Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: UpsDowns on January 17, 2018, 10:50:44 AM
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Hello everyone and this does seem a very friendly and supportive forum, so here's hoping. I'm 48 and have had all over the place periods for about a year. I have never struggled with PMS but did have post natal depression (undiagnosed but was too scared to go to GP lasted 18 months), hypothroidism diagnosed at that time too. I also have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder with anxiety just over a year ago and on anti depressants for that, how much they help seems to fluctuate with my monthly cycle. I've only just sussed this relationship as GP asked me to do a chart with how and when I am every day and write on when I menstruate, and had such an awful week physically and mentally and then felt quite a bit better when period started. My physical symptoms are many but sometimes I do think that it maybe it is all in my mind, but just going to a parents evening last night was a struggle physically.
Joint pain
Ache all over
headaches
chest, neck, shoulder tip, jaw pain and arm heaviness/tingling (off and on and probably anxiety related)
tinnitus (off and on)
sensitivity to light, sound, touch (off and on, only when i am really ill)
insomnia
fatigue and generally feel unwell (like having flu without the cold symptoms)
it was found that my iron stores are very low too
Anyway thinking of starting something alternative that could help me, as daren't go back to GP for some time as went 3 times last week with chest, shoulder, jaw pain and feeling generally awful - they'll be telling me to find another GP!
Has anyone got similar issues and found that something over the counter worked for them?
Many thanks
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Go and speak to your dr about hrt.
I wasted a lot of money on over the counter stuff and none of it worked.
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Hi and welcome your in the right place for help and support.im no expert but most if not all of us here have gone through pretty much the same thing,there's over 30 symptoms of menopause and your ticking a lot of the boxes.In my opinion you need hrt and don't be scared of it or asking for it,if no joy with gp ask for a referral to menopause expert/clinic or if you can afford refer yourself privately to one for advice.there will be plenty of helpful ladies who will come to your rescue very soon with advice so try and be patient till they do.Im pretty new here myself and they have been wonderful and so supportive.you can also pay £25 and email dr currie who will give you excellent advice that you can print off and take to your gp if you feel you need that crutch,I certainly did.good luck and keep your chin up there's plenty help here xx
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In my opinion dotty is spot on too I did exactly that spent a fortune over the years trying various stuff and let the hormones get a grip in the process,save your money and go to gp or clinic where you will get the proper help you need xx
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So sorry to hear you're feeling so awful, I'm new here too but just wanted to mention I posted the other day with very similar symptoms to you! I also queried if anyone else was having issues with sound sensitivity, for me at times its been awful, I also still experience if I watch tv and blue flashing lights are on the screen I have to look away.
I have done hours and hours of research trying to find if the sound sensitivity can be meno related and eventually I came across a published paper to say estrogen effects How the brain process sound, like wise your vision can be effected.
I think this estrogen has so much to answer for, I'm hopeful after finding this forum I can start to feel so much better, I wish you well also xxx
Edited to add if your GP hasn't checked your vitamin d level also I'd definitely ask them to do so, I was severely deficient with that along with iron and folate and I felt dreadful.
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I feel so terrible today I cant even pick up my boy from school, but after reading all your comments I have tears running down my face because I feel like I've have had a big hug from all of you. What an amazing forum. I wish I had seen this was down to my bloody hormones a bit earlier and I might not have a nasty mental health diagnosis! You've given me the guts to ring GP tomorrow, phoning partly because I feel unable to physically go and partly because the sound of the terrible music they play is unbearable with this sound sensitivity!
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:bighug:
as oestrogen levels drop so the muscles may become lax = aches and pains - over the counter pain relief should help
as oestrogen levels drop, the body may become dry: inside and out >:( ::) - have a read of the threads relative to vaginal atrophy
:welcomemm: broswe round. Make notes. Take a list of symptoms to your Practice Nurse and discuss your requirements. Some GPs prescribe anti-depressants for anxiety which is OK but some ladies find that HRT helps. Some need both.
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Don't beat yourself up we've all said the very same thing and eventually in my case it was sheer desperation and determination that made me search out the answers I think you kind of know instinctively that your on the right track but just need someone to back you up and make you feel strong and positive enough to trust your own judgement and get the help that you need.
