Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: IrishWendy on June 17, 2019, 02:20:24 PM
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Hi,
I'm 53 and I still have periods unfortunately.
Up until January they were regular, now they average 10 days late and I'm living in hell. I'm a different person.
From day 1 to day 22 I'm a wreck: shaking badly everyday, a major anxiety attack everyday, off balance, light headed and bloated stomach and adrenaline surges.
It's hell and I have to take a 0.25 xanax everyday to stop all the above.
From day 22 until when the period starts I feel quite abit better and will only need to take xanax every 3 days or so and those symptoms are not so dreadful.
I tried hrt patches and tablets but I had daily panic attacks.
What is happening after day 22 to make me feel abit better? Am I estrogen dominant? Do I need progesterone?
I need help, I'm struggling to get out of bed in the bad days for work.
My period is starting now and the shakes are horrendous, internal and external. I feel so light headed and agitated.
Any advice please, thank you x
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Hi there! I'm never sure which hormone makes you feel so awful, but your experiences at the moment and symptoms are the same as I had when going through menopause, so you are not on your own. I ended up leaving my job as I could no longer function, but this was because my gp at the time refused to accept it was menopause. I used to wake up and start shaking, have panic attacks, awful adrenaline surges used to wake me up suddenly or kick off at the most random of times, very frightening. You definitely sound perimenopausal and another hrt may definitely help you? I'm sure one of the other ladies on this lifeline of a site will be along soon with more advice. Hang on in there you will get through it all by finding what it takes to level things out for you :)
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Thank you. My gp just says it's anxiety because my bloods are fine. It's hopeless.
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Nothing is 'just' or 'only' - there's always a reason!
HORMONES >:( ::)
:bighug: 2 U both.
Browse round. Make notes.
Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary? to chart progress. My periods waxed and waned for several years until they disappared.
Cortisol is the waking hormone and it used to cause intense fear from 3.30 a.m. onwards. Anti-depressant medication and Betablockas has helped.
Low blood sugar can cause similar symptoms so eating regularly and keeping hydrated can help. Although menopause is 'natural' it can cause all kinds of weird and awful feelings! If you need the 'xanax' then use it, I do know that it can cause a feeling of light-headedness though. I have an emergency drug on an as-necssary basis. I also find 'rescue remedy' mouth spray useful. I spray it and never think whether it works/not ;-).
Hormones are rarely 'dominant' although we read a lot about which are rising and falling against each other. It's The Change, does what it says on the tin - leaving many confused and upset. You are not alone!
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Can you change your doctor or ask for a referral to a meno clinic? You need hormonal support, most definitely.
I can but again it's all about money and distance. Nearest meno clinic is 3 hours away. Health care in Ireland is diabolical.
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Yes the gp I had at the time kept telling me my bloods were fine!!!! I felt like I was going mad and that my life was over, agree with the idea that you may need change of gp?? Sadly it's only recently that gps are coming on board regarding menopause, remember historically we rarely lived beyond childbirth! You'll get there but keep fighting!! X
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If you feel better from Day 22 until your period starts that would imply that it's progesterone that's making you feel better (or to put it another way, the unopposed estrogen of most of the month is too much for your system. ) High levels of estrogen can cause the kind of anxiety symptoms you describe. I'm not sure about the whole estrogen dominance thing - I know it's frowned upon by mainstream doctors, but it does make sense that if you're having more and more annovulatory cycles you won't be producing progesterone to balance the esytrogen that you're clearly still making.
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:thankyou: racjen
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If you feel better from Day 22 until your period starts that would imply that it's progesterone that's making you feel better (or to put it another way, the unopposed estrogen of most of the month is too much for your system. ) High levels of estrogen can cause the kind of anxiety symptoms you describe. I'm not sure about the whole estrogen dominance thing - I know it's frowned upon by mainstream doctors, but it does make sense that if you're having more and more annovulatory cycles you won't be producing progesterone to balance the esytrogen that you're clearly still making.
Thank you, I was wondering the same :)
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HORMONES Birdy - I was the same. Ratty B4 the bleed began, OK for the next 7-8 days after!
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My period has started and I am back to being a physical disaster again.
Does anybody know if the mini pill would help at the age of 53 and having near regular periods?
If I'm feeling better after day 22 until the day my period starts, maybe cerazette mini pill might help all month?
