Hello everyone, this is my first post. I'm 36 years old, married with no children, and I've had a few odd symptoms for the past few years. I'm wondering if it could be the start of the big P...perimenopause---or just stress.

First of all, seems like when I turned 31 or 32 I began to have a lot of dryness in the last half of my cycle. I'd be fine after the first few days of my period, but as soon as I ovulated, the irritated, dry, itchy feeling would start. As a newlywed at 31, this was NOT FUN. Needless to say, I'm thankful for marrying such a loving understanding man.

Now at 36, the dryness isn't as bad as it was then, but I still have my moments, usually right before my period. Also, my GYN said she saw signs of some atrophy. I tried estrogen cream but even with a tiny amount applied to the outside, I had daily headaches, my face broke out, and my period got heavier. So I stopped it. It really didn't help anyway. The skin in that general area is definitely more delicate these days, if you know what I mean..

I'm getting some other symptoms as well. Actually, if I think back, I started having these symptoms in my early 30s, too...

The most disturbing and frightening symptom is a sudden all-out fatigue and exhaustion/weakness that makes me feel like I'm going to just collapse right on the spot. I mean, I can feel FINE one minute, and the next, I feel like someone pulled the plug and all my life force is GONE. After a short while, it passes and I feel fine again. It doesn't happen every day, but enough to scare me and make me wonder if I've "got something serious."

Very lightheaded the first day of my period. Sometimes I'll get lightheaded a day or so before my period as well.

Vaginal dryness and irritation, with a libido that comes and goes (sometimes it's fine, other times it's gone).

I went through a horrible time of vertigo and constant dizziness starting when I was about 30, but I attributed it the stress/anxiety I was dealing with at that time. MRI was negative, blah, blah...

I've had migraines since about 26, but it used to be every few months. Now it's at least once a month if not more.

Used to wake up soaking wet from sweat, and shaky. I attributed this to stress/anxiety as well. It hasn't happened in a long time, now. So I'm still not sure what it stemmed from. Maybe it was hormonal?

I've had some blood work done, and my progesterone was 0.7 which they said was the level "of a menopausal woman," I was tested at the wrong time in my cycle, though (pre-ovulation), and when tested again two months later at the right time, it was within the normal range (7). Estrogen was fine, as was testosterone.

My memory isn't what it used to be.

I tire easily and feel "old" because I don't have that get-up-and-go I'm so used to having.

My mood is pretty good, though. PMS isn't any worse.

Could this be the wonderful Big P?

Karen

Hi KB
Welcome to Power Surge! From what you are describing ..it sounds to me like your starting peri. And as far as the blood work...the levels can change from minute to minute...hour to hour... and day to day. The way I see it..the only time it will be accurate is after you have been in menopause for a few years...right now it just fluctuate's too much. My theory is..if you think its peri...it probably is. Most of the women on here have gone to the Doc and told them that they thought they were in peri and the Doc told them "NO" ..they were too young..or levels say you are not...but as you keep reading this site...you will find ...Doctors dont know too much about Menopause. So read all the information that Dearest has put on this site and you will find all the answers you are seeking. The message boards are a great source of info,comfort and friendships...but there is alot more to this site. Go to the PS home page and read all the articles..guest chats and there are even some books you might be interested in.

Glad to have you aboard!

Peace
AA

Hi KB! Welcome aboard!

I think we've just about all done the same thing you are...get the weird symptoms and think it's something else. Then you happen upon a site like Power-Surge....wait,what am I saying...there IS no other site like Power-Surge! All of a sudden a light goes on. I'm not crazy! There is a reason I feel like this! Thanks God! Someone else who feels like I do.

AA is right. There is so much information on this site. Take a look at the 34 symptoms of peri. You'll be surprised how many of them you thought was something else. I'd like to give every doctor treating women out there a copy of it. Most of them don't seem to know about them.

Spend some time here reading. I think you'll feel relieved and happy you've found Power-Surge. I know I was!

mrsb

KB..Me too..Welcome aboard!

I ditto with AA,(Anxiety Attack) and MrsBeasley..(mrsb76)...

I know what ya mean about not knowing for sure whether it is stress or the hormones..been there STILL doing that. I do know though for a fact that Im in peri though.

READ, READ, RAED,..the whole PS site hun, you will be amazed....