As far as light and sound sensitivity yes your right again it is a menopausal “gift†and lots of us suffer with that affliction too,Ive just been referred to eye hospital as the “dry eye syndrome†I suffer from is really giving me gip.you also get dry ears ,dry sinus ,dry undercarriage to the point of splitting like paper cuts down there so get help ASAP if your not already at that stage,its called Vaginal Atrophy and it's another menopause “perkâ€lol.nip it in the bud before it gets a grip.there are supplements that can also help with the dryness everywhere I'm just going to start on visionace plus recommended by optometrists,google Lutein if your suffering from dry eye and light sensitivity.good luck and keep plodding away with questions etc on here the lovely ladies will help and advise you,I call them “curries angels†lol they know who they are xx
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Hi UpsDowns
:welcomemm:
Sorry to hear about all your symptoms. When you say your periods have been all over the place - has your cycle got longer or shorter or more variable in length - have you skipped any or have they been late?
Also re your diagnosis of " major depressive disorder with anxiety" - is this a recent diagnosis or due to life events unrelated to menopause? As you say - it could all be down to hormones - if your periods have been going haywire then your emotional as well as physical symptoms may well be caused by fluctuating or low oestrogen - and especially if you suffered from post-natal depression. There is a gynaecologist (John Studd) who has done a lot of research on this and it is known as reprodictive depression for which he prescribes HRT. Here is some information:
http://www.studd.co.uk/reproductivedepression.php
http://www.studd.co.uk/postnataldepression.php
http://www.studd.co.uk/depression.php
You will see on each of these pages there are loads more links/tabs on the right side of the page. Do have a read and see if you think this describes you. If your symptoms are menopausal (including emotional symptoms and anxiety) then the NICE Guidelines recommended that HRT is given as the first line of Treatment and not anti-depressants - and the type that Studd recommends are all available on NHS.
Have a listen to the Woman's Hour clips as menopause has been featured every day this week!
If you are also hypothyroid then menopause can also play havoc with this as thyroid hormone metabolism and oestrogen seem to be interrelated. Your pains and fatigue could well be partly due to this - and I would ask for your thyroid hormone levels to be tested and monitored while you are going through the menopause and if you start HRT too.
The other thing is light and sound sensitivity are a symptom of migraines and I wonder if you are getting these symptoms all the time or only with your headaches? Migraines can begin or get worse during peri - I didn't get them until I was almost peri-menopausal and I didn't know that this is what they were. When the migraine clears the light/sound sensitivity disappears.
Low iron will also be making you feel rough - and I presume you are taking something for this - I swear by Floradix herbal tonic which is very gentle on the stomach!
I hope this is some help to you and yes do keep on asking :)
How did you get on with GP?
Hurdity x
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See I told you one of the great ladies would be along with practical advice def one of the angels ::) xx
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Hi Hurdity,
I think I am actually on the wrong forum now as GP thinks all this is relating to my hormones but PMS. Periods are running at 3 weekly at the moment, and I've only just put two and two together typing this, so thanks. In June, I was very poorly and it was thought I had Lyme disease because I had the bulls eye rash but I continually had a period also for the whole month too. So I'm now thinking that this was all related to my hormones.
Studd's articles are very interesting, I am presently on a up (elevated mood, hugely motivated, cant sit still, etc) and this normally lasts for about 4 days following and including the last day of my period, so I've got the whole weekend happy which is fantastic. And I always hope that this is it and I am better, but the crash inevitibly follows and severe depression takes hold again, massively struggle to get out of bed and do anything at all. I will have a more through look when I have the ability to sit still again!
It is also very interesting what you say about thyroxine and female hormones because I am convinced that my hypothroidism started after the birth of my first born and I was depressed until I took my first thyroid tablet and felt alive again, and remarkably well within 5 minutes of taking it. Thyroid levels fine and been checked recently.
Yes the light, sound and touch sensitivity is only when I am really ill and always have a headache and when I feel okay the sensitivity disappears too.
Taking iron tablets for low iron and breathlessness is getting better.
GP wants me to continue with the diary which I started at the beginning of this year, and may prescribe patches after she has seen more evidence from another cycle at least. So feel so much more hopeful of getting sorted and all down to you amazing guys, you are all angels. I know that I am probably on the wrong forum now, seeing that I have PMS so I'm not expecting any more replies but good luck to you all and when I do hit the menopause and if I need support I will certainly remember this wonderful forum. Thank you so much x
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Your symptoms look like menopause to me so I would stay on this forum
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Great advice from dotty don't be in a hurry to leave us you can still be a valuable part of this forum and may still need advice and support,good luck xx
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Hello UpsDowns and welcome to the forum ( hopefully I got that in before you sailed off lol ).
