hello members. I found these boards by searching for info about peri-menopause. Back in June I had a very tough start to my period, 2 days prior I was in agony, symptoms were worse than ever, these symptoms have been gradually changing over the last yr. The first thing that came to mind was "hormonal", I was told yrs ago by a gyn that women's cycles can change during the course of their "child yrs". I still thought 39 may be too young to have hot flashes! A week later I started waking extremely early, no matter what time I went to sleep I was up at 5:30 .... never happened before! with that I was trembling from head to toe, my skin felt feverish and I had chills but never had a fever, nausea, tingling feeling all over, my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. I went to my doctor right away and he told me I was depressed, I wasn't completely convinced but willing to look further into it since I lost my mom in March and we were getting ready to sell the family home, my b-day without her early am birthday wish etc. The grieving process was not completely ruled out but I wasn't 100% convinced. Denial?? maybe but I knew there was more to it!
2 visits and 2 anti-depressants later I felt no relief, my husband insisted I go to the ER after witnessing the trembling one morning thinking I may have been having a seizure, blood work, ct scan etc sent home with nothing! second trip my heart was pounding that doc told me to stop the anti-depressant and handed me a list of therapists.
Finally one doctor mentioned peri-menpause, I went to cardiologist to rule out any heart problems and "she" mentioned the possibility of a hormonal shift, every question she asked went right back to hormones. She prescribed klonopine to calm the early shaking, which has worked. I came home and immediately started keeping very detailed notes on every tiny symptom I had. Sure enough my cycle has changed since then, early 6 days, late 3 days, heavy flow the first day and a half light enough for a panty shield the rest, this month I had almost 6 days, my usual was 4. My first day this month I was extremely sweaty .. my underarms, back of my neck, gagging at the thought of food (especially in the morning), diarrehea. My gyn appointment is in few weeks and hopefully when seeing it all in writing something may actually strike! I almost had a fight with my reg doc because that office visit was 10 minutes so how can he immediately say depressed by looking at me for a few seconds... I've lived in this body for 39 yrs so I know when something isn't right, but he wouldn't hear all the "details" and became alittle put out when we told him I had to go the ER. and suggest therapy if it's not better soon. he acted as if "hormone" was a dirty word! I walked out and hadn't been to him since!! It's been the most frustrating few months to get most to hear what's going on without suggesting therapy after all tests/blood work come back telling me I'm very healthy!
I'm sorry for the long winded - very detailed message, I'm hoping to find someone who can relate to not only the symptomatic problem but the frustration getting answers.

Oh, barbz, I feel for you! I too am 39 and am having peri symptoms. Mine are still fairly mild, but the more reading I did about peri the more I became convinced that I was in it!

It certainly sounds like your symptoms are consistent with peri. It's really a travesty that so many doctors are clueless about peri! When I talked to mine, I read him a list of about 12 symptoms, and he just kinda laughed and said I am too young for peri. Uggh! I found a female gyno who specializes in meno, and she said it sounds like I'm in peri and that I'm not too young.

I also think that Dr.'s shouldn't think that they know enough about mental health to just quickly label people as depressed or having an anxiety disorder, and then promptly prescribe some pills. I believe that anyone who thinks they might be feeling depressed or anxious should talk to a counselor or therapist or psychologist, etc. about it. Mental health professionals are much better equipped to make these kinds of diagnoses and offer appropriate help, whether that includes pills or not. (End of rant!)

I do hope you find a Dr. who knows about peri and who will listen to your symptoms and give you some good answers. Don't put up with any Dr. who doesn't have a clue and who doesn't listen!

Glad you found PS. You are not alone!

thank you. I've been going to my gyn for awhile now and I've always trusted her. she's always been very attentive and will sit for a few minutes after asking if I had any questions to make sure everything was covered. the appointments are difficult to get though. she insists on pap smears every 6 months for some of her "younger" patients with family history.
my last was about 7 months ago and all was fine. alot of this happened between my visits, getting messages to her is also difficult, her staff wouldn't budge for awhile but I was assured she will call me Monday am. (FINALLY) I'm hoping I can get in early and sit and discuss all this with her, including what it was like to get that message through! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this dr will be the answer, she may not have a quick fix like the other drs had (pills) but just confirming it will be a huge relief!
thank you for the support, getting it out to others that can understand has been my therapy.

Is there a chat room here too?

[B][I] [SIZE=7]

Barbz, scroll down to the bottom of this page..and there's one open chat.

There's the Main Chat room that has chats Thursday nights.

