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[Midge204]

Hello group 
I am looking forward to improving my knowledge on menopause and its symptoms and hopefully getting help with issues others may have already experienced!
I am 56, I was told by my GP before having my last child in 2001 that I was heading into an early menopause at 33, I was symptomatic but fell pregnant, symptoms ceased.
Fast forward a few years was on the mini pill until 52, told to come off it to see where I was as regards to periods/menopause.
Since stopping the pill 4 years ago, I have had 3 bleeds, spaced out with almost a year between them. I haven't managed the full year absence that defines acual menopause yet. I have recently started HRT patches, Evorel Conti 50mcg as I had symptoms coming and going that were overtaking my life and making my life really miserable. I actually thought I had late onset MS as symptoms have been so bad, but an MRI ruled this out.
5 years ago I started with eye problems, blurry vision, pain moving eyes, headaches, then 4 years ago moved on to symptomatic PVC's (benign abnormal heart rhythms) causing intermittent dizzyness, breathlessness, nausea and chest pain.
My memory began getting noticibly worse about this time, my children joked that I had dementia.
I then moved on to chronic fatigue that wasn't proportionate to exercise. Massive hair loss all over with bald patches on my hairline. 3 years ago I started having problems walking due to feeling very heavy and weak, I had problems with dizzyness, episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting.
2 years ago joint pains began in knees and shoulders, restless legs on a night for weeks at a time, that stopped me getting to sleep, leg cramps, leg jerks out of the blue in whilst in bed, electric shock sensations on my back that hurt like mad.
About this time I also started with problems with my bladder, not being able to hold my wee, urges to go then hardly passing anything. I had scans which were normal, urine dip stick tests were also normal, despite having chills, nausea and malaise. Diarrhoea then constipation. An internal examination revealed a partial prolapse.
In the last year I have facial hair growth ie very noticible long peach fuzz, dry face when I always had greasy/combination skin. Recently my facial skin has all of a sudden become 'crepey' I looks like a prune on bad day! I do pelvic floor muscle exercises regularly, but now I can feel pressure pushing outwards when I bend over, like something is there. I checked with a mirror whilst doing pelvic floor exercises but nothing is bulging. My memory is a 100 times worse than it was, I forget words, people's names, object's names, it's becoming embarrassing and really knocks my self confidence.
Since starting the patches, I have nauseating headaches, keep feeling like I'm going to vomit and feel jittery and feel very 'agro,' which is not me, hence reaching out on here for support. I look forward to using the various groups on here to discuss these issues.
 Sorry if I have overburdened you with all the info. I really look forward to using the various discussion groups to discuss these issues with others that have experienced these symptoms. I need some sanity! Thank you for listening. 🤗❤️

[CLKD]

HI!   

In no particular order:

About this time I also started with problems with my bladder, not being able to hold my wee, urges to go then hardly passing anything. I had scans which were normal, urine dip stick tests were also normal, despite having chills, nausea and malaise.
. has your GP/Nurse Practitioner mentioned vaginal atrophy and appropriate treatment?   A fresh urine sample should have been sent to a Lab for growing to see if there's a bug, which could be treated with the appropriate antibiotic.  The latter will relieve VA treatments briefly but won't replace the oestrogen being lost.

2 years ago joint pains began in knees and shoulders, restless legs on a night for weeks at a time, that stopped me getting to sleep, leg cramps, leg jerks out of the blue in whilst in bed, electric shock sensations on my back that hurt like mad.
. restless legs - I cured that with eating bananas every day.  Probably lack of potassium.  When I get those feelings now I take 2 Nurofen at night, although I am aware of the sensations in the day, they start as soon as I get into bed.

As hormone levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  Also the digestive system can become affected including hiatus hernia and heartburn. 



I am 56, I was told by my GP before having my last child in 2001 that I was heading into an early menopause at 33, I was symptomatic but fell pregnant, symptoms ceased.
. what reasons did your GP suggest early menopause?


Fast forward a few years was on the mini pill until 52, told to come off it to see where I was as regards to periods/menopause.
. who made this suggestion ?  If a regime is working, why change?  Unless U wanted to know where you are with regards menopause: = last monthly period.