I just wanted to add that I certainly recognise the mood swings that you describe and for me that only began when I stopped having periods. Also I believe it's quite common for women to have thyroid problems after childbirth and while many recover naturally a proportion do not and need to take medication thereafter.
Take care and maybe see you again someday.
K.
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Hi again UpsDowns
From what you say then you are probably at what is known as the "Late Reproductive Stage" - the last stage before pei-menopause - which is when the ovaries are still functioing and you ovulate regularly but hormones begin to go a bit haywire. Many women experience worsening pms at this point (I know I did) - so this also sounds like you. However if you are also starting to have periods for the whole month then this is also a feature of peri-menopause.
So - please don't go!!! You're not on the wrong forum - there are lots of women in your position who come on here!
The light and sound sensitivity when you have a headache is definitely a migraine! It seems that like me you haven't had these before and therefore don't recognise these as symptoms. Also I mistakenly thought that all migraines began with an aura which is why I didn't think mine were migraines. Those without aura are known as classic migraines and are very common. There is a lot of information about them on the various migraine websites. (eg Migraine Trust etc). I started getting mine pre-menstrually - 3 days before a period and within a day of my period starting the headache, head fog, and horrible symptoms would disappear and my mood would lift as though nothing was wrong! I could feel it happening. If yours last for 3 days there are medications for them which I have only just discovered ( 15 years later!).
Also if your hormonal fluctuations are beginning to cause problems then either you can control the cycle with high doses of oestrogen as per the Studd regime (I think you would need referral to a menopause clinic maybe?), or through the contraceptive pill. There is one particularly that suppresses the cycle but is similar to HRT - called QLAIRA and is mentioned here https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/contra2.php (scroll down). There are only 2 tablet free days unlike the usual CCP.
re the Lyme Disease - if you had a tick bite and then the bulls-eye rash a little while later, I presume you were given a course of antibiotics straight away or very soon afterwards, just to be on the safe side?
Do read the article here on peri-menopause which explains what is happening to your body and please stay :)
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/pdf/Article%20-%20Perils%20of%20the%20Perimenopause.pdf
Hurdity x
OOPS pressed the wrong button and posted by mistake ::)
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Bless you all and I don't need any persuading to stay! You've all give me some kind of hope and I can honestly say that I've not felt that for over a year. Both husband and son have migraines, conventional ones with aura, vomiting and vile headache and have to lie down for 5/6 hours unable to function. GP did suggest I should try sons migraine treatment but I honestly didn't think it was a migraine but I am going to try one next time I'm bad, usually around a week before a period. 're lyme disease did have a hideous amount of antibiotics - rash is still there though! I'll look at the article when less hyper, thanks. And thanks again for such a supportive forum and giving me hope to carry on.
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Have you tried HRT?
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Huridyt - 'just over a year ago' :-\
PMS - ONLY happens in the 10-14 days prior to a period. Have a look-see at the NAPS site - they saved my Life in 1991. National Association of Pre-menstrual Syndrome. Advised me to eat every 3 hours, 24/7. To stop blood sugar levels dropping which can trigger anxiety surges.
It took me 3-4 months to get into a routine of eating 24/7. I still keep to a similar routine and usually recognise when my body is hungry = anxiety. Now I try to eat B4 my body gets hungry otherwise :-\ :'(. At the time it was AWFUL!
Keeping a mood/food/symptom diary is useful too. Your GP seems to be on the ball and is asking the 'right' questions. Although we want to feel well quickly, sadly it doesn't happen. The Change is that - our hormones go into free-fall :-\.
Browse round. Make notes. There is a dedicated web-site for Lyme disease which many GPs still don't recognise!
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Great that you are staying UpsDowns!
My migraines have never involved vomiting nor lying still for for 5-6 hours. I sometimes have to have a bit of a lie down for an hour for bad ones, but mine last for 3 days and wake me in the night through the pain-killers - but they are migraines nevertheless. The meds I was given are sumatriptan but the low dose one. It does the trick but you have to be careful with them to avoid rebound or prolonging the migraine but if lifts the fog and clears the head amazingly (for me).
