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[Elissa]

I started with much heavier periods and iron deficiency at 35.  When I was 36 I had a short spell of night sweats and itchiness down below that was confirmed as not being thrush (with hindsight my first signs of decreasing estrogen). 

There was a lull and then things really kicked off at 39 with heavy periods causing anemia.  I also had bladder issues for a while.  Another lull until I was 40, almost 41.  It has been full on since then with on and off dryness down below, insomnia, mood swings, night sweats, itchy skin, occasional palpitations etc.  I started HRT over a month ago and feeling so much better already 

Peri has been working on me for many years, I'm 42 now.

[AromaticCandy]

I started with much heavier periods and iron deficiency at 35.  When I was 36 I had a short spell of night sweats and itchiness down below that was confirmed as not being thrush (with hindsight my first signs of decreasing estrogen). 

There was a lull and then things really kicked off at 39 with heavy periods causing anemia.  I also had bladder issues for a while.  Another lull until I was 40, almost 41.  It has been full on since then with on and off dryness down below, insomnia, mood swings, night sweats, itchy skin, occasional palpitations etc.  I started HRT over a month ago and feeling so much better already 

Peri has been working on me for many years, I'm 42 now.

So I started with the burning and itchiness about a year ago - it happened just as my period was starting and as it got heavier the burning stopped. It came on again a few months ago a but didn't stop so I went to the GP. They were insistent it was thrush (despite treating myself for that) and that there was nothing they could do (are you detecting a theme here with my useless doctors?). I asked for a trial of vagibal estrogen which they eventually reluctantly gave me and it's completely stopped the burning even before a period which is a relief

My periods have always been very inconsistent in terms of heaviness and pain so it's difficult to tell whether they're different or not! Glad you're getting help tho and things are getting better.

[Elissa]

I started with much heavier periods and iron deficiency at 35.  When I was 36 I had a short spell of night sweats and itchiness down below that was confirmed as not being thrush (with hindsight my first signs of decreasing estrogen). 

There was a lull and then things really kicked off at 39 with heavy periods causing anemia.  I also had bladder issues for a while.  Another lull until I was 40, almost 41.  It has been full on since then with on and off dryness down below, insomnia, mood swings, night sweats, itchy skin, occasional palpitations etc.  I started HRT over a month ago and feeling so much better already 

Peri has been working on me for many years, I'm 42 now.

So I started with the burning and itchiness about a year ago - it happened just as my period was starting and as it got heavier the burning stopped. It came on again a few months ago a but didn't stop so I went to the GP. They were insistent it was thrush (despite treating myself for that) and that there was nothing they could do (are you detecting a theme here with my useless doctors?). I asked for a trial of vagibal estrogen which they eventually reluctantly gave me and it's completely stopped the burning even before a period which is a relief

My periods have always been very inconsistent in terms of heaviness and pain so it's difficult to tell whether they're different or not! Glad you're getting help tho and things are getting better.

Yes I'm hearing you.  I had over a year of on and off dryness (itching and burning) and the GP was adamant it was dermatitis/a fungal infection despite saying I was very dry during a pap smear a short time before it all started.  My full story is in the new members area - it was quite a drama.

I'm shocked now that perimenopause has been working on me for so long yet I still struggled to get the medication I needed until just recently.  It clearly happens to some (peri) in mid to late 30s (given we're on here talking about it) yet the GPs seem clueless.  I've had so many lightbulb moments this year, my head is spinning 

Glad to hear you got the vaginal estrogen.  It's like gold dust that stuff    Good luck getting the help you need.  Knowing what's going on is half the battle I think!

[AromaticCandy]

I'm going to put my complaint in, I'm keeping a symptom diary to keep tabs on it and I'm probably going to end up going private. I'm just worried my GP would refuse to take over prescribing if I did end up with HRT but I can't worry about that right now - if my complaint gets no resolution I'm changing GP surgery. I don't have to put up with nonsense.

The endometriosis debacle last year ended with me being referred to a consultant in the NHS but going privately to try and get an idea of how bad things were (I'd already known I had endometriosis from 8 years ago but previously had no symptoms) - GP insisted it was IBS - turned out it was severe endometriosis that's completely distorted the shape of my uterus and is on my bowel 🙃

[CLKD]

endometriosis may be difficult to diagnose and treat but IBS doesn't present with those symptoms and it's a cop out for many medics