Thanks again for accepting me on to the forum. I'll try to post as short as I can but it will be quite lengthy.
I'm 52 years old and I believe I've been in Perimenopause for several years but the last 2 to 3 have been the most prominent. I've had many of the symptoms, everything from facial flushes to insomnia. Two years ago, I decided to do something about my physical health and today I am proud to say that I've lost just over 8 stone and have reversed my Type 2 Diabetes. Generally I feel amazing and can leap about like a twenty something year old normally but my anxiety is getting me down.
I couldn't possibly go to the doctors every time there is something that worries me but I'm so confused sometimes that I don't know what to do. My periods became very spaced apart last year. I'd go for months without one. I've had a Mirena Coil fitted since 2012 that is due to be replaced in 2019. I've never fully stopped bleeding but given how severe my periods were, (and the fact I've not even used a tampon since the coil was put in), my menstrual cycles are a breeze, relatively speaking. My periods were so bad that sometimes I would have to use 3 super plus tampons only to have to change them an hour/hour and a half later so basically it's never been an easy ride for me.
Even now, when I've had a period, I bleed a little everyday for up to two weeks sometimes but I'd stopped getting the symptoms telling me that my menstrual cycle was coming. About 6 weeks ago, my breasts started with the tenderness again and I get a tightness in breathing that my Ventolin Inhaler takes off. I recognised what this meant and was surprised as I've barely touched an Inhaler in a few years now.
Typically, so many days or a week later, I started to bleed. I got a little lower back pain and have had cramps sometimes that I've not had in years but again, these are symptoms I've had before. The first bleeding was darker. After a few days, it stopped but within days, (not weeks as before when my cycle was the norm for me), my breasts got tender again and the tightness in breathing was there. And again, several days/ a week later I bled again. After a week/10 days, I stopped. The breast tenderness came back about a fortnight ago and I bled again but the bleeding was lighter coloured this time. My breasts are still on the tender side, but not as much and after a week, this Sunday, I started to bleed heavier..like it has been since I've had the Mirena Coil fitted. I have some tiny clots but nothing big.
This has sent my anxiety over the edge. All day, everyday, it is on my mind. I'm terrified that it's something darker that's happening and I don't know what to think anymore. I'm so scared that something is really wrong and yet to get to the doctors surgery sends me into a panic. A friend of mine was similar to me several years ago when she went through the Perimenopause and she helps to calm me down. My mind though, is all over the place through nothing but fear.
Has anyone felt this bad? And even though I know you can't diagnose me, is this sometimes normal in this stage of our lives?
I've said a few times recently that I'd rather have periods forever than watch my poor body go through this. It's hell some days and the rational me is overtaken by the pessimist and negative me. I've worked so hard to become healthier and I just don't want to panic all the time anymore. It isn't easy though.
