Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Bonnie]

Hi all,
Sorry to start with something so negative! I'm just confused. I feel rubbish emotionally and mentally and it's really debilitating. I put this down to my hormones fluctuating in the perimenopause and so some days I feel OK, some days are awful and everything inbetween.
My question is this: Once I'm through the menopause I assume my hormone levels will go down to zero or almost zero. Therefore I will feel crap for the rest of my life....? Have I got that right??
So, if I take HRT and it helps, I would need to stay on it for life to maintain that level of OK-ness?
If someone can clarify this for me I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

[CLKD]

Hi!  the choice is yours.

I've been lucky: periods waxed and waned for several years B4 I realised that they had stopped!  Yipee.  However, for a few months after I had lots of itchy skin, usually across my shoulders and both insteps: I would find one rough heel scratching the instep on the opp foot in the night!

As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out; deep in the ears, nostrils, eyes, vagina, skin - scalp, between the toes ....... and muscles may become lax = aches and pains  .

Peri-menopause can be difficult as hormone levels alter.  Keeping a mood/food/symptom diary may be of use.

Some go through peri-menopause then find that some symptoms begin once periods stop.  Each of us is on a different journey - most of us have 'been there' or know someone who has 

Ask away.  Try not to anticipate or you will be looking for problems that may not occur.  HRT can help but isn't always a 'cure'.  Talk away!

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Bonnie and welcome to the forum. HRT can be taken for life and studies have shown taking HRT can help to protect our bones. Sorry to hear you are feeling this way. It is a horrid feeling and I think we can all relate to this.

[CLKD]

Looks like the forum has glitches  .  Still  . so I've answered your original thread  . 

[CLKD]

How bad to you feel ?   'this bad' = what exactly, R U able to explain?

[CLKD]

Hello >wave<

[Maisymog]

Hi Bonnie,
I’m so sorry you feel this way, I completely get it…there has to be a better way for us surely?!
Today is my first day on this site out of pure desperation which I’m sure many of you have felt at some point.
I’m almost 49 and my gp’(s-never see the same one twice) have been telling me I’m ‘perimenopausal’ for years, as I’d reported weight gain, mood swings, significant increase in migraines, followed closely by night sweats and hot flushes for about last 6mths. I put off seeing the resident ‘meno specialist’ at my practice for fear of having a fight on my hands to get hrt, because many of my friends have had this experience…alongside this I’m on POP so don’t have periods and don’t want to stop taking it yet.
Fast foward 6mths, I saw the meno nurse and she was truly lovely, listened attentively and asked ‘would you like hrt?’ I told her the catalyst for making the app’t was me sitting in the bathroom at 01.30, sobbing with sheer exhaustion…but could not for the life of me fall asleep! I have a very stressful job with a male boss who I don’t feel able to approach with this.
Have the hrt sat on my dresser but having read up on side effects of Evorel conti suddenly felt frozen with fear at the increased risk of cancers/horrible side effects so have yet to start it as feel in a quandary!
Ironically all my sweats/flushes have suddenly stopped so now questioning whether I actually ‘am’ menopausal?!!!! In the past few wks have developed dryness ‘down there’ bit feel so torn, do I start hrt or
could my Symptoms be attributed
To something else??! I can’t make decisions, am struggling to do my job, my kids and husband want to move out, away from me…some days I actually want them to, how awful is that?! Keep having periods of pure sobbing/difficult to control high levels of expressed emotion.
My question is to all of you….do
I start the patches or not?!
Huge thanks to anyone who took the time to read this, my first post xx

[Flossieteacake]

Hi Bonnie,
I’m so sorry you feel this way, I completely get it…there has to be a better way for us surely?!
Today is my first day on this site out of pure desperation which I’m sure many of you have felt at some point.
I’m almost 49 and my gp’(s-never see the same one twice) have been telling me I’m ‘perimenopausal’ for years, as I’d reported weight gain, mood swings, significant increase in migraines, followed closely by night sweats and hot flushes for about last 6mths. I put off seeing the resident ‘meno specialist’ at my practice for fear of having a fight on my hands to get hrt, because many of my friends have had this experience…alongside this I’m on POP so don’t have periods and don’t want to stop taking it yet.
Fast foward 6mths, I saw the meno nurse and she was truly lovely, listened attentively and asked ‘would you like hrt?’ I told her the catalyst for making the app’t was me sitting in the bathroom at 01.30, sobbing with sheer exhaustion…but could not for the life of me fall asleep! I have a very stressful job with a male boss who I don’t feel able to approach with this.
Have the hrt sat on my dresser but having read up on side effects of Evorel conti suddenly felt frozen with fear at the increased risk of cancers/horrible side effects so have yet to start it as feel in a quandary!
Ironically all my sweats/flushes have suddenly stopped so now questioning whether I actually ‘am’ menopausal?!!!! In the past few wks have developed dryness ‘down there’ bit feel so torn, do I start hrt or
could my Symptoms be attributed
To something else??! I can’t make decisions, am struggling to do my job, my kids and husband want to move out, away from me…some days I actually want them to, how awful is that?! Keep having periods of pure sobbing/difficult to control high levels of expressed emotion.
My question is to all of you….do
I start the patches or not?!
Huge thanks to anyone who took the time to read this, my first post xx

Hello Maisymog and welcome to the forum. Please feel free to start your own post so we can all welcome you.

[CLKD]

Maisymog - which is better, the risk of cancer (where did U read that  ) or improving on HRT.  Quality of Life should always be considered.

[SarahT]

Hello Maisymog,

I am so sorry you 're feeling so bad. From how you describe your symptoms, it certainly sounds like peri to me.
You need some help, your quality of life is not so good right now. I was reluctant to start hrt for a few reasons, but I am so much better whilst on it. It isn't a 'cure' for me, I am still working out my hrt regime, but I know I am so much better that I was before.

All medications have risks of side affects, and I understand that there  can be a a slight (and it seems very slight) risk of cancer. Perhaps speak to your lovely meno nurse about your fears? They are there to help and listen too.

I would suggest you look at the advice for husband's on this forum,  and ask your husband to read this, just so he may be able to understand some of what you are going through. I feel very shocked at how much these hormonal  changes have affected me.

But you don't choose to feel this way, whilst your husband and children are totally bewildered, peri can be a very scary place to find yourself.

This forum is so kind and supportive, you clearly need some support Maisymog, I would definitely go back to speak with your meno nurse about your fears,as I hope you can be reassured and take the path you feel would help you most.

Dryness around the vagina can be helped easily and tooically,  and can be very effective - it is for me, again your nurse can help suggest perhaps a cream.
X