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[bella mama]

Hi this is my first time on here....
I am 42 and dr has told me I have been going through peri menopause for past 2 years!  :oShe told me to have a look at this site for more support and info...Looking at this site and I can relate to so many things..

[lily]

Hi bella mama

I'm quite new too, great site though.  Can you tie in your early symptoms to something in particular?  I suppose it does not necessarily mean that you will go through meno early though as peri can last for a long time.

[bella mama]

Hi it's great to be on this site.a bit of info on how I find myself on here....I am 42 and have been suffering erratic, irregular periods, light, heavy, never ending or hardly there since past 2 years...I had scans done to rule out ovarian cysts 2 years ago and it was clear.(I had large dermoid cyst removed and most of my left ovary removed when I was 29yrs old)
Anyway, awful crushing anxiety and palpitations hit me at the beginning of last year and I had insomnia and night sweating. The anxiety was very like my postnatal anxiety which I had experienced after the birth of both my children and I knew it was hormonal. The doctor that I have is absolutely fantastic and did thyroid function tests, ECG, and routine bloods. After everything came back clear she told me that I was very probably in peri menopause which can last for years.
After a bad episode of anxiety and lack of sleep I went onto AD- citalopram a year ago and it has helped me so much. It has been a life saver in controlling the anxiety as it helps the flushing at night which in turn helps the sleep and the anxiety. The doctor also referred me to the practise counsellor for a few sessions and that was a big turning point in me coming to terms with things.
The main problem now is the joint pain in my shoulders and elbows down to my hands at times. My hips make a loud clicking noise and I look like I am 90 years old trying to bend down and then get up again!!
I have taken the plunge and started HRT on Friday so I am fourth day into my elleste duet 1mg. So far so good...I think I thought my body was going to spontaneously combust or something as soon as I popped the tablet :-)
I hope I will feel good on it and this brain numbing tiredness will ease off and i will get some energy back in my life.  My hubby is very supportive but I am sure he must have thought that I was losing it over the past 2 years...I was sure that I was!! I can laugh about some of the things that have happened and we still have our sense of humour so thank god for that.
Whewwwww that was a novel!! Thank you for this site!! 

[jax]

HiBM...welcome :-)
one of my peri symptoms was aches and pains...we call it the monster walk on here...lol
I started on elleste duet 1mg 12 month ago and fel 90% my old self within weeks (its not a miracle cure, but is nearly one!) you may get bad days that may last a cpl of weeks but on the whole will feel better enough to cope with life again.
5 months ago some symptoms came back almost over night and didnt improve so upped to 2mg and they all vanished again... this is a great site, there is usually someone experienced here with an informed answer to your posts :-) although we have lost a cpl recently :-( if your checking in, you know who you are and you are missed!X

[bella mama]

Hi jax, Thank you for welcoming me on here. It's been really good to hear about how you have been on elleste duet hrt. I am nearly finished my first packet and actually posted another message on here about it as I was so worried that i had started to bleed heavily on the last day of my white tablet. That lasted 4 days and now gone to spotting on and off and nearly finished the green ones I so hope it will all settle to regular bleeds. I am feeling better in myself as have not had a headache since starting hrt.. I can move my arms, shoulders without pain now and wake up in the morning feeling like I have energy again..wow.. ... My hips are still sore and stiff and palpitations and shivers are still noticeable sometimes but nothing I can't cope with just now. I hope I have a positive experience with it like you have had.

[jax]

Hi BM...aching hips are the one thing that can still plague me during the night..
my gp gave me consent when on a bad day of palps etc to take that days hrt up to 5 hours early then resume normal time the next day...I have to say it did help...since upping to 2mg I havent needed to do this :-))

[bella mama]

Hi thought I would post a wee update on my elleste duet1mg...

I am nearly finished my 3rd packet and just had my first dr review since taking it. I am still on my citalopram 20mg.

After 2 months of spotting and breakthrough bleeding its all settled down this month and I have experienced none.

I have had no headaches since taking this hrt and realise now that I was having awful headaches for months which I put down to shift work but it must have been this peri menopause after all.

 Now sleeping so well through the night and awake feeling refreshed and got energy cause my head feels so much clearer if that makes sense!

I still experience palpitations, racing heart and feelings of dizziness with the hotness that comes on me but now i can cope with it as it's not everyday or every night  i would say its worse just before a period or for a few days when i start taking the green hrt tablets.

My joints and muscle pains in shoulders and hips are much better but tend to get stiff and ache more before a period and then eases off again.

It's been so worth trying and if it still improves life I intend to keep on for the next 6 months and review it again.  The dr suggested to stay on the citalopram too just while my body gets used to the hrt as my main problem was anxiety due to the  flushings with palpitations. My concentration levels are much better although don't get me wrong I still get mixed up and do silly dippy things which my family think are hilarious,but then maybe I always did that!

 I just thought I would post this as it may help someone else who is just new to hrt or thinking of asking their dr about it.

[Hurdity]

Hey bella mama - that's great news! So glad you are feeling better and it is brilliant to share this with others to encourage other women to try - no need to suffer if you can avoid it! 

Hurdity x

[elli]

Hi all, Im new to this site, im 47, and having erratic periods, just want to finish all together now, I don't like not having control of my body, im loving everyones own stories its helping me.

[Evenstar]

Hello and welcome to you both. Aching hips? Yep definitely get those at night 

[Hurdity]

Hi elli

 

Why don't you post a thread of your own in the new members section to introduce yourself properly and tell us a bit about yourself, where you are in meno and if there is anything we can do to help

Hurdity x

[LizeeeH]

Hello and welcome to the nut house

I ache all over and its getting worse.....I really must go to GP's but the thought of having a blood test freaks me out! 

[fiorinda]

Ah! I thought my achey hips in the early mornings were due to the old mattress, and I was just stiff and generally achy because I don't exercise enough!! So, those are all meno things too! Bah! Good to know though.

Hi bella mama and elli, I'm new too! x

[Clairebear]

Hi bm, wow reading your introduction really hit home with me so similar, I have never been on a forum before so not sure of the best way round, I have posted something on the new members bit but just wanted to ask if the hrt increased your anxiety, I am on citalopram and have been for about 18months and it has definately evened out my mood but since starting the ellest 1mg it's back with a vengeance along with the early morning waking.

I'm am 43 and have been in the peri for a few years I think but that's just my opinion, I have always thought my ups and downs were hormonal as after both my kids the depression got worse for a while, was really hopefully that hrt would help with the aches and pains, confusion etc I just wasn't expecting the anxiety....very confused and can't see my GP for 2wks wonder whether to try and push through as I felt terrible on the citalopram at first but tolerate it ok now blimey sorry for chapter and verse just so pleased to have found this site which might help. Take care and really glad you are feeling better gives me hope of light at the end of the tunnel.

[Dyan]

Hiya bella mamma