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[Moonstone]

I have to say that after speaking to my GP last week, i am wondering whether being peri-menopausal is the end of my life!! She explained that the bladder, bowel, heart and uterus are all the same muscle type and so all affected by menopause. I have a restricted diet to start with and so the additional food intolerances that i am now experiencing are making it difficult to eat and drink (and I permanently carry loperamide with me). The palpitations are making my necklace physically jump off my chest and are not pleasant to experience. Her advice? To research my options on this website and tell her what I want to do. So, here I am, asking for help, please.
Hi, I'm Sadie, I'm 46 and a single mum to 2 teenagers (and so yes, I'm going through this alone). I am still bleeding regularly but my periods are very light. After day 14 of my cycle, I feel utterly worthless and depressed for 2 weeks. I have osteopenia and so take calcium with vit D. My calcium levels are good but my body isn't absorbing vit D, my level was low and halved over the summer despite spending lots of time outdoors with no sunscreen. GP has prescribed vit D but I've been advised that, with the calcium/vit D tabs, I am overdosing on vit D. And so my GP has asked me to do my own research on the best tablets to take to keep my calcium levels up as well as increasing my vit D. I am also losing my eyebrows (random but true!) and suffering from eczema (which I haven't had for about 20 years).
Does anyone have any advice please on my moods and palpitations and/or preventing the osteopenia from turning into osteoporosis?

[Taz2]

Hi Moonstone.

Has your GP mentioned HRT at all? At your age it is important that you have oestrogen to keep your heart and bones healthy. There is no risk if you take HRT up to the usual meno age of 51/52 as you are merely replacing what should be yours naturally. The risks begin (albeit small ones) after the meno age. Are you experiencing any hot flushes or night sweats?

I would think that HRT would help your bones and also help control your palpitations. Losing eyebrows can be a sign of low thyroid although it is a common part of getting older for some women. Also allergies including eczema are also common as the skin begins to change.

What food intolerance symptoms are you experiencing? I only ask as a too high level of daily vitamin d can cause all sorts of tummy problems.

Taz x 

[Moonstone]

Thank you so much for responding Taz x. Yes, my GP has mentioned HRT but told me to research the options on this website and then tell her which drugs I want. Yes, I probably need to change my GP! The information on the site is great but I'm a little overwhelmed by it all.
I am a vegetarian and am now not eating gluten, dairy, oat milk, soy milk, citrus, caffeine or artificial sweetner.  I've been told to avoid spicy foods because of the palpitations but I'm not avoiding It! Black and green tea make me feel sick and chamomile tea gives me heartburn.  It doesn't leave that much to eat or drink and eating out or even grabbing lunch from the supermarket is challenging. I suffer from diarrhoea, bloating and eczema if I eat these. I get migraines with citrus so I avoid that completely. I have stopped both the calcium and the vit D until my stomach has stabilised but my mood has crashed again without the vit D.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated xx

[Daisydot]

Hi moonstone and welcome.sorry to read your story it's all very scary isn't it.i can't help with the hrt side if things but some of the wiser ladies will come along and advise on the best options for you but agree with taz it would be a good option for you.
As far as the ibs and food intolerance I'd advise you to try kefir milk there's no need to pay a fortune for it go the polish food section in Asda it's a green/white bottle around £1-39.its gross lol it's fermented but the health benefits are amazing especially for bowel problems,because it's fermented it removes the lactose but if you google it you'll read all that info.its like drinking yoghurt and you can make smoothies with it and it's delicious that way,much more palatable.you can also buy it made with cows milk goats milk coconut water ordinary water or make it using the kefir grains at home it's so easy.
In your case maybe home made is best if your vegetarian then you can choose whichever fluid you wish but research it first,it's great for excema ibs etc.
Vitamin d you can buy in spray form now and you just spray into your cheek and thus avoid the liver etc so you will actually absorb more with less side effects same with multi vitamins all available from Holland and Barrett or amazon and good value for the money.
Good luck xx

[Moonstone]

Thank you so much for responding Daisydot    I will look into that milk, thank you. Yes, it is all scary and I'm doing this on my own too    I'll go to Holland & Barrett next week and see what they've got. Thank you xx

[JaneinPen]

Hi Moonstone. Welcome. I agree with Daisydot. My sister uses the milk and it has made a big difference to her IBS. Hope you begin to feel better soon

[sheila99]

Hi Moonstone, please don't feel alone, there is plenty of advice and support on this site from women going through similar experiences. I am in peri and have been prescribed everel sequi patches. Only been on them for 2 weeks and my mood has improved, hot flushes seem to have stopped, still rather lethargic but at least I feel normal some of the time. Can't comment on palpitations as this is a symptom I didn't have. I don't know if this is the best but it is helping me.
  Just a thought (and may be controversal) but if you are struggling with nutrition and your health is suffering because of it perhaps reconsider your decision to be veggie?

[Daisydot]

Hi herdwick that's great to hear your sisters enjoying it, kefir has so many health benifits and only half a glass first thing in morning before breakfast or you can also make it into a smoothie with your favourite fruit and have that as part of your breakfast,I had bad trotts bug this week and couldn't keep anything down took a glass of kefir and in 15 mins had releif and had no trotts since,sorry bit early for those details lol.xx

[Moonstone]

Thank you everyone. It looks like the milk is a none starter because it contains yeast   But I will continue to look at options:)