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[Bungo]

Am almost 50 and perimenopausal. I'm taking the mini pill and for years didn't have periods. The past year I've had alot of spotting and  hormones are all over the place. I had spotting (kind of a period) last week and my mood was so good. My toe which has only mild arthritis but has caused horrendous the past year was pain free. My stomach was flat. I and energy . You get the picture. Then progressively the past few days, terrible bloating, fogginess , aching swollen fingers and toe really acting up. I had a bit of a meltdown at work as couldn't focus on anything, was teary etc. Don't know why even posting here,.just need to sound off.My poor partner listened but he can't really understand what I'm going through- i have such pity for him as I'm a total misery to be around. Can I last another year or two of this? Am afraid to go on hrt, seems from the forums here that they may not necessarily help the issue and Im afraid of making things worse than they currently are.  The only positive is that I haven't had flushes and sleep is ok so far. My GP is loath to give hrt until I'm post menopause. Anyway I read online that it  exacerbates the problem of oestrogen spikes etc during this time. Is that true?

[CLKD]

Your GP is way behind the times!

Some ladies find that keeping a mood/symptom/food diary of use to chart progress.

Which symptom would you like to ease first?  Maybe put it into the search box and see what pops up?

Where did you read 'on line'?  Who had reported what you read?   This is the site to get correct information from so do ask away.

As oestrogen levels drop so muscles may become lax = aches and pains. Also the body may become dry ....... skin, deep in the ears, nostrils, vagina, scalp ..........

Have you had recent bloods taken for ESR, thyroid function, diabetes etc.?  Hormonal tests aren't always reliable. 

[Bungo]

Ask your GP to refer you to a meno clinic. Many women use HRT during peri!

Am in Ireland. We don't have clinics specialising in this unfortunately. I may lie about having hot flushes, my GP doesn't take any symptom other than them seriously. Part of me is concerned anyway about just postponing these symptoms to whenever I come off hrt, and wondering if i should just get over with.

[Bungo]

Your GP is way behind the times!
Some ladies find that keeping a mood/symptom/food diary of use to chart progress.

I eat pretty much same foods every day . Have been keeping a diary to track joint pain, bloat, bleeding etc but can't see any pattern

Which symptom would you like to ease first?  Maybe put it into the search box and see what pops up?


Where did you read 'on line'?  Who had reported what you read?   This is the site to get correct information from so do ask away.

Can't think of name of site. Basically it was saying that you're better taking combined pill during peri as it totally replaces the natural hormones , whereas hrt augments natural hormones- so whenever you're having a spike in oestrogen, the symptoms are actually pronounced.It made sense logically but maybe it's the imbalance that's causing the worst meno symptoms and not the oestrogen spikes?

As oestrogen levels drop so muscles may become lax = aches and pains. Also the body may become dry ....... skin, deep in the ears, nostrils, vagina, scalp ..........

My left toe is so sore/inflamed most of time so I can only wear one pair of runners and go barefoot most of time at work. Can't socialize etc as not going out in runners ( which I have to take off after a half hour anyway as hurt too much)

Have you had recent bloods taken for ESR, thyroid function, diabetes etc.?  /Hormonal tests aren't always reliable.

Last tests were a year ago when I had some bout of inflammation all over and toes and fingers  were swollen in a week. This kicked off the whole joint pain thing- am thinking it was a dramatic drop in hormones triggered that. Was tested for rheumatoid etc but I know now it was just hormonal .

[Bobidy]

Hi

All the advice and evidence I have read says that HRT should be started at on set on symptoms in peri not post Menopause. This provides symptomatic relief and protects against future ostoe, heart and cognitive problems.

Many gps are completely rubbish. I suffered a multitude of horrendous symptoms for 3+ years. It took a diagnosis and letter from a private meno menu clinic before the gp would even consider it.

My advice is either email Dr Currie on here as that would be cheaper, and then use this as evidence for your gp along with the NICE Guidelines to get what you want. If you have to say hot flushes and night sweats then do it as for some doctors this is the only symptom they recognise as being menopausal.

If you use estrogel as the oestrogen part of your hrt then you can control and increment the dose to control symptoms.

Obviously other causes for your symptoms need to be ruled out too and your medical history taken into account.

Expect a frustrating battle but do not back down until you get what you want! X

[Ladybt28]

Ireland as in the Republic Bungo, if I read you right? or in the North?
Yep - better to start before meno to get the maximum protection from osteoporosis so GP is out of date and if in the Republic no there are no clinics which is a shame.  Are you able to take a road trip across the border...would it help?

I had terrible inflammatory problems with my meno and was tested for rheumatoid arthritis and diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but after I got my hrt it all went and settled down. The pain in my ankles and knees primarily and elsewhere kept me awake at night and I almost couldn't rest them on the bed.  Lack of oestrogen makes all the muscles go lax all over the body so the bones get all wobbly and it causes pain.

Key questions about hrt and risks and people not wanting to take it is - Would you current quality of life be better if you took it?
Is not taking it affecting day to day living to such an extent it is really bugging you?  If you would get rid of your symptoms would you feel better?  Have they been getting progressively worse so much so they need to be stopped?

Some ladies "grow out" of the meno symptoms with age but most of us on here know that they are so awful that we cant live without our hrt and know that we are going to be stuck with symptoms to a greater or lesser degree probably until we are in our 70's or 80's.  The thing is women need to keep on having far more active lives until and older age than in the past and hrt may be able to help but at the end of the day it your choice not the GP's or anyone elses Bungo x  Ps Dr Currie could be a good idea!

[kinola67]

Hi, I could have written your post a couple of years ago, I'm 52 now and started HRT patches last summer, primarily due to joint pain, inflammation, muscle loosening which meant that any excersise I did to try and help, meant pulling muscles and being in even more pain! I also had night sweats and trouble sleeping. I was on the mini pill for years as I had ovarian cysts and this pill stopped all my cysts and more or less stopped my periods so it was brilliant! Peri menopause then kicked in and I spent most of my time at the GP's begging for help on various things as I didn't know all my symptoms were down to peri. It then took me about a year to decide to go onto the sequi patches (after going to the meno clinic), so far they have been brilliant. But now they are out of stock! - that's another story. I do have some inflammation in my elbow which is constant but the other areas seem to be under control. I agree that you need to insist on getting help now, for the life you are leading now. I decided to use the HRT for a year to help me get back on track with excersise, get my mind and body focussed. I will then decide what to do next and try not to worry about too far ahead. The stock issues are a problem though - I do need to sort that out but at least I know they do work for me and were not the nightmare I envisaged they might be. Good luck!

[Bungo]

Thanks for all the replies.Am in southern Ireland.  I'm ticking away most of the time but I just can't cope some days or if something really stressful arises that needs clear thinking. Today is alot better and bloat has gone down, toe is good etc so feeling more optimistic. I'm going to wait until the time when symptoms are happening more than not happening as then the whole quality of life thing will push me to demand hrt from my GP ( I'll go to a different GP if need to at that stage). It's great to have this forum, all my friends are about 4 years younger than me so noone to moan to. I'll be able to advise them in a few years.

[CLKD]

Do NOT wait.  It make take years to find a GP who is knowledgable and then treatment can take 8-9 months B4 the body feels effects enough to feel 'better'.

In the mean time, keeping a mood/symptom/food diary may be useful.  Let us know how you get on!