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Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:09 pm  |
Ok,so I had a check up and my DR says i'm entering peri-menopause. I said "WHAT?"  she says it can happen for 5 - 8 years prior to the onset of menopause. Then she gives me a list of symptoms, some of which I have or have had. The bigs ones are irregular periods  (been regular my whole life)and for me frequent heart palpatations. I also have had trouble sleeping in the past few months. I have googled this "medical condition" alot and I'm wondering does anyone have any personal experience with this - how long will it last and what can I expect? |
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Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:35 pm |
| girlnextdoor- I am going through this right now. I had the heart palpitations, very scary. I had an EKG, echo, and holter monitor to check my heart out a few years ago, and they found occasional PVC's. You are lucky your MD told you what was happening. I had to research and find info out on my own and then just determine for myself it was perimenopause. Did you have your heart checked-out? I was told to take 450 mg of Magnesium before bed and that would help with the heart palps and also leg cramps (if you get any of those). I don't get night sweats, just hot feeling when other people are comfortable. Sorry, I can't really add anything for you, just keep researching and reading all you can. It helps to know others are going through it also. It can be a really tough time! Good luck! |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:34 am |
Hi girls, I'm not quite there yet but I expect it anytime now. I'd like to suggest a book I am currently reading that I believe is very informative. It's called "What your doctor may not tell you about menopause" by John R. Lee, M.D.
In this book, Dr. Lee is really interested in raising awareness about the benefits of natural progesterone for pms, premenopause, perimenopause and menopause. Now, whether or not you agree with his suggestions, it's worth looking at. What is interesting is that he really explains how our hormones work, how they change during transitional times and what we can expect in terms of symptoms as a result. It may also help you work better with your doctor, who may be misinformed. I'll bet you can find it in a local used bookstore. HTH |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 12:21 pm |
Thanks pnw! I am all about taking full responsibility for my health and all that HRT scares me! Thankfully, I have an awesome DR who I trust completely, but she incourages me to do all the research I can....so off I go to Chapters for some summer reading.
Thanks again! |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:16 pm |
I'm going through the same. I've been on HRT and it really helps. No more hot flashes and I am sleeping better. Depends whether you have cancer in the family but they've taken back those bad studies (even before that the results were not statistically significant). When they corrected the data for people who switched treatments during the study there is no difference in bad effects and when they divided the results by age at the start of HRT those who started between 45 and 60 had real positive benefits for cardiac and other problems. You can look at this info at your library through the MEDLINE medical search program. There are many HRT options and even very low doses supposidly help symptoms.
Exercise also helps but until I took the HRT I was very uncomfortable. |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:42 pm |
Gee sharky, I've just started my second week on meds, low dose. Not sleeping better yet..but the flashes are better & my temper seems to have calmed somewhat  Had the family hiding behind the sofa for a while there. As for cancer, well it dosen't run in the family, I get annual complete scans-the ones with digital scanning & thermal something or other & reg. mamm. ($300. worth). My doctor figures I'm still (relatively) young & those studies were done on over 65 year-olds..he plans to keep me on for 5 years. I don't like it but it seems I have no choice...sleepless nights = miserable days.  |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:56 pm |
I'm going through this too. Started last summer for me. I have always been SUPER regular - 28 days, and suddenly I started having periods every two weeks. Ack!! I thought they were supposed to get further apart - not closer together! Then the hot flashes started. They aren't the same as when I took Danazol yrs ago (those were torch flashes!!), but they are much more frequent  I swear I could sleep in a freezer and be comfortable. My gyno put me on birth control pills last winter - she said we'd try 8 months or so & then probably move onto HRT. The herbal stuff I've tried didn't make a dent in the hot flashes.