Lyme Disease is a caused by a bacterium and its existence is indisputable, as well as the fact that it causes both short and long term symptoms. The problem is with infections that are not identified at the time (especially for those who do not get the bulls eye rash soon aftyer the tick bite) and can cause symptoms later. The test is not accurate I understand. What some doctors do not accept is the diagnosis of chronic Lyme Disease in the absence of a positive test, no evidence/history of a tick bite and no bulls eye rash. I can understand why this happens because medicine is evidence based and therefore it is difficult to give a diagnosis on the basis of symptoms that have no identfiable cause, however frustrating this maybe. A conclusive test would be more helpful?
How long ago was your tick-bite and do you think you have been given enough antibiotics? I think the test is more accurate soon after infection? I've also had several tick bites and never had a bulls eye rash but had anti-biotics for one of them as it stayed red around the bite for 5 weeks so doc gave me antibiotics just in case. (Doxycyclin or similar).
Sorry UpsDowns I'm going off topic a bit!
Hurdity x
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Dotty - no hrt yet but gp did talk about patches but she wants to see another cycle. However it is all falling together now, as had a period on holiday and was very depressed, to the point of ringing my CPN from Spain! And then period stopped and we were climbing mountains and swimming in the sea and getting up early to watch the sun rise over the mountains. Its like all or nothing!
CLKD - eating has been an issue for me since I've been depressed/anxious. Tend to not eat at all in the day, if im home alone, then eat family meal at night. I know this is not good but im going to try and eat little snacks more regularly. Going shopping in a bit and have a look for low calorie snacks, other than fruit, yoghurt and cereal. Also buy some de caff coffee. And going to eat breakfast now, which I never do. Ill have a look at naps website too, thanks
Hurdity, re migraines yes son takes sumatriptan, he's just upped to 100mg but I'll try an 50mg next time I'm off. Was bitten camping late May 2017, rash appeared within a week. Was well initially but when to the gp who prescribed doxycycline high dose which was horrid and was very poorly for the whole of June (can't recollect most of it) ended up in hospital 3 times. But all tests have come back negative for lyme, still have rash and a little one appeared in a different spot about 3 months in. Left knee however has never recovered and painful/swollen my left thigh has been swollen for two months And both get worse with excercise And you did right to be treated as not all cases involve the nice bulls eye rash. Funny one lyme though because i was so ill but it's not really recognised like you say especially if your tests come back negative but the tests are not conclusive.
Thanks for all the support and even managed to tell husband about anxiety and depression last night (id been hiding it all from him) which feels such a relief. I suddenly feel less ashamed of myself as now know there is a reason why I've been like this.
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Well done for telling your husband! That's a really good start!
Re the Lyme Disease. It sounds like it could have been this in view of feeling ill and the rash not going - and did you take antibiotics for a long time? I had them for two weeks but wasn't ill as such - mine was just precautionary. In your case I would push for further testing - I mean there are specialists. Has any other reason been given for your joint and leg problems as this is not normal and is not likely to be due to menopause? There was a former member from Scotland called cubagirl (also known as Joyce) whose brother I think had Lyme disease and needed to be treated for at least a month - I can't remember the details but maybe do a search from the forum home page? Not wanting to alarm you at all - but it's not like you might be imagining you have it from symptoms - you had a tick bite and a rash soon after and you are continuing to have problems! If not this then you need to know why you are still experiencing these symptoms.
Hurdity x
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Morning hurdity,
I took two weeks of antibiotics (vomited many up though im not good with high strength antibiotics!) gp didn't know about Lyme and to be honest I don't think it is recognised medically either in this country. Also with my mental health diagnosis I'm afraid that health professionals think everything is related to that, and me being mrs anxious, which admittedly I am. However this diary im doing is not only showing links with my menstrual cycle but I also tend to go 3-4 days and then a very poorly day, apart from the week before a period when i am ill for about a week, which is exactly how I was when the rash first appeared in June. Hospital Dr did explain this, and the bug is nasty and gives off many toxins and the plummet day is when you need to rest because of the toxin build up. Anyway I am sure that it is partly lyme, the rash got redder and more raised just before I started doing the 3/4 day cycles again and the aching all over all the time I believe is the lyme. However I'm not going to complicate things now that I might get these hormones sorted out, so I am not mentioning the lyme issues till my hormones are sorted and then maybe I won't be as mad as I must appear to them now and they might take my concerns more seriously. Thanks for your help and i know it is off topic but we can have more than one issue at a time but it does complicate things too.