My memory began getting noticibly worse about this time, my children joked that I had dementia.. it's a common worry for many of us but it's often a lack of oestrogen.  As is the body becoming dry: inside and out  including vaginal atrophy

Since starting the patches, I have nauseating headaches, keep feeling like I'm going to vomit and feel jittery and feel very 'agro,' which is not me, hence reaching out on here for support.   This may be due to the dose of patches prescribed, however, headaches at the best of times can be awful and if triggered by HRT, I would be inclined to stop.  Hopefully some1 will be along - can U tell us which doses you are using?

For migraines which may increase during The Change, there is recently a new dedicated medication approved by NICE.

In the last year I have facial hair growth ie very noticible long peach fuzz, dry face when I always had greasy/combination skin. Recently my facial skin has all of a sudden become 'crepey' I looks like a prune on bad day!
. the latter may be due to a drop in hormone levels.  I have a thread "My Chin" too so facial hair growth often becomes more noticeable.

[Ayesha]

Hi Midge204. If you put some key words into the search box you will find threads that should be helpful to you.
There are loads and you will end up with tired eye's, as I did, but its the best research you will have done to help you through the maze that is the menopause years.

[Midge204]

Hello,
Thank you CLKD & Ayesha for taking the time to reply to my lengthy post. I realised afterwards it may have been too long, apologies!
Vaginally atrophy has never been mentioned re recurrent bladder problems. They did send off for culture but returned clear. Last November I did go on to have excrutiating kidney pain & was given antibiotics, they thought kidney stone.
The GP thinking going into early menopause went on my symptoms (hot flushes) and blood tests (to rule out other causes and hormone tests). My Mum had full hysterectomy early, so had no reference point.
It's really strange you saying about bananas and restless legs, light bulb moment! Started healthy diet two months ago, eating bananas every morning, not had any restless legs since, before it came & went but lasted a week at a time which drove me insane! Didn't twig that til you mentioned it! Was expecting next round of them!
I've been put on Evorel Conti 50mcg twice weekly. Been taking antisickness tablets and paracetamol which is helping manage side effects, think it may be starting to settle. Evenings seem to feel extra nauseous or maybe just mind's not as distracted?
Think you're right with migraine type headache as have had flashes of lights every so often when headache yucky, (only ever had 2 migraines, one when a teenager other in early 30's, my Mum gets them regularly & used to suffer horrendous ones monthly during her periods.
Gp took me off minipill as said I most likely wouldn't be needing to take it any longer & wanted to see where periods were also.
Thank you for your link suggestions will definitely check them out, tired eyes or no!!
It's so nice to speak to others that are personally knowledgeable about things I'm having trouble with. A 10 minute GP phone consultation isn't long enough to speak about everything going on, not by half! Always made to feel like a hyperchondriac.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom! ❤️

[CLKD]

We are all worriers about our health as we get older for various reasons, which is why GP support is so important and sadly , so often lacking.

Get those bananas down you Girl ;-). 

Why GPs continue to stop medication if it's working beggars belief, would they do so with heart or diabetic meds 'to see where the patient might be'?  Were you particularly worried about where you are in the menopause journey?

Nausea isn't in the mind, it's a real physical reaction.  Sometimes it can be due to the body not being nourished [long story short] and requiring energy, a bit like when athletes hit the wall because they haven't fuelled up enough.  Watching those professional cyclists [not always for men in Lycra ;-) ] they refuel at specific mileages being reminded from the Team cars if they miss out!

Let us know how you get on.  Your thread on 'peach fuss' can be continued here, do read 'my chin' ......... I have lots of black hairs which I shave every few weeks as well as plucking those from upper lip and chin ;-)

[CLKD]

If 1 holds a fresh peach to the light it has a light coating = fuzz especially when warm.  I didn't like those sold in the UK, when I went to Belgium in 1968 they were served fresh from the trees as pudding.  Delicious.  Due to the slightly fuzzy skin some prefer to peel them.

[sheila99]

You could try cutting the patch in half to see if you're better on a lower dose, then work back up slowly. If it doesn't settle soon I'd go back to the gp and ask for something different.

[shrosphirelass]

Like Sheila99 said you could try half a patch. When I started with evorel sequi I was advised to start with half a patch . I did this for a few weeks and then went on to a whole patch. I used to feel nauseous when I first put a patch on but I think this was just getting used to it.

Are you also using vagifem / estriol cream for the bladder symptoms?