Hello,
I'm 47 with perimenopausal symptoms for 4 years.
13 years ago a GP told me I was 'allergic to my own hormones' and offered me a book on fish oils to read. I declined and requested a referral to a gynaecologist. He commented that I would be seen as a 'difficult patient' as I had mental health issues. He elaborated no further and left the practice to work elsewhere but I did get my gynae appointment.
She got me to fill out 3 months worth of PMS obs forms and pointed out that there were no cyclical problems despite having obvious PMS and that I had mental health issues instead. I received a diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder and depression shortly after.
I went back to see her again a few years later as nothing had resolved. I was offered a hysterectomy but no more information. No discussion regarding any hormonal issues or progesterone intolerance or PMDD. I obviously declined after thinking about it, I had a business to run and nothing to go on.
Over the years since I was diagnosed with perimenopause and given Evorel Sequi but the progesterone part made it worse. I was upped to Evorel 50 oestrogen and Utrogestan 100mg. I tried, I really did and came off and went back on, going back to Sequi and off again.
I had repeated 'gastritis', IBS, flushed face, fatigue etc only for it to go again and then return.
8 months ago I was asked to come off 13 years of Venlafaxine with assisted Prozac of 2 months and HRT... cold turkey...to 'see what was going on'. I went to A&E with 28 symptoms. I was diagnosed with ADHD/ADD at the same time. I thought my prayers were answered.
I was prescribed Xaggitin XL 18mg 3 months later with ropey initial side effects but these got better. I found my Evorel 50's and Utrogestan in the cupboard and decided that the perimenopause symptoms were too much to handle at the same time. My sweats disappeared in two days.
I started to get gastritis so I took Lansoprazole, WindEze, Colofac and Gaviscon Dual Action with no effect. No appetite, depression, anxiety, palpitations etc. It did all die down a little in order for me to accept a titration of 36mg. Four days later I had to stop because my symptoms were that of a Bipolar 2 rapid cycling patient.
My dad passed away in January and I've lost my business of 7 years.
I ended up in A&E for the third time yesterday due to severe symptoms that I believe are due to a long standing progesterone intolerance. The oedema was pulsating my feet and hands, an elephant sat on my chest, dizzy, nausea, confusion and piddling like a racehorse.
I'd been on Utrogestan for the previous month (for 15 days of the cycle) and only 8 days into the next. My longest ever stint on it.
My obs were all fine including bloods, inflammation markers, heart, liver, kidneys. I'd had previous tests for a suspected stroke in A&E previously with brain and ECG scans.
The advanced nurse practitioner was an angel and going through IVF for a second time so she understood my predicament. She is writing to my GP to recommend a referral to a gynaecologist...it's the same lady I saw twice before.
This time I can now confidently say that perimenopause, PMDD and progesterone intolerance are all connected and that I would like to discuss...hysterectomy/a different approach?
Have you got any ideas what I could do or ask/request?
