Perimenopause ? How do you know?

[faykokoWV]

perimenopause is the time before actual menopause and the time when most symptoms occur. Your doctor can check hormone levels to determine if you are perimenopausal. You should also have the doctor check your thyroid levels and they symptoms of thyroid deficiency or excess can be similar. Often women of menopausal age have thyroid problems combined with menopause.

Actual "menopause" does not occur until you have gone a full year without a mentrual cycle.

I've got three more months!!

 

[mamagardener]

She did check my thyroid and other levels, they were fine except for low vitamin D. I am taking a daily vitamin to supplement that. I thought they couldn't check your hormones for perimenopause. I also heard it can last for like 10 years.

 

[pips&peeps]

Don't forget not being able to sleep. Weight gain and pimples........

 

[Judy]

I started perimenopause at 37 and had my last period at 39. My mother stopped at 45 and there weren't any other female family members to compare us to (people didn't talk about such things!) The symptom I was inquiring about was irregular menses. I don't think the hot flashes started til after 40 for me. As for taking people's heads off, I've been doing that all my life anyway....

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
The problem with hormone testing is that the blood has to be drawn DURING one of these symptoms. That is why so many women have no clue what is going on with them and wind up on anti-anxiety drugs....

 

[faykokoWV]

I guess I was lucky and had a good family doctor and that I've had very few symptoms. I had blood test that showed my hormone levels were low.

 

[SpottedCrow]

My sister and I are going through this crap now...pfft.
I get exhausted when I get "the monthly visitor"
I'm either late or early too
I count 28 days and start packing around 20 days cuz ya nevah know.
Some months are cramp city and others are fine.
Some months are like can I give myself a home hysterectomy? With a spoon?
Mood swings Heck yeah!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

When my first symptoms showed up I started taking that Estroven that you can buy at Walmart. My sister had been taking other herbal supplements but they weren't doing her much good but she also switched to the Estroven. We have done great on it.

However, I haven't bought any in about 3 weeks when I ran out and I am dieing here! I mean, open the freezer and get the _____ out of my way! I can't sleep, I ache all over and I skipped my cycle this month. That hasn't happened except twice in my life and I am ......old.

I like to buy the one with extra energy. I know things don't work for everyone but this certainly helped me. My sis is over it all now and I am so looking forward to that day. Maybe soon but the way I am going I will be the only senior citizen that still cycles!

 

[ranchhand]

I reckon I was lucky, I had a few night sweats and some RLS- other than that, it was no big deal.

What I'm trying to say is that not everyone has the tougher symptoms, it's an individual thing. I expected the worst, because that's all I could find in writing- nobody tells you that it isn't always bad!

Good luck!

 

[astylishgirl]

It is the crappy hormonal soup we all live in as women.