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[Lisap]

Hi and thanks for reading as this is gonna be a long post
I think I may be going through the menopause but I don't know how to tell as I have had a coil for five years due to endometriosis and have suffered from depression for the best part of fifteen years.
I've seen the doctor many times over the last year or so but only with one ailment at a time and I think I may not be joining the dots.
If I give a list of everything I have now or have had within six weeks can you advise if I may be in the menopause  and what i help i should ask my gp for.

Background:
I'm 47, take sertraline and have a mirena coil.SerTraline was doubled three months ago due to mood swings. Coil replaced about same  time as it was thought to be failing.

so from head down:
Headaches - prescribed naproxen
Migraine - sumatriptan
Dry itchy scalp - nit lotion
hair loss - b12
Tinnitus
Dry itchy eyes - eye drops
smell cigarette smoke - nasalspray
Sticky throat and cough - omeprazole
sore nipples/heavy breasts
Dry itchyskin, like hives
(All over especially back legsand forearms)
Joint pain
(This is getting worse daily. It hurts to carry things or climb stairs. Both knees both ankles right wrist lower back both hips both elbows left shoulder toes)
Muscle aches
(Large muscles like quads and glutes feel over trained even though I haven't been to gym for two weeks)
Pain in long bones
(Like toothache in arms and legs)
Thrush
lack of sex drive
Also:
bloating
weight gain
Acid reflux
nightsweats
Hot flushes
Increased anger
snappiness
Tearfulness
feeling of extreme anxiety
fatigue
unable to sleep
loss of memory
Forgetfulness

Are these things typical of menopause or is it something sinister. Can gp help?
My mum didn't see a gp at all and her menopause was extremely difficult. Her mood swings became severe and violent and my dad wanted to have her committed. There were terrible rows and fights and it lasted for years
I suffered from pre and postnatal depression and I'm already lashing out verbally at my kids and I don'twant to be like my mum was with her family. Any advice Iis much appreciated as I feel like I'm being silly or going crazy
Lisa
 

 

[nearly50]

Yes, all seems quite familiar to me too although I never get more than 1 or 2 of those symptoms at a time and also have a lot of stomach problems and dizziness. My doctor also treats each issue separately and is often quite dismissive of the role hormones are playing in my life. I've had lots of tests, know now I don't have something horrendous and am just telling myself it will come to an end at some point.  I take it they've done blood tests for vit d and iron/ferritin?

I take it the coil means you don't have periods?

I'm sure others will be along to talk about hrt etc. Hang on in there.

[Dancinggirl]

Lisap - Hi and welcome to MM
Oh boy!! why do doctors not look at us in a holistic way.  To pile one drug on top the other without taking the underlying symptoms into account seems just crazy.  All your symptoms seem to indicate an oestrogen deficiency or fluctuations - have you had a blood test to look at your oestrogen and FSH levels? Blood tests can be unreliable but the symptoms you are describing seem typical for peri menopause - I strongly suspect that if you added in some oestrogen as patch or Oestrogel you may feel be able to reduce and possibly come off many of your other drugs.
The Mirena is fine as part of an HRT regime but if your oestrogen levels are fluctuating and dropping then you will be getting too much progesterone and this won't help anything.  The Mirena is a good idea for you as it controls the endo  and any other way of delivering progesterone, I believe, might stimulate the endometriosis.
I agree about the Vitamin D, iron etc. (do take Omega 3 as this would help the dry scalp) perhaps get these levels checked via a blood test as well. If you are carrying a bit too much weight then having a good look at your diet, and cutting out sugar and too many carbs in particular, this can help enormously with everything.
Do pop to your GP with your symptoms and questions written down as back up and ask if you can try adding in some oestrogen. It's worth printing out the info of meno symptoms and treatments form this site as backup to show the GP if necessary. I think, at the very least, you need a complete review of all the drugs you are taking as many of these are really not good taken long term.  DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi Lisap

  from me too!

Yes that does sound like menopausal symptoms! If you suffered from depression when you were pregnant and following the birth then this points to a hormonal cause for which a hormonal solution is best advised rather than drugs. Have a look at John Studd's website - as he has done a lot of research in connection with reproductive depression: http://www.studd.co.uk/reproductivedepression.php This is just one of the pages but there are lots of interesting articles on there.

The problem with the coil is that if it stops periods then you can't tell where you are in menopause except for the symptoms you describe so doubling your AD probably was not the most appropriate course of treatment. I agree with the others that you need a blood tests to determine your FSH levels as this would then indicate officially that you are peri-menopausal and oestrogen would be more appropriate than the higher dose of ADs and you might be able to gradually reduce them - they are not the first line of treatment for mood swings from menopause.

