Women Only, perimenopause?

[TinyChickenLady]

I haven't read every comment through yet but I though I'd give you my 2 cents on the topic. I've dubbed myself the menopause pro. I've ready every book and internet article I can find.
When I was 18, I went through menopause. Or premature ovarian failure, as the books like to call it. Every symptom you listed is a symptom of menopause. They're also symptoms of other things but I want to assure you, premature menopause does exist and you are at the perfect age for it, unfortunately...
If you get to the doc (Oh look, ya did!) ask them to check your FSH and LH levels to be sure...
Judging by what you've said and how concerned you are about upsetting others, I think you are experiencing POF
All I can say is, I'll be thinking of you and I have plenty of books if you want some light reading on it.
As minor as it seems right now, it can be pretty horrible at times so please feel free to lean on us here and don't keep it bottled up!

 

[EweSheep]

Glad you got a very supportive hubby! It makes a world of difference when the love one stood by your side, taking the wrath and abuse that your body is going thru. Mine is supportive and sometimes I wonder if he is female himself LOL! He sure don't know much even he was an EMT but something "outside" of the medical books, he is so "in the dark" about those kind of things.

I'm in menopause swing right now. It was off and on for about two years, periods being early or late or whenever it darn well feel like showing its presence. Hot flashes are the norm for me but the up and down moods sometimes get the best of me. I have to watch my diet. Highly processed foods really crank the illness out big time. So if I limit the processed foods, I would be OK.

I haven't started since May of this year, I was very certain I was definately menopausal but for some reason, a few days ago, with terrible back pains, heaviness down there....Aunt Flo made her long lost visit.......not sure why after the seven month hiatis she decided to come back. I hope it is normal before the complete menopausal symptoms and Aunt Flo would never make her appearance ever again. I am so tired, very tired...probably low on iron so I may have to take some vitamins to get the oomph back in my life again. Also sunlight benefits me as well.

I hope you hang in there like the rest of us. I don't think doctors really have a whole lot of information on menopause or perimenopausal system figured out. Back then, women didn't live as long, kept having babies so many times, losing or miscarriaging, high infante mortality due to diseases or farming accidents, and I am certain women didn't have much of an access to physicians to take care of their women problems.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Tomorrow I go in. The bad part is, I feel tons better and sane and no jitters at all. I think they might have missed prime testing time, which I will mention. I have been very worried about my health with all this going on because honestly for months now I have had no clue what was going on. I would go in to see the NP at my doctor and she just thinks I am nuts. Its all in my head, I'm fine blah blah blah

headaches, nausea, muscle cramping, off schedule, jitters, massively increased anxiety, racing heart, sweating but only at night. heck half the stuff only at night. She just felt I needed a hobby and some meds. She said it was normal for stay at home moms to go through this because they have free time to worry. I want the free time she was talking about I swear. The jitters are what got me. What the heck was going on with my body. So on top of being afraid it was cardiac(despite fine test results, multiple ekg, great blood pressure and cholesterol), I thought I now had diabetes but eating did nothing for it and my blood sugar was fine. Then they said thyroid. Wow they tested the heck out of that one. I even have a ct check on my heart and my thyroid. The good news is that both look fine. So I would say a little over a year now this has been going on and it just gets worse month by month until I am at the point of jumping out of something just to escape the torture. One off comment by someone had me looking at perimenopause and I was floored. No one ever mentioned this as a possibility. Heart disease or diabetes was the first thing that came to mind despite knowing a family history of early menopause. Because I had no hot flashes I thought was in the clear. I saw my mom. she could practically tear a door off its hinges when those things hit. I was only hot at night and was not insane about it.

So I am going in pretty positive what is going on. I have educated myself. I have my list of things to talk about and what tests I want done. These ladies are normally great about this and really try to dig for answers. So a tiny bit nervous but ready to go. Somewhat questioning my sanity on the cardiology appointment next week but we shall see what i say after the OB appointment.

 

[JerseyHen]

I feel your pain. They thought I had cardiac (from the tachycardia and palpitations and arhythmia), or thyroid, or diabetes, and when all of the negative tests left them scratching their heads I said, "hey, can we check those hormones now?" and sure enough... Funny thing is that even after the FSH and LH came back positive for fully menopausal the doc still said that all of my symptoms couldn't possibly be caused by menopause. Really? Well, several thousand dollars worth of examinations (Chest CT with contrast, EKG, Stress EKG, Echo, blood work for everything) all say I am healthy as a horse, but for those hormones. I think half of the battle is getting that diagnosis so you can relax a bit and not obsess about it being something worse. I was afraid to keep exercising because of the heart stuff. That anxiety doesn't help when added to myriad of symptoms this causes.