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We can suffer more than 1 issue physically and mentally - its' The Change ::).
We can discuss issues in the same thread too. So that the thread doesn't get lost.
EAT GIRL EAT! :D. This is the list of safe foods that I stick with. As a recovering anorexic ......... :-\
Dextrose tablets to chew when anxious or if I've done a lot of exercise without eating. If my blood sugar is low they fizz ::)
Dried fruits and nuts - to graze on
Toast with hot Bovril
Pancakes - the mix can be kept in the fridge 4 several days ready for instant use
Toast with honey which is a good healer
Dry biscuits, i.e. Rich Tea or ginger
Himself puts ginger and garlic in most of the meals that he cooks for us
Anxiety can surge if the body is hungry!
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Hi CLKD,
I am following your advice and eating every 3-4 hours, and I feel so good today. It is snowing here but I feel so cosy and happy. And I have had very little anxiety today , no depression at all which is so wonderful. I've got a tub of healthy grazing food (which kids are not allowed to touch!) It is so hard to eat when you've not eaten properly for over a year but then you will know that and more ... I even had breakfast as soon as I got up this morning, think I was a child last time I did that. I will get some dextrose tablets, that's a great idea and there are things I do that always causes anxiety so it will be very interesting to see if I improve. Why didn't the cpn tell me all this?? And why didn't I tell my husband sooner, it's like the elephant has left the house?! And why didn't I find this forum earlier? Thank you all
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Hi again UpsDowns
I wouldn't recommended dextrose tablets or anything with sugar in - this is not recommended these days for stabilising blood sugar levels and the hormonal surges you get in peri-menopause (and pre-mensturally?). You only need dextrose if you are diabetic (or maybe an athelete doing the 100 m sprint!), or if you get reactive hypoglycaemia and are caught unawares - but even then (ie the latter - which I get now and again) a muesli bar or piece of fruit should do the trick. The best way to stabilise blood sugar levels is actually to REDUCE sugar intake and swap simple carbs for complex carbs and to reduce the consumption of high GI foods containing sugars and refined carbs. Better to increase your intake of high protein lower fat foods. ie Not biscuits except eg plain digestives as these are lower sugar, and cut down sweets, cakes, biscuits, pastries, sweet drinks including juice. Good snacks are nuts or cheese and actual fruit rather than juice. I think this sort of regime may be now recommended also for pms? Thinking has changed re blood sugar I would suggest - over the years.
I found this link about diet - maybe a bit extreme but along the right lines I would say:
http://www.pmscomfort.com/pms-diet/pms-pmdd-balance-diet-hypoglycemia.aspx
Hope this helps :)
Hurdity x
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Of course - not everyone here will agree with Dextrose but I have had professional, medical advice which suggests that it is absolutely OK to chew them when necessary. There is no way that eating them occasionally will alter sugar levels that much, but they can be a life saver.
They would not be used by a diabetic or athletes. These people will already have advice regarding the correct diet for their needs.
Could you tell us more Huridty - I had my advice from a Professional Medic-led group who still suggest what was offered in the 1990s/2000s. As well as eating a complex carbohydrate diet every 3 hours, 24/7.
As you have found UpsDowns - eating regularly can help stave off anxiety ..... well done. Graze Girl, Graze ;-). If you wake in the night, have a banana/biscuit. Ginger are my first choice ;-).
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Hi, no worries both I do eat a healthy diet, husband has early onset hypertension and poor family heart health history, so I am like the food police! The only thing I do wrong is skipping meals. But I haven't this weekend and anxiety been fine, however these are my good 4 days of my cycle! Must admit that I am a bit concerned about becoming overweight but the lack of anxiety is significantly more appealing presently. Thanks for all the invaluable advice 😊
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The idea is not to increase what you usually eat but to spread the whole diet over the 24 hours ;) even in the night. When I had a puppy she soon got used to the idea that after she had been for a pee at 3.00 a.m., that we shared a biscuit on our way back to bed. :). I still carry emergency rations when out and about!
Slow release foods: porridge :sick02:, good quality muesli, energy bars, fruits and nuts as well as plenty of fruit and veg. (ignore the sugar scares as the body deals with fruit sugars differently to refined sugars) - anything really that you can make quickly and eat to keep the body going.