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[CLB3]

Firstly hello 👋

I’m really not sure what I’m hoping for with this post, maybe some reassurance that I’m not losing my marbles or to know that I’m not alone in this.

I’ve been having a whole host of symptoms for the past 8 or so months and after various doctors appointments, blood tests and samples I’m no closer to a diagnosis with them 😔.
I’ve broached the subject regarding my symptoms being possibly hormonal but largely been dismissed due to age - I’m 37 and the fact I still have periods although my cycles have reduced in length and my period only lasts a couple of days now although they are a lot heavier.

My main symptoms were heart palpitations and chest pain to start and it’s only when I realised symptoms were much worse in the couple of weeks before my period I thought it may be linked to hormones.

I’m at the stage now that I’m miserable with everything that’s going on, I feel like I no longer recognise myself and feel terrible most of the time. My symptoms include bloating, nausea, extreme tiredness, tingling in hands, heartburn, mood swings, lack of wanting to do anything, breast pain, headaches plus many others on and off. Nothing that I ever realised could be attributed to the menopause!

Does this sound like I could be Peri-menopausal? Or am I clutching at straws for an answer to what’s going on?
If I am Peri, how do I get someone to take me seriously?

Apologies for the long post and congrats if you made it to the end.

Yours, a frazzled and fed up CLB3

[jaypo]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
It never ceases to make my blood boil when I read that Drs dismiss a woman being peri because she's too young.........UTTER NONSENSE!!! Women can hit meno at any age,my friend was 38 when she became peri . Palpitations are quite a common symptom,as is nausea,mine was down to silent reflux,acid in the stomach will make you feel sick,I dare say some of your other symptoms are down to anxiety,as you've had lots of tests and nothing showing I would go back to your Dr but ask to speak with a meno savvy dr (if there is one) or even if you say you have been on this site (many Drs recommend us  ) and you know you CAN in fact be peri,it might help x

[CLKD]

Another 1 who continues to be angry that GPs simply have NO IDEA!

   from where I'm sitting it sounds like peri-menopause to me: the years where symptoms may become troublesome with periods waxing and waning and other weird issues - until the last bleed = menopause.  No lady is too young!  GPs should listen to patients!!

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.  mayB decide which symptom you would like to ease first - is there a Nurse Practitioner who may be au fait with peri etc.?  You could ask the Practice manager, explaining that you have been mid-led by the GP.

Let us know how you get on.  'frazzled' really does cover it!  Many GPs still believe that periods have to have stopped and that we are suffering hot flushes. 

[Hurdity]

Hi CLB3

  and sorry to hear about your symptoms.

Strictly speaking, judging by your cycles, you are not yet peri-menopausal but at a stage when ovulation is still regular but the last stage before peri-menopause, called the late reproductive phase ( or stage) according to the medical definition. According to that definition peri-menopause is recognised when cycles begin to vary each month by at least 7 days.

However the stage you're at seems to be tricky, ie a sort of pre-peri-menopause because your hormones have begun to go awry and giving you symptoms. As you are so young also, and if you are heading for an early or premature menopause (before 45 or before 40) then you will need to replace oestrogen irrespective of symptoms - though you're probably not likely to hit menopause at 40 if you're still having regular periods now - but you may be well into peri-menopause.

So I presume your doc did the standard tests for FSH, LH etc as described here:

 "Blood tests to measure hormone levels are rarely useful in diagnosing the menopause when it occurs at the “usual” age, but in women in whom Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is suspected, then measurement of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is useful and, if raised, should be repeated around six weeks later. When the ovaries have failed, estrogen level will be low and consequently, FSH level will rise since its level is controlled by a feedback mechanism involving estrogen. "

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/pm-investigations.php

I'm guessing that maybe your FSH was not yet raised as possibly expected if still having regular periods?

The important thing is though is what to do about it in terms of treatment? Some women do find a trial of low dose HRT such as Femoston - is helpful at this point, but what could be more indicated is one of the contracpetive pills designed for younger peri-menopausal women. These contain estradiol - ie bio-dentical oestrogenm the same as in HRT and that our bodies produce, but because they suppress the cycle, then the hormonal fluctuations of peri-menopause do not occur. There are to, QLAIRA and ZOELY. Qlaira is tri-phasic and so mimics the cycle a little by giving different doses of oestrogen at different points in the cycle.

You say you've had investigations and I am assuming that other causes of chest pain etc have been eliminated because it is important to know what is causing these.

You are definitely NOT losing your marbles and your symptoms should be taken seriously - to me the shortening of cycles is a give-away and your docs shoud understand this. If you're interested then here is the paper which summarised the different stages - it's quite technical but not difficult to follow:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3340903/

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[sheila99]

Sounds like it's the start of it to me too. The other advantage with using bcp over hrt is that there usually isn't any problem getting it prescribed if your gp is reluctant to trial hrt.

[AngelaH]

As we ladies all different we can start experiencing peri symptoms in different ages, peri itself can last for years and years before actual menopause starts. My first symptoms hot flashes and night sweats started at the age of 39. Changes in my periods happened at the age of 48 and I became menopausal at the age of 50. It took 11 years for me to go through peri symptoms. So everything is possible.

[KaraShannon]

Sorry you're going through this, I agree with the others (and Hurdity I really appreciate your comprehensive posts!).

I am getting trembling in the hands.  I had chest pains and discomfort.  A lot of my symptoms improved on Evorel Sequi, the doctor described it as a gentle hrt, but from what I know now I'm not sure that's the case, it sounds like standard hrt to me, though the estradiol level is lower than usual.  Agree that chest pain must always be seen by a doctor to rule out heart related problems, but once that's done, good to keep in mind a lot of heart symptoms are a reaction to hormonal shifts (we can't assume that without being given a thorough check though).

Hope things calm down for you.  In my case I had to trial some hrt to get that balance.  2 years on and I need treatment adjusting I think, but it did help for a while.