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It's such a trial and error. What's to lose if you try :-\. I went on The Pill due to heavy, painful, clotty periods. Until I was sterilised 11 years later. That's when PMT started but I think it is 'age' rather than the fact: as was suggested at the time: being sterilised. I would feel OK until 10-14 days prior to a bleed, then get ratty and feel generally unwell - once the period began I would be fine.
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Hi. I have had 2-3 years of this during Peri whilst my period were regular but swinging from 24 days to 31 days .Terrible anxiety two weeks before a period, insomnia. Then a few days after the period it subsides. Have seen many GPs and Meno clinic all with different views...
tried two HRTs but for me it made my BP go up and the anxiety much worse. Was told by one GP she thought is was the surging/swinging hormones that were causing the anxiety and I was probably too high estrogen which was putting my endocrine system into continual red alert , hence the HRT was adding to that. Who knows though...there are things like eating little n often, getting out, no caffeine, no booze which do help but when I have my ' mad' days I just have to hang on knowing it will pass. I am a low dose of Clonidine now which a specialist at a Meno drop in centre recommended. It is a vaso dilator (vein dilator) which has calming effect and also is good for my BP.
Just a thought but there are drop in centres for Meno/Peri at sexual health clinics in some UK cities. I made an appointment and combined it with a shopping trip! I got seen pretty quick and got some good specialist advice for free. My local GPs are all a bit vague when it comes to Peri stuff.
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It's more difficult across the water I believe - which is why many ladies travel from Ireland to London .
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It's more difficult across the water I believe - which is why many ladies travel from Ireland to London .
It's very difficult and very limited sadly x
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Hi. I have had 2-3 years of this during Peri whilst my period were regular but swinging from 24 days to 31 days .Terrible anxiety two weeks before a period, insomnia. Then a few days after the period it subsides. Have seen many GPs and Meno clinic all with different views...
tried two HRTs but for me it made my BP go up and the anxiety much worse. Was told by one GP she thought is was the surging/swinging hormones that were causing the anxiety and I was probably too high estrogen which was putting my endocrine system into continual red alert , hence the HRT was adding to that. Who knows though...there are things like eating little n often, getting out, no caffeine, no booze which do help but when I have my ' mad' days I just have to hang on knowing it will pass. I am a low dose of Clonidine now which a specialist at a Meno drop in centre recommended. It is a vaso dilator (vein dilator) which has calming effect and also is good for my BP.
Just a thought but there are drop in centres for Meno/Peri at sexual health clinics in some UK cities. I made an appointment and combined it with a shopping trip! I got seen pretty quick and got some good specialist advice for free. My local GPs are all a bit vague when it comes to Peri stuff.
I developed terrible anxiety on the 2 hrts I tried and I was only on it 3 mths and it hasn't left!
I feel dreadful and very scared.
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I'm really sorry you're feeling so bad Wendy...just wanted to send you a hug and hope you can get through to a more supportive GP X
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I'm really sorry you're feeling so bad Wendy...just wanted to send you a hug and hope you can get through to a more supportive GP X
That's very kind, thank you, I send one back x
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I'm also very sorry you have to go through this ordeal. I also had/ have the worse days from approximately day 1 to 22. I've kept a dairy for a long time being on different BCP's. Some had higher estrogen and lower progesterone and vice versa. In my experience the lack of estrogen is the main culprit.
I also felt better after day 21. For me it meant my progesterone was sufficient.
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I'm also very sorry you have to go through this ordeal. I also had/ have the worse days from approximately day 1 to 22. I've kept a dairy for a long time being on different BCP's. Some had higher estrogen and lower progesterone and vice versa. In my experience the lack of estrogen is the main culprit.
I also felt better after day 21. For me it meant my progesterone was sufficient.
Thank you for your support 😊
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:bighug: HORMONES >:( :-\
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Irish wendy
I was just wondering how you are feeling now.
I have been on HRT for 5 weeks now and feel horrendous! I woke up this morning sweating , shaking, nauseous, anxious and with a headache. I feel like I'm going mad! Hope you are feeling better x
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Jules: have you thought to put the product name into the search box here to see what pops up, you might find some suggestions?
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Yes I have thanks CLKD
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Any useful info.?
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Irish wendy
I was just wondering how you are feeling now.