Have you ever wondered also if any of your symptoms may be due to the progestogen in the coil? I know some women do suffer side effects although equally some women love it

Also very important that when you have a blood tests you should get your thyroid checked - hopefully the doc would do this anyway as part of generally health check re your symptoms but many of those symptoms especially weight gain, dry hair and skin, hair loss, muscle and joint aches and pains, fatigue - can be due to underactive thyroid. Be sure to get your actual readings when you get your blood tests done.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Hurdity x

[Pam Madra]

Feels like you are living my life. today has come very crushing down on me. Last night very anxious, could not sleep, I hit rock bottom. Got up early in morning and now sitting on this forum. I think I have completely lost it. Nausea is terrible, leg cramps, just complete mental block. I just hate it. Kids have to suffer so much because of it. With Christmas time I just feel bad mum who has no zest for life and just do not want to do anything. I not sure if tibolone is working yet as it is only one week. I think I maybe going to have periods and all symptoms have flared up since yesterday. Atleast this forum lets me express my self. I feel really lost, sick and terrible today. I did not want to start my holidays like this but it does not help at all.
Does this mean that my progestrone level is high after ovulation a couple of days ago and I feel really rot now with cramps, sleepy, anxiety through the roof and nausea. Gall bladder stones do not help as well. Does it get worse near period times? Oh God what a start to Christmas holidays. Sitting here in the morning on laptop while others are asleep. Please tell me there is some hope with tibolone.
Sorry for this no stop whinging.

[Kathleen]

Hello Lisap and welcome to the forum.

I can't really improve on the advice you've been given but I wanted to send hugs because I know how horrible this menopause journey can be.

Pam  Madra - hugs to you too. I can completely understand how you feel and you are allowed to whinge all you like!

Wishing you well ladies and here's to  better times ahead.

K.

[CLKD]

 

As oestrogen levels drop off so the body dries up: nostrils, throat, eyes, skin, vagina, anus, deep in the ears. 

As ostetrogen levels drop off the muscles may become lax = aches and pains.

Vaginal atrophy symptoms often present with irritable bladder and urine infection-type symptoms.  There is treatment which will relieve this.

Browse round.  Make notes.  Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful.  We can often forget how bad we feel on our 'better' days.

This too will pass.  Decide which symptom you need to address first and take a list to your Practice Nurse or GP and ask how the Surgery deals with menopausal symptoms.  If you don't feel listened to, ask if there is a Menopausal Clinic or a Gyanecoogist with interest in menopause in your area.

Let us know how you get on!

[Lisap]

Thanks everybody
I'lltry to respond to everything ..
First my last blood test  showed my iron vit d etc were all within normal but my b12 was low so I had the booster jabs and now need one every three months for a year.
The coil was put in five years ago and ive never had sideveffects...this is my second one so now I don'tget periods. The consultant at the hospital said I should keep the coil now until my early fifties as even during menopause eendometriosis can grow. I have borderline grade 3 so it grows on and in my uterus fallopian tubes and ovaries, on the outside of my bladder and bowel and in my pelvic cavity. Without the coil I'm in even more pain.
my antidepressants were increased because I do suffer depression anyway and without themI turn into a complete she devil so the doctor has said I should stick with them.
I wouldn't say Im ooverweight..I'm about 31% body fat, 5th7, 12 stone,  size 10 to 12. Up until two weeks ago I was doing bboot camp and wweightlifting and now I can't climb my own stairs
well I went to doctor today and Iit was a locum so after the initial embarrassment we discussed ALL my symptoms. He's sending me for blood tests tomorrow. He thinks there is definitely two things going on. One is without doubt menopause. But although some of the symptoms are also menopause related he was concerned they are too extreme. He thinks i probably have an autoimmune disorder and is fairly confident it's rrheumatoid arthritis!
Who knew a person can fall to bits so quickly. Thanks for all the info II'llbe taking all your suggestions with me after cChristmas when I go in to get my results.
watch this space!

[Pam Madra]

do keep informed

[Hurdity]

Thanks for letting us know and it's good you are being listened to! Are you having a thyroid function test as well as FSH and the other things he has suggested? Also low libido is often a result of taking anti-depressants - a common side effect I have read, unfortunately. Do let us know the outcome anyway and try to enjoy Christmas and put your symptoms into the background for a few days, if you can!

Hurdity x

[Dorothy]

Glad you finally found a doctor who was willing to listen, consider ALL your symptoms together and be helpful.  Let us know how you get on.

[Me-too]

It's amazing how many of us go through this stuff.  I was diagnosed with Bipolar which then disappeared when I finally persuaded the doctor I wasn't too young to be having the menopause.  Interestingly around the same time I was also diagnosed with an auto-immune skin thing which appeared out of nowhere.  So maybe there is a connection somehow.  But it's good you got help and hopefully now you will have a bit more hope and also some options to help you deal with all of this.  You may find you're a whole new woman 

[Lisap]

Blood tests came back.
Doctor has confirmed menopause but also a vitamin d deficiency which is causing the pain and aches in joints and bones as well as hair loss.
he's asked me to stay on ser tramline ad it can alleviate menopause symptoms and anxiety and hasgiven me vitamin d ampoules for three months
hopefully there will be an improvement
.

[nearly50]

Hi Lisap, have you to go back to get vitamin d levels checked in 3 months. I was told to start taking them last year but was given no time limit so I've kept taking them as I think levels should be higher than the absolute limit. Doing the same with iron as GPs are happy with a level of 15 for ferritin when really it should be much higher.

[nearly50]

I wonder if they would retest my vitamin D and ferritin if I asked. Though my new year's resolution was to stay well away fro GP if at all possible. Not sure if I am supposed to have another scan to keep an eye on the size of my fibroid either, was 6x4 cm in the summer. Is it a case of ignore it unless symptoms get bad?

Sorry to take over thread!