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Author Topic: Is it menopause??  (Read 1318 times)

Sgtvhilts

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Is it menopause??
« on: January 11, 2018, 07:13:54 PM »

Hi all.
I am totally new to all blog/forum/posting so i have absolutely no idea what I'm doing! So please forgive any early fauxpas.
Im 48 and been curious for a while. My periods are still regular, although now 25 days instead of 28.
I have other ‘symptoms ‘ but how do i know if they are related to menopause?? Its driving me bonkers.
I get ‘sweats ‘ in the early hours, but get no flushes in the day?? How can this be, i would have thought they would come randomly over 24 hours, not at the same time every morning!!
I take ssri's 20 yrs or more and i thought they were now used to stop this- so i can't figure that one out.
My last FSH 2 yrs ago was er 5!
My acne is horrendous at the mo- my cycle is written all over my face-again not a new prob, but worse
Mood swings -oh yes, but again nothing new
So my question / request for guidance is how do i tell the difference?
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Hurdity

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Re: Is it menopause??
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2018, 08:43:46 AM »

Hi Sgt....

 :welcomemm:

The time just before menopause is known as the Late Reproductive Stage - and this is when periods often get closer together. Sounds like this is where you are at? Many women find that pms symptoms worsen at this point as hormones begin to go haywire a little ( even though ovaries are still working and ovulation occurring) and unfortunately some find that classic menopausal symptoms of flushes and sweats also begin at this point rather than waiting until periods have stopped for a while. Sounds also like you might be one of these.

SSRI's are not the first line of treatment for menopausal symptoms - the latest NICE Guidelines recommended HRT, although some women who take some SSRI's for other reasons find that due to these, they don't experience flushes and sweats and "sail" on through until maybe other symptoms later rear their head ( like vaginal atrophy).

Some women do start a low dose HRT at this point which can regulate periods (like Femoston 1/10 for example), or you could try the contraceptive pill. There are a couple that are similar to HRT - Qlaira and Zoely - which might be appropriate in your position?

It might also be worth getting a general blood tests just to ensure everything else is working oK - thyroid, etc?

Hurdity x
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tazerqueen

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Re: Is it menopause??
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2018, 09:40:04 AM »

Hi there
Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth- I literally had no idea I was going through menopause, even though I had fewer and fewer periods. I had an FSH test in 2013 as I was concerned about the lack of periods, and it came back showing I was in perimenopause so I thought that was fine, but by 2014 my periods had just stopped but with no other symptoms.
The difficulty for many women is knowing the difference between PMT/mood difficulties and simple stress. In 2014 I wasn't having periods but I was under a hhuge amount of stress.
Even now, definitely post-menopausal, my stress is greatly relieved but I still cry at literally nothing. A combination of factors I think. You have to isolate each symptom and then consider all the possibilities for that symptom.
Hope this helps.
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SueSocks

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Re: Is it menopause??
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2018, 10:55:39 AM »

Hi

I'm in a similar situation to you. I'm 49 and a couple of times my periods were late over the past 6 months which has never happened to me before. I was also sweating at night (but put this down to a hot summer) and was also very emotional and anxious. I had a few blood tests which all came back negative but my Doctor said that my symptoms do sound like I am in early stages of perimenopause. It is still difficult to ascertain whether all my anxiety and emotion is due to this or every day life - I am particularly stressed in my job at the moment. I do still have times when I get serious hot flushes at night, but like you, never any other time - that can't be due to a hot summer! I've started keeping notes on my symptoms and feelings throughout each day and what I'm doing at the time. This should help me work out what is stress and what is menopausal symptoms or both and to also try and avoid those situations if they are making me particularly anxious. And it's good notes for if I need to go back to my GP.

Sue
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Sgtvhilts

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Re: Is it menopause??
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2018, 10:11:10 PM »

Thanks ladies for your resonses. They were most useful.
I'm not on ssri's for menopause symptoms but for a life long love affair with my depression friends🤬.
Late reproductive years sounds about right i think i still ovulate.
The replies sound sooooooo like me. I too, am stressed at work and anxiety up and mood down due to a bereavment last year.
Maybe I'm just ‘confusing ‘ my body's response to life💩 with peri.
Anyway thanks again
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