Extra time? Are they kidding? No one had better ever suggest that to me, especially when I am particularly hormonal.

I think you will feel much better after having all the testing done.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I was up most of the night with jitters and racing heart. I thought I was dying. My husband sat up with me and prayed that I would get some peace. Was a harsh night and a harsh morning. Very jittery still this morning. I start to wonder if I should be preparing my family for me being gone or just lock myself up in a straight jacket until this is over. Not feeling too optimistic this morning.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Well the crying is over, I am done being upset already.....Obviously from all that the appointment did not go well. They did the unltrasounds and found out that my lining has grown into the muscle bed and they want to do surgery. They would leave the ovaries but take the rest. I said I had to think about that. She was very put out that I was unwilling to make a decision right then and there. She refused to do any hormonal tests and said" Who cares if your hormones are not balanced, really who cares. So what! Does it really make a difference if they are or not." She said dietary, vitamin and herbal remedies do not help this at all so not to bother. blah blah blah blah Obviously I left a bit upset but I feel pretty calm now. I talked it over with my husband and he took me to get a few female supplements and some sea salt caramels. He was totally awesome btw.

I think I am on my own as far as the doctor stuff goes really. I am to tired to deal with any of this and alternative medicine is a much better fit for me. So thats the direction I will keep going. Honestly emotional accupressure has done more for me than any doctor or medication has. I will look at other alternatives and I will be happy and I will be ok. I won't be seeing that lady again though. EVER!

 

[JerseyHen]

So, what did they suggest the diagnosis was? Adenomyosis?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/Adenomyosis/DS00636

Adenomyosis does not explain your symptom set though. I know several women who have had hysterectomies (leaving the ovaries) for this condition and were very happy with the outcome. I am appalled that the doc wouldn't even check the hormones. It matters to you. At least you know that this isn't in your head. Go find a better doctor.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Oh no, she thinks its peri menopause but will not do any tests to confirm and will not consider any treatment other than psychiatric to deal with the anxiety. The jitters and the rest I just have to live through and any sort of natural or hormonal treatment is out of the question. She said progesterone cream might help but its not an option worth looking into. She suggested cutting my caffeine and suggested that was my jitters. Ummm I don't drink coke. She just waved her hand again. She was totally unsympathetic and down right rude. She sat their waving her hand saying " yea yea its probably perimenopause but in the long run who cares. Does it really matter. Just really, who cares. Your hormones being unbalanced does not make a difference. Just treat the symptom and live with the rest." My husband left more upset than I did. If it had been a male doctor he would be in jail right now for assault I think.

I'm semi ok tonight. Thank God for my husband. Thank God I have friends, family, a husband and prayer to get me through. I prayed long and hard for some peace about this and tonight I feel I have that. I went and got progesterone cream AND I found a naturopath through my accupressure lady. Thats another person I am so thankful for. I will get through this but I am not going back to this ob ever again. She was not my regular one, apparently they switched my appointment from the NP who is actually very very nice. I will talk to my regular ob in 3 months Eventually I may need surgery for the other thing but its not even an issue right now. I have a minor twinge literally that a single tylenol can take care of and she wanted to schedule the surgery while I was there today. She felt me wanting to talk it over with my family and husband was a bit silly when we could just go ahead and schedule it.

Just keep me in your prayers that I can pull through all this and keep being a good mom. I worry most about having to take time to deal with the anxiety or the jitters or the being hot all the time. I should be focused on the kids and here I am all wrapped up in hormones. I am struggling with that.

 

[1muttsfan]

Heather lynn, you need a better doctor. Call your regular ob and let them know what your diagnosis was and ask for an earlier appointment. Or talk to your friends and see if they have a doctor they like.

 

[Stumpy]

I'm sorry you're going through this and I think a different doctor would be a good idea. Some OBGYNs are now prescribing (a half-dosage of) Lexapro for hot flashes for patients who do not want to take hormone replacement or have endometriosis, with good results.