I have been on HRT for 5 weeks now and feel horrendous! I woke up this morning sweating , shaking, nauseous, anxious and with a headache. I feel like I'm going mad! Hope you are feeling better x
Hi Jules,
I'm still the same.
Shaky, episodes of lightheadedness when I walk, and horrendous episodes of daily anxiety that make me feel like I'm about to pass out.
I've also started to get lightheaded and shaky when I eat a substantial meal.
I'm a mess.
But thanks for asking😊
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Irishwendy,
I tried HRT for just under 3 months. I don't think it helped with my symptoms, possibly made them worse. The same symptoms you describe, and a few more.
I ripped my patch off on Sunday night. I hope to feel better soon, although I know I will be going back to how it was before starting the HRT, which wasnt great :(
I was on the minipill for 12 years, before swithing to HRT. Although my peri was sudden and surgical.
If you think you will be better with a little more progesterone, than I would go for it. You really have nothing to lose. You can take the minipill up to age 55. So go for it. You won't know unless you try. And you can always stop.
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Hi IrishWendy
Dr Currie is very helpful. I did an email consultation with her and the level of information was great. It is just £30 and you could take the advice to your doctor?
Another way to have just progesterone is the Mirena coil, which also provides contraception.
But given your geographical challenges I would request an email consultation. You can find it on this site.
Good luck
Elmsey
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Hi IrishWendy
Dr Currie is very helpful. I did an email consultation with her and the level of information was great. It is just £30 and you could take the advice to your doctor?
Another way to have just progesterone is the Mirena coil, which also provides contraception.
But given your geographical challenges I would request an email consultation. You can find it on this site.
Good luck
Elmsey
Is she in the UK?
Thank you x
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Irishwendy,
I tried HRT for just under 3 months. I don't think it helped with my symptoms, possibly made them worse. The same symptoms you describe, and a few more.
I ripped my patch off on Sunday night. I hope to feel better soon, although I know I will be going back to how it was before starting the HRT, which wasnt great :(
I was on the minipill for 12 years, before swithing to HRT. Although my peri was sudden and surgical.
If you think you will be better with a little more progesterone, than I would go for it. You really have nothing to lose. You can take the minipill up to age 55. So go for it. You won't know unless you try. And you can always stop.
Thanks 😊 I'm so unwell now I don't know what I need 😥 my bloods are fine so the doctor just thinks I'm a lunatic
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Irish Wendy and Pants46 I feel your pain. I stopped HRT (and Fluoxetine) on Sunday. I had a good day yesterday (some anxiety but nothing major) but today I have woken up with an upset stomach, stomach pain and nausea. I hope it subsides soon.
Irish Wendy- are you still on the HRT?
Hope you both feel better soon. Jules x
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Hi IrishWendy
Dr Currie is very helpful. I did an email consultation with her and the level of information was great. It is just £30 and you could take the advice to your doctor?
Another way to have just progesterone is the Mirena coil, which also provides contraception.
But given your geographical challenges I would request an email consultation. You can find it on this site.
Good luck
Elmsey
Is she in the UK?
Thank you x
IrishWendy, Dr Curry runs this site. You can send her an email by going to Contact Us on the main menu. Cost is £30.
JP x
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Irish Wendy - forget about bloods, it's all about symptoms - well most of the really good hrt consultants in the UK think that way mostly. Where are you - Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland. I am in in NI and the meno clinic in Belfast is excellent. If you are in ROI then I appreciate the problem?
I was at my worst with meno around the age of 50 to 55 - I pretty much needed sectioning ::) I couldn't leave the house for anxiety and life was one long nauseous panic attack, with painful joints, headaches, shakes, memory loss plus a heap of others thrown in - I feel your pain.
I had been on hrt since I was 45 but it turned out it was the wrong thing and didn't do anything for me. I had to try 5 different combos before it all got sorted so to Jules53 and Pants I would say don't give up altogether and suffer just work your way through the hrt prescription list till you get it right - it is possible. I never thought so, I thought that was my life - over! but it is.
Where are you Irish Wendy?
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Thanks Ladybt. Which HRT are you on now? I'm giving my body a rest for a bit x
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Thanks Ladybt. Which HRT are you on now? I'm giving my body a rest for a bit x
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Irish Wendy and Pants46 I feel your pain. I stopped HRT (and Fluoxetine) on Sunday. I had a good day yesterday (some anxiety but nothing major) but today I have woken up with an upset stomach, stomach pain and nausea. I hope it subsides soon.