Hi KB and other ladies,

I started feeling like I was losing my mind at 36. My periods were erratic and I would jump at the slightest noise. I had nightsweats and palpitations. I went to my obgyn and was given a comic book on pms. I ended up in a full-blown depression. Thank goodness my gp put me on Paxil. All of my symptoms went away , but I ended up pregnant and gave birth at 38 ! After I had her, I did okay for several years, but ended up on low dose continual birthcontrol for a year and then switched to Zoloft when I was having trouble with breakthrough bleeding and anxiety. I have been on Zoloft for two years now. Last spring, the nightsweats returned with a vengeance, along with internal tremors. I started having trouble with dizziness. My doctor gave me B-12 injections (helped a bit) and said that I had low testosterone. My fsh levels were normal. I have no libido. I am really sensitive to noises and smells. I get sick every month just before my period (nauseated, flu-like achiness, sinus problems). I hate to take sick days, but sometimes I just can't haul myself in to work. I have gained 20 pounds in the last four months. I am constantly tired. The most recent symptom is stabbing pain in one eye that settles into a dull, strong ache behind my eye. I just had a testosterone injection and all it did was make the night sweats worse. Today I read the symptoms of perimenopause and I have almost all of them. I just gave the list to my husband to read and he came back, saying I've mentioned 90% of them. My mother died when I was 32, so I know how hard it is not to have someone older to discuss this with. My mother-in-law died before we were married. My sister just stopped having periods at 50; no other symptoms! I guess, in my long-winded way, I am saying that you aren't crazy even though you feel that way, and I'm not either. I think we were lucky to find this site. I am going to find a compounding pharmacist (who is Pete?) and try some Revival Soy. I agree with the other gals who said that we need to use this site and all of its resources. Lots of women have survived this; we will, too! Hang in there with me!

Pete is the Pharmacist here on PS...you can find more about him in ASK THE EXPERTS at the top of this page, right hand side in Power Surge Quick Links.

Hi Karen -

I just joined this forum tonight after finally realizing I may be in early menopause. Like you I'm 36, married, with no children, and because of my age most people - including at least one doctor - have scoffed at the idea of menopause. However, I've read that women who don't have children can experience early menopause, and my mother-in-law began menopause at 38, so I know it's more than possible. I realize now that my symptoms have been coming on for the last few months without my understanding what they were, and only a recent scare in which I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the ER for cold-sweat and intense nausea/light-headedness (they found no cause) made me start thinking, as unbelievable as it seemed to me just a week ago, about early menopause. I never even considered it before, since the common wisdom is that menopause doesn't happen until mid-forties at the earliest. Apparently there are many women in their late 30's experiencing this. I'm just so glad to have discovered this forum, because the anxiety I've been feeling has been intense. It's almost 4 in the morning and I'm only awake because I just came off another bout of intense nausea/light-headedness/anxiety, and came to the computer to google about menopause. Just reading other womens' posts here have made me feel immense relief.

Anyway, I have nothing really useful to offer since I just got here myself. I just wanted to say hello because we're so similar in 'stats' (age, no children). I'm sure we'll both be learning a lot here!

Just wanted to chime in here. I'm 39 and have no children and have been having weird symptoms for about 6 months that most doctors have said can't be peri because I'm "too young." My GYN said my symptoms were very normal for my age and not to be concerned because it's just normal hormone fluctuations, but I'm having more symptoms now so I think I'm going to go back and see him. Anyway, my point is that late 30's is NOT too young to be going through this and for doctors to tell us that is irresponsible. You're not alone!

Hi KKegley,

You have lots to offer,Welcome

Keep reading posts you will see you will soon realize we are all in this together,and you'll see your not going crazy and your not dieing!!

Its just hormones going CRAZY,

Take care,
Lynda

hey KKeg...welcome aboard hun

Just wanted to throw in sometime to you,..I have had 6 kiddlets and I was bonified at 38 with peri. Looking back I honestly believe it may have been when I was 36 when I actually started showing symptoms....

Its great that you are already* startin to reach out to others on here, it states alot about you already!