Barbz,

You certainly are not alone. I'm 44. 2 years ago my hands started shaking 2 weeks before my period. My company was going through a major merger and I thought it was stress. It didn't stop. My OB/GYN (male) pegged it for beginnings of peri and gave me some Paxil like stuff. I didn't take it but instead got progesterone cream (over the counter). I used it days 14-28 and it worked. I also noticed at that time that my periods had gone from 21 days (same since I was 12) to 28 days. They were much shorter and way heavy.

4 months ago I had a panic attack right before my period when I had gone on vacation and left my progesterone cream at home. That started a downward spiral of panic attacks, anxiety, trembling from head to toe. I was lucky, sort of, 2 doctors immediately told me it was peri. My hormone tests seemed to prove that out and my mamograms got weird too - lots of cysts which is also common in peri.

Long story a little shorter - I'm here with ya only I had a hard time accepting it was peri. I kept thinking there was something wrong with me. Little by little I am accepting my diagnosis. It is hard for me to grasp that something so emotional could be just hormones and nothing else. I am going to a therapist but i'm learning he can only teach me how to cope, and not beat myself up. There is not only no magic pill, I can't even find a magic stressful event in my life to have started this!

I still feel better reading and re-reading posted on this site. I hope ours help you as well.

Barbz

At 39, you could definitely be perimenopausal. I have also heard this called "the change" before "the change". I am 48 years old and have been in perimenopause for 16 years. I don't want to scare anybody. Most of that 16 years my symptoms were not bad and not constant but be aware that can happen. When I was 32, anxiety and panic hit me like a ton of bricks!! For 3 years I battled that. When I was 35 that suddenly disappeared. I didn't take anything for it although maybe I should have because it really disrupted my life at times. I had a 3 year reprieve! Then at 38 I started having night sweats. Not bad ones, they would wake me up but as soon as I cooled off I went right back to sleep. That is still an ongoing thing, 10 years later! From the age of around 42 to 45 I walked around in a dream world. A whole lot of mental crap going on then. And the anxiety was back although no panic attacks. All through all of this I was able to function quite well. Maybe not quite well but I functioned! So far I haven't taken anything. I have bought lots of over the counter menopausal meds and they have sat on the cupboard shelf and expired. I am kinda drug phobic. I don't even like to take an aspirin for a headache but I will. If taking a drug meant life or death I would take it. From age 45 til now, age 48, I have probably at some point or another experienced just about every symptom on the "list". This past summer has really been a killer for me. Insomnia, anxiety and that shakiness (outward and inward) has really given me a run for my money. I can handle the freakin' hot flashes and night sweats, even the anxiety, believe it or not. I want to sleep like a normal person again and the shakiness.....to see me sometimes, you would think I had Parkinson's Disease. I don't. I know all this is due to perimenopause. My periods are all over the calendar and I used to be regular as clockwork. Hopefully soon and I know there is an end in sight for me, I will be done with most of this. Every woman is different. Stay with this Power Surge site. This has been a Godsend for me. I just wish I had found this years ago. And also the reason I told you all this, I have survived this, all these years. Keep in mind honey, most women don't go through this for that long. I am one of the lucky ones! (ha-ha) Having a sense of humor does help at this time of your life. We are all there with you.

Tots!

Can anybody tell me (I am somewhat computer illiterate) how to put those smiley faces in my posts or where on this site do I read how to do that! Thanks!

Tots, when you hit the reply, and it brings ya to the screen where you type in your reply, look to the left of the rectangle box.... you should see "Clickable Smilies" You can choose from what is already there, or click on " Show All" and it will bring up a few more than what is already shown.

Thank you DaMomma I hope that worked!

Thank you so much for your input. It took awhile but it's finally starting to piece together. Like I said earlier I was almost sure it was hormonal but I did have some life changing events happen within a short period of time. Of course my mom's death was the #1 factor, but after hearing the prognosis if she had fought even a few weeks longer, it would have been absolutely horrible and she wouldn't have it, the day after the doctor told her this she passed. I find some comfort that she called the shots (as she always did). some said I bounced back very quickly after the funeral. I have my private grief time every morning when I take my 30 minute walk
BUT STILL INSISTING ON MORE .....
I started searching every phrase with "hormone change" in it, it started to make alot of sense. even my husband knew, after 7 yrs he knows how to read the "warning signs"
I live a very stress free life, no work, no children, no money issues, wonderful husband, etc. I felt I had nothing to talk to a therapist about. As far as going through "the change" ... YIPEEEEE!! I've been saying for awhile now about how I could care less if it just went away for ever, I haven't wanted children and there is no way I would start at almost 40, so why even get it? It gives me a reason to put nice, calm Barb on a shelf and let evil, moody Barb out for a few days, other than that I can't find anyother reason to suffer with this monthly hell. enough is enough I started at 11. I often tell my husband to fasten his seatbelt for this wild rollercoaster. He says oye' maybe I'll work alot of overtime
I really appreciate letting me rant on and on about this ... I'm finding alittle humor in it as I vent.

barbz, we have some things in common! I too don't have kids, and haven't wanted to. So I am also kinda excited to get this meno thing going, the sooner the better!

