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[ClimbingGirl]

Hi, I'm new, 43 years old and firmly in peri-menopause.  Experiencing so many symptoms including anxiety, joint aches, hot flushes, irregular cycle, palpitations, dizziness, fibrocystic breasts, fatigue and so on.  The weirdest thing recently has been that my veins in my lower arms and legs seem to be standing out more than they used to!  I've had a look at menopause sites and this does indeed seem to be a 'thing' linked to menopause!?  Does anyone else have any experience of this?  Is there anything at all I can do / take to make this symptom a little better?  I am going to see my GP on Friday so fingers crossed she might be able to offer some advice too.  Thank you x

[CLKD]

 

Make a list to take with you.  Many GPs have little knowledge of menopause so don't be surprised!

Is the problem painful?

[Yorkshire Girl]

Hi ClimbingGirl Yes I have the same issue but I think mine were there before I went into surgical menopause, I always thought it's because I'm slim, but found that hormone fluctuations in menopause can cause varicose veins. At the moment I'm keeping an eye on the ones on back leg below knee, if they get worse I will be going to the doctor. I have already had one varicose vein removed in 2002 (at 29) it was above my left knee it was horrible and so obvious, had no problem getting it removed. Definitely speak to your GP if you're concerned.

[ClimbingGirl]

Hi both, thank you for your comments.  CLKD no it's not painful thank goodness.  Its a relatively minor thing in relation to some of the other stuff like the headaches, it just looks a bit weird! Yorkshire Girl I spoke to my GP about all my symptoms and she was pretty dismissive.  She offered me antidepressants and HRT.  I've declined both at the moment and am seeking alternative, non-medical options such as seeing a nutritionist.  My GP reassured me that the veins were nothing to worry about so I guess I'll try not to worry then!  Thanks again both of you for your thoughts and help 

[jaycee]

I hope if any veins need removing it can be done on the NHS it used to be all over the country i think, but now only in certain areas,
My son in law had a horrible large vein in his leg, he has just had it removed, at the cost of over £2000 , but someone he was talking to from another area had theirs done on the NHS, so if anyone can't afford it in some areas it looks like they are stuck with them

[Yorkshire Girl]

I was living in Wales when I had mine done on the NHS but that was approx. 16yrs ago. I don't know about here in Yorkshire though. If mine get bad like the last & I can't have it on NHS I will go private.

[AgathaC]

Dear Climbing Girl, I am 47 and also firmly in perimenopause, with ALL the symptoms you describe, having been this way for 3/4 years now.
One of the things that peri has done for me, and it sounds like the same for you, has made me conscious of my body in ways I never was before. The various and many aches and pains mean that I focus and fixate upon all these separate issues which has led to or rather fuels (it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation) what is now awful health anxiety for me.
I'm definitely a different person to my pre-peri self!
I've found this website such a help sbd I've taken a lot of comfort from the kind and wise ladies on it.
My GP told me she “didn't have time for the menopause” and, whilst she is very kind and an excellent doctor, definitely thinks all my problems are mental ones!
Without wishing to generalise, I find that staying in control of the big picture - sleep, diet, weight, exercise, good diary management - helps me to cope better with all of the individual issues, or at least trying to (it's 2.43am where I am at the moment!!).
Hope you manage to navigate through this experience. I was wholly unprepared for all of it. Lots of love xx

[jaycee]

Yorkshire Girl, i am in North Yorkshire and it is here that my son in law applied to have his vein done on the NHS ,but the other person lives in Leeds.and his were done on the NHS, it is a postcode lottery, hope you get yours sorted,

[ClimbingGirl]

Thanks again for your thoughts.  Thankfully I don't think I'm at the stage where I need veins removed and haven't a clue whether I would be able to get them done where I live.  I can't afford to go private so I guess I'll cross that bridge if and when I get to it.

AgathaC, thank you so much for your kind words.  I also feel that I've become hyper aware of every ache and pain and am getting tired of listening to myself moaning about it, so I really feel sorry for my poor GP!  I think she also believes all my issues to now be due to health anxiety and she may well be right.  Doesn't make it less of a mental battle every day to just get out of bed and get on with life (family, work etc) when you really just want to hide under the covers until it all goes away. 

On the plus side, I sleep reasonably well, I recently lost 2 stone and achieved a healthy BMI for the first time in over a decade, and I exercise about 2-3 times a week (climbing and cycling) which is great for my mental health.  I'm sure we will all get through this eventually!!  Thank you again, and lots of love to you all xx