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[IrishWendy]

Hi,

I'm 53 and I still have periods unfortunately.

Up until January they were regular, now they average 10 days late and I'm living in hell. I'm a different person.

From day 1 to day 22 I'm a wreck: shaking badly everyday, a major anxiety attack everyday, off balance, light headed and bloated stomach and adrenaline surges.

It's hell and I have to take a 0.25 xanax everyday to stop all the above.

From day 22 until when the period starts I feel quite abit better and will only need to take xanax every 3 days or so and those symptoms are not so dreadful.

I tried hrt patches and tablets but I had daily panic attacks.

What is happening after day 22 to make me feel abit better? Am I estrogen dominant? Do I need progesterone? 

I need help, I'm struggling to get out of bed in the bad days for work. 

My period is starting now and the shakes are horrendous, internal and external. I feel so light headed and agitated.

Any advice please, thank you x

[Lilyloos]

Hi there! I'm never sure which hormone makes you feel so awful, but your experiences at the moment and symptoms are the same as I had when going through menopause, so you are not on your own.  I ended up leaving my job as I could no longer function, but this was because my gp at the time refused to accept it was menopause.  I used to wake up and start shaking, have panic attacks, awful adrenaline surges used to wake me up suddenly or kick off at the most random of times, very frightening.  You definitely sound perimenopausal and another hrt may definitely help you? I'm sure one of the other ladies on this lifeline of a site will be along soon with more advice.  Hang on in there you will get through it all by finding what it takes to level things out for you 

[IrishWendy]

Thank you. My gp just says it's anxiety because my bloods are fine. It's hopeless.

[CLKD]

Nothing is 'just' or 'only' - there's always a reason!

HORMONES   

   2 U both.

Browse round.  Make notes.

Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary? to chart progress.  My periods waxed and waned for several years until they disappared. 

Cortisol is the waking hormone and it used to cause intense fear from 3.30 a.m. onwards.  Anti-depressant medication and Betablockas has helped.


Low blood sugar can cause similar symptoms so eating regularly and keeping hydrated can help.  Although menopause is 'natural' it can cause all kinds of weird and awful feelings!  If you need the 'xanax' then use it, I do know that it can cause a feeling of light-headedness though. I have an emergency drug on an as-necssary basis.  I also find 'rescue remedy' mouth spray useful.  I spray it and never think whether it works/not ;-).

Hormones are rarely 'dominant' although we read a lot about which are rising and falling against each other.  It's The Change, does what it says on the tin - leaving many confused and upset.  You are not alone!

[IrishWendy]

Can you change your doctor or ask for a referral to a meno clinic? You need hormonal support, most definitely.

I can but again it's all about money and distance. Nearest meno clinic is 3 hours away. Health care in Ireland is diabolical.

[Lilyloos]

Yes the gp I had at the time kept telling me my bloods were fine!!!! I felt like I was going mad and that my life was over, agree with the idea that you may need change of gp?? Sadly it's only recently that gps are coming on board regarding menopause, remember historically we rarely lived beyond childbirth!  You'll get there but keep fighting!! X

[racjen]

If you feel better from Day 22 until your period starts that would imply that it's progesterone that's making you feel better (or to put it another way, the unopposed estrogen of most of the month is too much for your system. ) High levels of estrogen can cause the kind of anxiety symptoms you describe. I'm not sure about the whole estrogen dominance thing - I know it's frowned upon by mainstream doctors, but it does make sense that if you're having more and more annovulatory cycles you won't be producing progesterone to balance the esytrogen that you're clearly still making.

[CLKD]

   racjen

[IrishWendy]

If you feel better from Day 22 until your period starts that would imply that it's progesterone that's making you feel better (or to put it another way, the unopposed estrogen of most of the month is too much for your system. ) High levels of estrogen can cause the kind of anxiety symptoms you describe. I'm not sure about the whole estrogen dominance thing - I know it's frowned upon by mainstream doctors, but it does make sense that if you're having more and more annovulatory cycles you won't be producing progesterone to balance the esytrogen that you're clearly still making.

Thank you, I was wondering the same 

[CLKD]

HORMONES Birdy - I was the same.  Ratty B4 the bleed began, OK for the next 7-8 days after!

[IrishWendy]

My period has started and I am back to being a physical disaster again.

Does anybody know if the mini pill would help at the age of 53 and having near regular periods?
If I'm feeling better after day 22 until the day my period starts, maybe cerazette mini pill might help all month?

[CLKD]

It's such a trial and error.  What's to lose if you try  .  I went on The Pill due to heavy, painful, clotty periods.  Until I was sterilised 11 years later.  That's when PMT started but I think it is 'age' rather than the fact: as was suggested at the time: being sterilised.  I would feel OK until 10-14 days prior to a bleed, then get ratty and feel generally unwell - once the period began I would be fine.

[squeaker99]

Hi. I have had 2-3 years of this during Peri whilst my period were regular but swinging from 24 days to 31 days .Terrible anxiety two weeks before a period, insomnia. Then a few days after the period it subsides. Have seen many GPs and Meno clinic all with different views...
tried  two HRTs but for me it made my BP go up and the anxiety much worse.  Was told by one GP she thought is was the surging/swinging hormones that were causing the anxiety and I was probably too high estrogen  which was putting my endocrine system into continual red alert  , hence the HRT was adding to that. Who knows though...there are things like eating little n often, getting out, no caffeine, no booze which do help but when I have my ' mad' days I just have to hang on knowing it will pass.  I am a low dose of Clonidine now which a specialist at a Meno drop in centre recommended. It is a vaso dilator (vein dilator) which has calming effect and also is good for my BP.
Just a thought but there are drop in centres for Meno/Peri at sexual health clinics in some UK  cities. I made an appointment and combined it with a shopping trip! I got seen pretty quick and got some good specialist advice for free. My local GPs are all a bit vague when it comes to Peri stuff.

[CLKD]

It's more difficult across the water I believe - which is why many ladies travel from Ireland to London .

[IrishWendy]

It's more difficult across the water I believe - which is why many ladies travel from Ireland to London .

It's very difficult and very limited sadly x