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[MabelBabel]

Hello Ladies,

Well, here I am. 47yrs old, and it seems I am in the perimenopause stage.

I think it's been creeping up for a year or two maybe, periods were regular for me, but last Oct I had a 36 day cycle and Nov 40 days, unheard of for me. Periods also began to get longer, about 6-7 days before being totally clear. Then this Sept was 37 days and only lasted 3 days. I have not had a period since. (Yes I use an app)
I am tearful for no reason, my head can be very foggy. Some days I am hit by a sudden wall of exhaustion and I cannot stay awake, I work from home thankfully, so I can lay down for a nap, I say nap it is usually min 60-90mins. God knows how I would cope otherwise.
I get some mild cramping, incredibly painful nipples and some breast aching.

All this year I have been struggling with awful joint and muscle pain/tension/pressure, hard to describe it, mainly in my elbows, wrists, hands. It got so bad I finally went to the Dr's convinced I was developing arthritis or something, all bloods came back clear.

Sometimes at night, usually from 10pm onward I get incredibly hot for no reason. This also happens in bed and I wake really hot, sometimes a bit sweaty on my chest and neck but not always. I also have nights where I wake up anytime from 1am and cannot fall back to sleep till about 5am. It's really annoying.

I am going to see my GP on Tuesday to discuss all this with him. I hope he's clued up on menopause!

So that's me!

Looking forward to sharing, learning and laughing with you all.

[Dana]

Hello Again

It seems cruel what mother nature decided was to happen to women at a certain age. For that reason she's definitely not a "she".

I personally didn't really have any major peri-meno problems. Instead I seemed to go straight to full blown post-meno virtually overnight about 6 years ago when I was 51.

Hang in there. Hopefully you have a sensible doctor who will be open to allowing you to manage things the way you want to manage them.

[Hurdity]

Hi MabelBabel

 

Yes - it does come a shock when you start to experience symptoms. I thought menopause was missing periods ands a few hot flushes and then bam they stopped and everything would be OK again....little did I know!

I struggled on trying natural remedies for a while as I started skipping periods and then they would stop for 3 months and return - until I realised the remedies weren't working at all because it was my own oestrogen going up and down that was causing my symptoms to come and go!

I started HRT in late peri-menopause (age almost 54) and it worked a treat, and I have been on it ever since ( now in my 60's). Maybe something you would like to consider, or at least bear in mind as you get further into menopause?

Do let us know what your doc says but in the meantime read up as much as you can from the information on this website (top menu pale green banner).

Hurdity x

[MabelBabel]

Hello Dana, Sparkle and Hurdity!

Thank you for the friendly welcomes. I have just had the night from hell so will be posting away when my head fog clears.

Sparkle, I'm not sure what particular tests were done, and even if I was at the time I wouldn't remember now as my memory seems to have vanished, but there was a lot and they were looking for arthritis/joint pain/muscle pain type stuff!

[MabelBabel]

Good idea Sparkle, thank you. I am seeing my GP on Tuesday and have added that to my ever increasing list of questions!

[CLKD]

 

As oestrogen levels drop off, apparently muscles can become lax = aches and pains.  Over-the-Counter pain relief should ease symptoms.  Have a chat with a Pharmacist.

Take a list of sytmposm to your appt. and decide which you want sorted first. 

[Kathleen]

Hello MabelBabel and welcome to the forum.

All your symptoms sound hormonal to me and hopefully your GP will recognise this and offer a range of treatments that you can try.

Wishing you well and let us know how things go on Tuesday.

K.

[MabelBabel]

Hello and thank you CLKD and Kathleen!

Thanks for all the tips and advice, yes, I'm pretty sure it's all hormone related, I've been recording these oddities for a while now. So glad to have found this site and hear other's experiences.
My poor young male GP won't know what's hit him! I have my list prepared.

[CLKD]

Crashing fatigue: I remember my Mum sitting down suddenly and going straight to sleep on the settee  I had no sympathy  . 

Browse round.  Make notes  .  Let us know how you get on.  Maybe put the list to the GP and ask him/her to prioritise, then make another appt. to go through other issues.  That gives time for him/her to look up what is necessary (suggesting of course, that the GP begins on here).