voice but by God it was the best thing I've ever done. What a difficult time it was but I trusted in myself and literally changed my entire lifestyle and began to focus more on myself and my family. I also did alot of mental housecleaning - reflecting on my life as a child, my wonderful father, my jobs and career and coming to terms with getting rid of the guilt of working through my children's lives, letting go of a few friends who were negative and whom I felt only used me, and just getting back to the basics and finding a purpose in life again. To me, this was the beginning of my transformation in accepting what was happening to my body. My Grandmother also had a very difficult time in menopause and I wish so often she were here so I could talk to her about it. Mom doesn't remember and my sister and friends cannot relate at all; I believe they think I am "strange". My support sytem is this wonderful site and a few friends at work who are going through the same symptoms. Hugs,Tina

Prometrium and Estrace are "naturals." Transdermal estrogen bypasses the liver,so may be safer.

Tina, as usual, has hit the nail on the head when talking about mental housecleaning. I too would completely trust the voice that tells you you're in transformation.

In the process of recovery from depression, my head has often swum around with stupid songs, etc., but occasionally things that are important "pop up." Memories that I want to revisit. The gift of depression for me has been that I am far, far less judgemental than before. We are all doing the best we can, and life throws us a lot of punches. We're all Bozos on this bus!

Let's give ourselves a break. Take rest times, trust that our families and friends love us, and have the occasional chocolate bar. Life's too short - gather our rosebuds where we may!

My mother & aunts say my grandma (Memere) almost lost her mind in meno. I remember her sitting alone in her room a lot of time, or just sitting with family but saying nothing. Wish she was here to talk to.

Love you all, Dear Friends.

I had to smile when I re-read your post Toni about your transformation. As you can see from the following posts we women get it but I can imagine your husband's alarm. He probably wondered what would rise when you got out of bed!

If men went through this it would already have a cure!

Hi girls,
I just came across this thread and felt so sorry for Toni.. I can relate so much to her post, as I'm sure most of us can. When we're hit with these symptoms, its natural to question whats going on with us. As a result, we become scared and uncertain and in our confusion, we run to our doctors hoping for some type of diagnosis or reassurance. In my experience, doctors are a waste of time and energy. When I started Peri-menopause, the symptoms scared the hell out of me (still do sometimes), and I wanted my doctor to at least validate my feelings and not look at me as if I were from another planet. Most of the doctors that I have seen are plain ignorant. They think they know your body better than you do. I have no time for them anymore. If I have a probelm with any symptom and I think its related to hormones, I come here. Here is what helped me.

We're lucky to have eachother and I count Power Surge as one of my blessings.

Thanks for allowing me to vent. I'm in "hate doctors" mode today


Gez

Amen, Gez, and it's nice to see you on the boards.

Hope things have settled down some since last autumn!

And I agree: "Here is what helped me."

Dearest, are you listening? WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Jacquie

Even though I know none of you personally, reading these posts I just had an overwhelming feeling of being so connected to each of you. My gosh..when I read Toni's posts then all the replies it made me ever more grateful to have found Power Surge. I go through times where I don't feel up to posting, sometimes I just don't have the words..peri has made me withdraw into myself at times, but then I come back and feel so glad to be here.

Toni~~As many others have said..your symptoms are so much like ours. When I read your first post I felt your frustration. Doctors can be so uncaring..I have given up on mine. When I was 47 I told him I was having a few symptoms that I felt were menopausal, he ignored me and said I was to young. I'm 51 now and my symptoms are full blown, but I have no faith in him to even mention it. I agree with Gez and Jacquie..Power Surge has helped me most, it's given me more answers than any doctor could or would even take the time to discuss. I research and research..I try alternative meds and if they don't work I try again..I just won't give up.."we can get past this". Right now I'm trying b-complex, and I can honestly say it has given me some energy back (there were times when tying my shoes were an effort) and calmed my nerves a bit. I don't know how long it will take us to get through this..but Toni..hang in there and let us know how you are and believe!!

~~Hugs~~

Dear Toni,

I am 47 years old and as I type I feel slightly dizzy and my brain actually feels a few degrees cooler than usuall. In August 2004, I woke up at 9:00 a.m. still laying flat on my back in my warm bed, and all of a sudden I felt like I was going to faint! I called my 23 year old daughter into my room and told her I felt like I was dying. I actually debated back and forth with her in a whispering voice on whether or not I should call an ambulance. I decided to not make a fool of myself and had her get me some cheese and bread. I felt so exhausted....I had crushing fatigue. I also started have gastrointestinal problems. By 1:00 p.m. I had a Doctor appointment at Kaiser....a doctor thought I had a gastro virus and she then mentioned menopause symptoms. She was very nice...and we laughed together about how all of my five sisters are going through this together.

The following month I felt dizzy so I decided to count how many days from my 1st day of my last period it was. It was exactly the 9th day....I was layed up like I had the flu for 3 days. After the 3rd day I felt as though something was lifted from my brain. I was not as tired and I was not dizzy anymore. Now.....I have been tracking this since August 2004 and I seem to feel my worst exactly 9 days from the 1st day of my period. Then came January and I had crushing fatigue and dizziness beginning on the 7th day.......today is the 8th day and I am still feeling tired and dizzy. That is why I am on this site and came across your post. When I read it.......I said...."You bet your going through peri....pause......LOL! I JOINED THE CLUB TODAY......and will be sharing this site with my five sister who are age 47 - 54 years of age. Also, I have had rapid heart beats come right out of the blue!

Rumoret,

Your careful tracking of your symptoms is so impressive! You go, girl! It's certainly clear that your symptoms are related to the hormone dips.

And tho' I wouldn't wish this stuff on you, it's a blessing that you have sisters to go through it with. And now, you have all US sisters, too!

Nice to have you aboard - thanks for sharing!

Hi all! All these posts have made me feel so much better!!! I'm NOT losing my mind, I'm NOT alone!!!!! You guys are the best! This web site is the best! For those who are sick and tired of bouncing around from one doctor to the next and not getting what you need, I strongly urge you to contact Dr. Phillip Warner (just click on his name on this web site). He is great, he listens, and he knows what he's talking about!!! He's in Marysville California and for those of you not anywhere near there he will be more than glad to do a phone consultation with you and get you on the road to feeling like yourself again!!!

Dear Joliejacq:

Well everyone it is Monday, January 17th, 2005......and my faint feeling is much less, and my brain does not feel as cold as it did the last three days. I am so glad to be able to share my experiences with each of you during this foggy winter day in California. I look so forward to the 3rd week in February when the sunshine starts to return.....and the foggy overcast skies start to disappear. I want to commend all of you who have to suffer through longer winters and deal with some of the symptoms mentioned on this board.

Terry

Hi Terri

I posted to you on the "could I be perimenopausal thread" too. I didn't realize that you were also experiencing the dizzies. My very first symptoms were dizziness and anxiety. I was sure I had a brain tumor. Never once did I consider impending meno--( I have a Peter Pan complex). I started out searching the internet for symptoms of brain tumors and strokes, but somehow accidentally came across this site. Hallelujah!!!!!! and duhhhhh. I guess I was in denial about approaching middle age. I've been here about 2 years and have learned so much about what I'm going through and what I can expect. Knowlege is power. Once you have the facts, you find that the fear takes care of itself. Have a great day.

Donna

I have also had many of the symptoms listed, Each year seems to change the symptoms. I also have had dizziness a few times this year which is a new one for me. I am on my second gyn. I am trying really hard not to freak out over the stuff my body is doing these days but I long for the days when I knew my body well. This is a very difficult time, hang in there.