Irish Wendy- are you still on the HRT?
Hope you both feel better soon. Jules x
No I'm not in the hrt. I only took it for Feb, March and April and I've been off it since then.
It helped my IBS but it gave me daily panic attacks or something similar and I had to take half a xanax everyday. I don't understand it. I think its rocked my system now and made me worse than before the hrt!
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Irish Wendy - forget about bloods, it's all about symptoms - well most of the really good hrt consultants in the UK think that way mostly. Where are you - Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland. I am in in NI and the meno clinic in Belfast is excellent. If you are in ROI then I appreciate the problem?
I was at my worst with meno around the age of 50 to 55 - I pretty much needed sectioning ::) I couldn't leave the house for anxiety and life was one long nauseous panic attack, with painful joints, headaches, shakes, memory loss plus a heap of others thrown in - I feel your pain.
I had been on hrt since I was 45 but it turned out it was the wrong thing and didn't do anything for me. I had to try 5 different combos before it all got sorted so to Jules53 and Pants I would say don't give up altogether and suffer just work your way through the hrt prescription list till you get it right - it is possible. I never thought so, I thought that was my life - over! but it is.
Where are you Irish Wendy?
Hi I'm in the Republic and probably in the worst part of the Republic for healthcare, Leitrim.
The hrt gave me daily panic attacks.
NOW two months without hrt I am worse than before the hrt.
I have daily shakes, anxiety, dizzy, nausea.
It's like a horrendous sugar drop or huge panic attack or drop in blood sugar but it's not those.
I'm worse now.
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I am on oestrogel and utrogestan. I have had: PrempackC 6 years (didn't work but I didn't know that then only learned from experience and this forum)and then discontinued so I had to change to Premique but also discontinued, Evorel sequi - no good - gave me Tridestra 3 months - progesterone part no good, then Femeston - crippling headaches - Elleste duet and solo cos GP couldn't makeup mind whether I was still post or peri at 55.
Learnt through all of this that combination hrt wasn't working as couldn't get balance right for my body - then tried Premarin and provera on a continuous cycle and the provera sent me completely over the edge. Had been on this forum for about a year and so decided to ask for gel and utro as they are separate forms and you can play around with the doses of the gel yourself till you get the right level without really having to go back to the GP to get new prescriptions (just more on repeat if you use more gel). Worked out my body didn't like continuous progesterone so decided from here to use a cycle although GP's usually recommend continuous when you are post meno just for convenience because it means you shouldn't bleed but I was happy to if I felt better.
So after 2 years faffing I am on 4 pumps oestrogel and 12 days utro vaginally (to minimise side effects) for 10months plus3x pea blobs testosterone for 6 months I am now better than I have been in 10 years - I have a life back.
It is said that each hrt can take a minimum of 3 months to settle and I think the more confused our bodies and the longer we have been "ill" (for want of a better word) the longer it takes to fix. Mine has taken nearly a year but it took 3 years to find the right hrt for my body to do it. We all react so differently and for some of us there is no quick fix and you will find most of us with problems on the forum :) but there are success stories too. I wasn't prepared to give up and I'm glad I didn't. xx
To be honest for some of us there is no quick fix, it is a long old haul.
bit of history I had been on AD's 40 years - turns out meno taught me I had always had underlying hormonal problems which just went off the scale in meno and now no ADs' and minimal painkillers - got rid of the lost completely in the last 18 months or so.
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Thanks Ladybt. Glad you are feeling so good now.
Unfortunately, Oestrogel didn't suit me - it gave me unbearable itching - and Utrogestan didn't suit me either. The only HRT I found suited me was Femseven Conti patches and they have been discontinued 😥
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This business about discontinuing stuff is a real pain Jules. GP's often say they are all the same but they are most definitely no which is borne out by all the comments on the various ones by ladies on the forum. Femeston nearly made my head explode!
I get a bit of itching sometimes but I think it is usually around using the gel and utro together but I can put up with it - I just take some antihistamine. Bearing in mind some of the side effects and symptoms in the past, its really just a minor inconvenience to manage.
There has been more and more publicity in the press over the last 6 months to increase awareness but it seems the types of hrt available are diminishing which doesn't make any sense at all??? :-\