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[Teresa667]

Hi I am a new member to this site. I am 49yrs and I'm in the peri menopause. I was getting no where with my gp because I'm still having periods so gp said I couldn't be menopausal. I've been off work for 5 months as I hit a brick wall with the symptoms and just couldn't function. I am low mood, negative thoughts, crying over nothing, night sweats, greasy hair, anxiety really bad and I have a period every 2 weeks when the flooding is so bad I can't leave the house. So I paid out of my savings to see a consultant privately and she has confirmed that I have been peri for years. I had a biopsy under general of the
endocrine lining and it came back negative and the consultant could find no other problems. As I take meds each day to control a silent migraine she has advised the following treatment plan. That I have an injection Zoladex 3.6mg every 4 weeks so that I don't have a period and I take a tablet Tibolone 2.5mg to deal with the side effects of stopping the periods. Must admit initially I was hopeful of this but there are so many bad stories on the net about the injection I'm now worried about having it. If anyone is on this treatment plan and having good results I'd love to hear your positive experience. I know everyone is different but I really need to get back to work and can't risk feeling worse than I do now, which is pretty bad.

[Hurdity]

Hi Teresa667

 

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. That does sound like quite drastic treatment ....

Have you started skipping any periods at all? If they are still regular and the cycle has shortened then this is very typical of the late reproductive phase. Unfortunately at this stage many women do experience far worse pms and mood swings as well as heavy bleeding, the hormones start to go awry before the proper peri-menopausal transition starts (varied cycles. skipping periods). Some gynaes recommend the Pill at this point, or a Mirena to help with the bleeding and some oestrogen HRT to stop it dipping so low. The Pill would also regulate your bleeding and your moods and there are a couple that have estradiol - the same hormone as in HRT. As you say though you need to feel better as soon as possible so that you can function.

I know there are some women (MM members) who have had injections in the past to shut down the ovaries and then replacement HRT so hopefully they will be along - I can't think of anyone offhand at the moment. If you don't get many replies to this particular question then maybe post a new thread in "All Things Menopause" with a title that indicates what you're doing eg Zoladex etc and then hopefully it will catch someone's eye!

Good luck anyway

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

Welcome to MM!

Firstly, I am sorry to hear about the rough time you are having.  It was a wise move to consult a specialist and good to know that everything else is fine healthwise.  I am a fellow silent migraine sufferer so I know what you are going through.  Mine are only triggered by synthetic progesterone and high doses of Utrogestan (micronised progesterone) which is quite lucky because it means I know what to avoid, do you know exactly what triggers yours?  I didn't have migraines until I reached menopause and stopped producing adequate amounts of my own hormones.

Tibolone sounds like a good option because it has fewer side effects that many other forms of HRT and doesn't contain progesterone which is often a migraine trigger.  There are plenty of other members with positive experience of Tibolone who can be of help. 

I don't know anything about Zoladex 3.6mg but I would say stick with it and you may well be pleasantly surprised at the results.  All forms of medication will have some negative feedback but you won't know until you try it.  Will you have to take it long term?

I hope you don't mind me asking but what form do your silent migraines take?  Mine consist of (usually) a blind spot followed by 25 minutes of scimmering, zig zaggy lines and virtual blindness but no ensuing headache.  I feel spaced out afterwards. 

I would be very interested to hear how you get on with the Tibolone because I have been tempted to try it myself but now I am settled on Oestrogel and low dose Utrogestan, I feel reluctant to rock the boat. 

I really hope this regime works out for you and you feel better very soon. 

[marras]

Can't help with your problems but wanted to say 'hi' and welcome to the site. There are a lot of lovely well informed ladies on here who will, I'm sure, be of great help to you. All the best.

[Teresa667]

Hi ladies, thankyou for the welcome its made me feel better already.  I turned down the mirena coil just a personal preference, never been keen on the thought of it. I think my consultant didn't suggest the pill because of migraine problems on it in the past. Also at 32 I was diagnosed with endromitris, though I don't believe it has caused me any problems, so I was on the depo contraception injection till I was 43. Luckily my bone density is ok.
Mary G you asked about my silent migraine. It came on when I suddenly split from my partner of 20yrs. The trauma caused it and I was confined to bed for 3 months. It was then misdiagnosed as ear balance problems. I have it 24/7 so my vision can be affected, noise sensitive, light sensitive, nausea. I have learnt to manage the condition and I take propanol and pritzofen to manage it. I also have to ensure that I don't get stressed or over tired. Touch wood I have it under control and one day it will go. Total downside is on the pritzofen I can't drink alcohol. So not had a drink for 8 yrs 

[Mary G]

Teresa, thanks for replying re the migraines, they sound very draining but it's good that you have them under control.  I have heard that they can disappear overnight so hopefully yours will do just that. 

Good luck with the new regime.