Perimenopause « Back to Group Discussions

[Linda on the move]

It's official. I saw my OB/GYN yesterday and I'm officially in perimenopause. The biggest surprise for me is that I thought this would be a gradual transition, but for me it has been like night and day. My symptoms started about 6-8 weeks ago, and they are fairly intense. The symptoms came on all at once.

The reason I made the visit yesterday is because I've been having extreme mood swings, and I wanted to sort out if they are hormonally based or psychologically based. Her vote is hormonally based. I'm trying out a very low dose of a HRT to see what happens. I cannot live for the next few years the way I've been feeling for last few months, and my provider feels that based on my history of repeated clinical depression, it's not a good idea to try to tough it out.

[34me]

I'm thinking I have been dealing with a gradual trip into peri-menopause for a couple years. Nothing I can really put my finger on, just some stuff. I can't take anything to ease my transition due to my mom's history of estrogen/progesterone sensitive breast cancer so I'm hoping that it continues it's slow decent. I hope you start to feel better!

[Linda on the move]

There are other medications from other classes of drugs that can be used to treat some of the symptoms, depending on which symptoms are most problematic to you. My practitioner and I discuss anti-depressant for me as a different option.

[mamarhu]

For me also, the symptoms came on suddenly, like in 10 minutes on my 50th birthday. I gained 50 lbs, and started having incredible hot flashes and depression. I tried HRT and anti-depressants for a year or so, then had a couple years with no health insurance, so I let it slide. I don't see much difference with or without the meds. It has been 4 years, and the hot flashes have not lessened. The depression has shifted to weird moody weepy spells, but otherwise functioning. I cry at sappy TV ads, which is nearly as embarrassing as breaking into a full-body sweat at staff meetings with all my 30 YO co-workers, who haven't a clue.

[Lenore K.]

"I'm thinking I have been dealing with a gradual trip into peri-menopause for a couple years. Nothing I can really put my finger on, just some stuff."

Pretty much the same here though mine is just starting. I am still having monthly periods. Beginning to feel real warm when I have them, but rarely break into a sweat. Nothing too severe yet. I am experiencing some moodiness similar to what I would have during and just before my period. More of a mood swing thing. Yes, I, too, find myself getting teary-eyed over silly things - music, commericials, parts of movies (and not the typical sad parts either), watching my daughter or granddaughters do things. The teary eyes are not only over sad things but happy things, too, sort of a bittersweet thing.

I have gained some weight but I think it is due to lack of exercise and eating too much for my activity level lately.

I have a question - what is HRT? Is it a type of hormone replacement like birth control pills?   I have never been on the pill except for a brief few weeks when I was younger then I changed my mind about it. I would like to let my body do its own thing. Maybe if the symptoms do get very extreme I might reconsider. I'll just wait and see...

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by Lenore K. 
I have a question - what is HRT? Is it a type of hormone replacement like birth control pills?   I have never been on the pill except for a brief few weeks when I was younger then I changed my mind about it. I would like to let my body do its own thing. Maybe if the symptoms do get very extreme I might reconsider. I'll just wait and see...

yes - it is similar to BC, but contain lower doses of hormones and different combinations. There are different hormones given to women with uteruses than those without uteruses.

I don't think that anyone should take any medication that they don't need.

None the less, the HRT is the right choice for me for now.  I really couldn't live the way I was feeling. It was that bad.

[LVale]

Well, I am 50, and I am going through Menopause, my periods are at about every 4 months or so. Hot flashes, mood swings, nausea, dry skin, decreased libido, aches and pains, a 5 lb. weight gain (yes I weigh 110 now), but it shows, oh night sweats, insomnia, decreased appetite, heightened sense of smell, and the list goes on. Thankfully I have no children at home, and my husband understands completely!  I have chosen not to take HRT, and do it naturally. I did not take birth control pills when I was younger, my hubby had the Big V done after our 2 children, so I would not have to take them. But this is our journey, it might not be right for everyone, but it is right for me. Just another transition in the path of life.

[Lenore K.]

None the less, the HRT is the right choice for me for now.  I really couldn't live the way I was feeling. It was that bad.

I am glad that it is working for you. Nobody needs to go through life feeling miserable.

[MonarchMom]

I took a different approach.  In my 40's, I started increasing my consumption of a variety of soy products - mostly tofu and soy milk - so that I was eventually getting a daily consumption of about 1 cup, and also made sure my Vitamin D was adequate.  About 5 years later I got my first hot flashes, which thankfully were generally brief in duration.  Did have some night sweats and wakefulness, but nothing to bad and just adjusted to less covers and pj's.

Went on like that a few years, but mostly smooth sailing after that and now it is behind me.  I do think the regular soy intake helped to smooth the transition and I still eat that way.

A lot is genetics I'm sure.  To me the worst part now is dry skin, dry hair, and a bit less energy.  I do my best to get 4+ cardio walks or workouts a week, but I don't think I'll ever see my younger weight again.  sigh.

Any suggestions on improving skin tone?

[lauren]

I know this is an old thread but an important one!! Would love to keep sharing ideas and thoughts. I've had some luck using wild yam creme, chaste berry and B12 for skin tone, regulating cycles and moods. For flow, I have to say the only thing that has helped me is high doses of ibuprofen for a couple of days in the beginning of the cycle.
 

[mamarhu]

My doc is suggesting wild yam, soy, vit D, and fish oil. Starting that this week, will let you know. If that doesn't stop (or at least slow down) the hot flashes, we will add Effexor. Although that is an antidepressant which I don't need these days, it is also known to help with night sweats, with fewer side effects than the hormones. really, the hot flashes are out of hand. Near constant perspiration. This heat wave is making it worse, but really it isn't about the weather.
 

[Lenore K.]

After having Anna eight years ago, I began having heavier bleeding episodes at the beginning of my period. Usually it happened all of a sudden if I had been sitting down for longer periods of time - like sitting at my desk in the office or at the movies or a training. I would stand up and it would gush out. Some days it would mean leaving work to change clothes. I had my iron and such checked and I was fine. Like Lauren I would take four ibuprofen (my doctor told me that was the max to take in one dose) and that would slow down the bleeding. Now that I am not working or if I stay more active, the heavier gushes happen much less often or not at all. I do not like taking higher levels of ibuprofen if I don't need to. I sort of just stick close to home when it is that time. Still having monthly periods. If I need to be out and about I may take ibuprofen then. I rarely take the four any more.

No night sweats yet. I get a bit warmer and just kick off the covers. Nothing too bad. A friend told me that when you wake up with sweats, go to the bathroom and pee. That would work for her. Oddly enough sometimes it works for me, too, when I get too warm.