Thanks everyone for your responses. I already don't feel so alone. Actually, last night was a rough one. My period started yesterday, as expected. But last night, when I went to bed, I felt sooo hot and clammy. I'm usually freezing at night and hogging all the covers. Last night I looked over at DH and HE had the covers, and I could barely tolerate a sheet. I was sweating, yet I felt chilled. This continued ALL night! I think I finally fell asleep somewhere around 6 a.m., woke up at 9 a.m. and was still very sweated with the added symptom of feeling shaky! Some of my thoughts were...

1. Maybe I've lost too much blood from my period! (which was not a heavy one).
2. Maybe my blood sugar is dangerously low! (I have no problems with my blood sugar).
3. Maybe I'm terribly ill!! (took my temperature and it was normal).
4. Maybe it's just good old anxiety again... (which was upsetting since I thought I had conquered it).

FINALLY, my next thought was.... "Hey! Maybe this is peri-menopause! Maybe my estrogen is just really low right now."

Believe it or not, that thought actually comforted me a bit. I managed to get some more sleep from 9 a.m. to noon. I'm still tired now and a bit shaky, but I'm not as afraid, so I think that's progress.

Thank Heaven for you ladies and this web site...

DaMomma, Lynda, Che Che, PollyR and the rest: THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I'm so glad to have found this place and other women experiencing this. I never even considered menopause until yesterday due to my age and because I was only aware of the 'classic' symptoms - hot flashes, namely - and I didn't think I was having those, although now I realize I may have been. In the last few weeks at work I've been getting really hot all of a sudden, but didn't think anything of it because I live in Texas and we've had a long, brutal summer, I'm overweight, and the hotness usually came on after I'd been up doing something, so I figured that although I wasn't overexerting at all - just doing something as simple as walking to the fax machine or standing in my boss' office - I figured I was just too fat. Now I realize that wasn't normal for me, fat or not.

This morning I got up and again felt horribly nauseous. It's like nothing I've ever felt before - an all-over 'body nausea'; my blood seemed to drain out and my heart started pounding and flopping and I started thinking, "no, the ER doc was wrong, he missed something on the EKG, I really am having a heart attack!" Then I remembered reading something on here last night that said getting up and moving around can actually help, so when the worst of it passed I did just that. I'm also going to buy some lemon juice at the store tonight and keep it with me to put in some hot water whenever I feel it coming on. I can't imagine what it's going to be like to experience this all the time: driving in the car, sitting at work, shopping, etc., but at least being informed helps lessen my anxiety about it. Friday was the most frightening day of my entire life (when I went to the ER) and I'll pay a million bucks to never go through that again....

Kb and KKe, you both sound like you're already coming to some grips with this!!!! EXCELLANT,..now though I am NOT saying excellant to the fact you are having to deal with this trip...because though we here at PS have a majority of the same symptoms, it appears the wide world, the women do not..

Hey DaMomma, ....Who you callin a WIMP!!! LMAO!!!!!
(Sorry DaMomma..I just couldnt resist)

Ladies...Welcome to Power-Surge....Keep reading ...you will learn much from all these GREAT women!!

Peace
AA

) Goona toughin u up!

Just one more voice chiming in! I am 39, with twins born wnen I was 27. The peri symptoms started about six months ago, but I didn't know what they were until last week. At least I think that's what's going on - it all fits. It's comforting to know I'm not losing my mind, or that it's not just that I'm not handling stress well. Lord knows I've had enough of it lately (other physical and family problems) so I chalked it up to stress, but then it got to the point when I knew something else was going on. Thank goodness I found Power Surge! So anyway, you are not alone in being "too young to feel this old!"

Jane

I can't tell you how often I've been down on myself thinking I don't handle stress well. Or how many times I've thought, "What's wrong with you? Everything's fine in your life, why are you so stressed all the time?" Coming to the realization that it may NOT be stress but hormones has been very beneficial to me. I would much rather be in perimenopause than to think I am "weak" in terms of handling day-to-day normal daily life.

KB61 That's exactly how I feel too.
The thing is - you have to keep REMINDING yourself that it is hormones and not YOU, because you get kind of used to living with these symptoms and it's very easy to start thinking negative thoughts about yourself. Like if you get anxious driving (when you never used to), you think that you are getting to be stupid. When you get emotional and tearful with your closest ones, you start to blame yourself and feel guilty. It's something we all do, so it's helpful to keep telling yourself that this is just a phase of your life that you are going through and that it will pass. Most important, educate your family on peri - then they can try to understand it a little too...........Rita