So, you are "almost 40"? So am I! Just a few weeks to go and I'll be 40.

June I will be 40. this started approx 1 week after my 39th! Friends say I have too much time on my hands, spend too much time at home. Maybe lonely, depressed. I've been doing this for 7 yrs and never had a problem before with keeping myself busy while my husband is at work, I always loved being home during the day. It doesn't make sense to me that this is the cause, after 7 yrs out of the blue????
I spoke to my gyn yesterday and she said it could be a change BUT she can't/won't give me any script until I quit smoking .... today is day 2 on the patch. One month after quitting she can treat me, these patches take longer so this is just going to continue to be HELL. My appt is in two weeks and I will push for more. With all that's been going on I was concerned about using the patch, but so far so good. I'm still alittle on edge and moody ... it's been this way since Saturday (last day of my period) now not smoking is adding more attitude.

I'm 50 and looking back I think I can see that I started perimeno in my forties. My periods were heavy and irregular and for a while I had to see a blood specialist about anaemia. My doc wouldn't put me on bcp's as I was over 40 (don't smoke) and DH had had the snip. I also had days off work with stomach upsets or flu-symptoms that lasted a day!

When I was 43 I started with panic attacks following my Dad's death and husband's heart attack (43). With the help of a CPN and some diazepam, my life was back on track for a few years, then I started with stomach upsets that would give me diarrhoea, then certain foods would trigger it (dairy at first, then shellfish and now onions or batter). I was unwell on both holidays abroad in two consecutive years because of this, which made me feel over-anxious. That in turn made me anxious about going out. I have made myself do things but still back out of some events and haven't been away on holiday for two years. I also had a time when I didn't want anyone to visit, in case I had a stomach upset and they would hear me if I needed the toilet! Then hot flashes set in. I would feel nauseous, then shakey and then poof, hot from my waist to the top of my head. Once I got used to the initial feeling they stopped scaring me.

I also started with migraines (never had these before). I then had morning anxiety and was then fine again. Recently I have had evening anxiety or waking up feeling anxious in the night. I too am home all day.

I do think that distressing events can be a catalyst. After all, if adrenalin is trying to kickstart your estrogen and adrenalin kicks through your body when you have a shock, then it's a double-whammy! Like I've said many times...meno is a shape shifter, once you've got one thing cracked it appears in another form!

I am new to this board as well. I have the shakiness as well as muscle twitching, fatigue, etc... I was put on thyroid medication for hypothyroidism but that made me worse. I have been reading a lot and wonder if anyone has tried pregnenolone to boost the adrenals...to help the body cope with all these stresses.

I am 42 years old. I have some symptoms - weight gain, bloating, irritability, massive mood swings, heart palpitations, crying, dryness, etc - all while on low-dose birth control pills. How can this be? I literally can't stand this body I'm in anymore! I have an appointment tomorrow for some bloodwork, but I don't know if it will show anything or not. Maybe my thyroid is off - who knows? What I DO know is that, these days, I just about can't stand being me!!

Hi, Andicat and welcome!

You are certainly in good (and like) company here! Just take a look around at the boards and you'll see that most of us have had at least one, if not all, of the symptoms you are having right now.
With any luck your blood work will show something but don't be surprised if it doesn't. It took me 3 visits to convince my GYN that what I am experiencing is peri. Most of them just look at the individual symptoms but when you put them all together, along with your age, it sure adds up!
It's definitely nice to be here with people who know exactly what you're going through! It's certainly kept me sane!
Make sure to check out the recommendations page, there's lots of good ideas on there for what works for what. I know I have had good luck taking magnesium for the heart palps, for instance.

Vicki

Thank you, Mrsb!! It IS comforting to know that I am not alone.
I will update when I get the bloodwork results.

Well, my bloodwork shows that my red blood cell count is low, so they want me to come in Monday for another test, some sort of blood "smear" test.
I'll tell you one thing - I sure am sick and tired of CRYING all the time and being in this depressed state.