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[Mic]

I am 51 and peri.  Over the last couple of months i have been suffering from horrendous mood swings going from rage to sobbing.  If I can keep my emotions under some sort of control i come across as rude and blunt... I feel like I am possessed and that I am alienating my friends, in fact the whole thing is now really starting to bring me down. With regard to other symptoms i am not sleeping well, some flushes but nothing i can't live with. A bit joint achey and tender breasts at certain times in the month.

I am currently off work, spent 3 days crying and then a couple just wanting to hide away from the world so that i wouldnt break down on people or get really snappy which I can do when feeling like this....

I approached my go over starting hrt  and due to see him again this week when blood tests back, he wanted to rule out thyroid etc...  From reading up i know there are different types e.g. gel, patches, tablets. Some are in short supply and some work better than others. That gps often are not fully up to date so any advice on what I should be asking for would be gratefully appreciated and what has helped you with extreme mood swings....

None of my friends appear to be suffering like I am which makes me feel like a drama queen but it is all out of my control. I am so fed up at the moment with it all and just wantng some semblance of my oldself back 

[Wilks]

Hello :-)
I totally empathise!
I'm also 51, and about 3 years ago felt like I'd fallen through a trapdoor into hell. I was really anxious and depressed, tired, had painful hips, insomnia, hot flushes at night, dry itchy skin, and my waist thickened. It was some months before I discovered it was peri-menopause.
I am taking a cocktail of transdermal oestrogen (gel, because patches are currently had to get hold of), micronised progesterone, testosterone and in the autumn and winter, I also take an antidepressant (fluoxetine).
On top of that I do quite a bit of exercise, don't drink much alcohol, and I try to get outside for natural daylight for some time every day.
I feel much better than I did, with most symptoms under control. I still don't feel quite myself though, as I get tired more quickly than I used to.

I hope that helps a bit?

[Hurdity]

Hi Mic

 

Great advice from Wilks. Also great that your doc is ruling out other conditions too. However if your cycle has changed ie your periods are irregular (each month variable cycle length) and you're getting symptoms then that is enough to diagnose menopause. If your periods are still absolutely regular then you're not there yet ie peri but in the last stage before - but unfortunately getting symptoms like flushes because hormones have started going awry. If you're at this point ( periods still regular) then this is more tricky although low dose HRT can work for some women.

Otherwise if your cycles are irregualr then HRT may help to regulate them. Tricky with the shortages but if you fancy a tablet then Femoston 1/10 is a good one to start with as the progestogen is well tolerated. If you want to go for transdermal HRT, as Wilks says some of the patches are in short supply - you won't be able to get hold of the combi ones so it would have to be patches and separate progestogen. I started with patches so would recommend these especially if you are at a very early stage. However it's partly down to personal preference as well as what's available. There are definitely some oestrogen patches that are still available.

In the meantime have a look at this article about peri-menopause which tells you what's happening in your body.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/articles-mainly.php

Also all the HRT types are listed on the menu - look at Treatments and then this leads to the different types.

I wept buckets during peri - cried at the drop of a hat, about things I didn't need to cry about!

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[squeaker99]

Mic - It is rubbish.  Also such a shock after you are sailing along in your 40s feeling fine.   You feel that you have fallen down a rabbit hole into this crazy new version with all these horrid aliments. But it does and will improve. I had ups and downs and in the downs I could never remember the ups. Anxiety, brain fog, insomnia, discharge weird stuff, joint pain, gastric issues.    My periods are starting to have 2-3 month gaps now and I feel emotionally and physically so much better. Taking Glucosamine and Chondrin for the joints which seems to be helping a bit. Hang on it. Keep a diary of how you feel so you can see if there are patterns.