Fortunately, I haven't experienced the heart palpitations. Maybe that's because I take magnesium to help me sleep. I am having a LOT of brain fog - I thought I was losing my mind until I realized that that was a big symptom of perimenopause. We're looking at doing a hysterectomy, possibly this winter, because of problems I'm having with fibroids & scar tissue/adhesions from my bout with endometriosis (hence the Danazol). It scares me a bit, because I can't imagine what overnight complete menopause (I wouldn't get to keep my ovaries) will do to me! |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:54 pm |
I have brain fog big time and the MEDs haven't affected that yet. I had something important that I made at work and had to mail. I lost it in my house over the weekend and basically spent both days driving everybody crazy looking
luckily I found it but I swear that I can put something down and 2 seconds later I don't see it even if it is right in front of me. |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:29 pm |
| catmcall, please take a look at the book mentioned above. Dr. Lee suggests says that the "aftereffects of hysterectomy tend to be played down but they are frequent and include fatigue, depression, headaches, heart palpitations, mood swings, hair loss, loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness and urinary tract problems" and goes on to say that "the leading reasons given for hysterectomies are fibroids, uterine prolaplse and endometriosis. Fibroids and endometriosis can usually be effectively helped with some natural progesterone cream." Also, the only two hormones he suggests to his patients are natural progesterone and estriol (for hot flashes and vaginal dryness issues only) Both can be bought over the counter I think, but he does have a list of the only effective creams as not all are created equal. Anyway, I do not yet have personal experience with this, just feel it is strongly worth investigating since you still have time. |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:04 pm |
| I did use Estriol cream for a while but it did nothing for hot flashes. Also I was nit able to buy it without a prescription (in US). |
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Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:12 pm |
| Hi Sharky, would you mind telling us about your HRT meds? Although I am very interested in the all natural route, I also know family members who are doing well on HRT but I don't know what they are taking and it seems as though there are alot of options. |
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Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:25 pm |
| pnw wrote: |
| Dr. Lee suggests says that the "aftereffects of hysterectomy tend to be played down but they are frequent and include fatigue, depression, headaches, heart palpitations, mood swings, hair loss, loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness and urinary tract problems" |
pnw - I will take a look at it. However, looking at that list above, I already have more than half those symptoms and quite a bit of pain. My right ovary is completely twisted out of place from scar tissue/adhesions & the doc is worried about it torsioning or becoming cancerous. I have 7 fibroids that were easily visible on the sonogram and she said that there were others there too. Because of where they're located (mostly hanging off the outside of the uterus instead of inside) I'm not a candidate for embolization. I have a lot of "abdominal turmoil" as you can imagine & haven't enjoyed "relations" with my DH for a LONG time (too painful).
As vain as this is, of all the effects of a hysterectomy, the one that freaks me out the most is that I'm afraid I'll age rapidly afterward. But I haven't had it done yet, and I'm not committed to it either, so I'll do some more research...
Cathy |
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Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:19 pm |
I started on 0.5mg Estradiol and my MD did blood tests and said that was too low for me I am now on 1mg (still a low dose) and it seems to be working well. I also take 5mg medroxyprogesterone 5 days per month.
Catmcall: Good luck that sounds really tough.
Hope you can work it out. My sis has lots of fibroids and claims not eating dairy helps to control. I wouldn't be afraid of taking HRT as long as it is regulated by your MD. On the other hand a hysterectomy takes away your body's functions so it's a tough call. |
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Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:01 pm |
Thanks, Sharky for sharing.
Catmcall, I totally know what you mean about the aging factor. That's one reason why I want to know all about hormones. I strongly believe they play a role. Sorry you are in pain. You may still find the book helpful, as he also addresses menopause and a hysterectomy is basically an induced menopause. |
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Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:49 pm |
| PS I have not had a hot flash since the dose was increased and I am sleeping much better (I used to wake up 3-5 times per night and now I wake up 0-2 times. |
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Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:39 pm |
| I may have to look at increasing my dosage as well....I'm on 5mg estriol (or something) & progesterone...but I've only been one for a couple of weeks. Also, I'm going to Greece & I'm scared about sun damage since it increases sensitivity to the sun Sleep still eludes & I was always a deep sleeper.... |
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Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:46 am |
| Marina: Do you mean 5mg or .5? % mg is a high dose. You can have a blood test to check your hormone levels to see how you are reacting. For some reason different people have different levels of increase with the same dose/weight. Checking you blood levels makes sure you have enough but are not overdoing it. I haven't noticed any difference in sun sensitivity and I am at the beach most afternoons now. |
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Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:57 am |
Sharky, sorry it's .5 mg. & 100mg prometrium. Funny, the dr. didn't mention running tests. I took a base line a few years ago. I'm seeing him in 6 months & will request a blood test then to compare with my old one. As for the sun, I'm on a low dose but I also have melasma.
Not taking any chances in Greece-I've already noticed darkened areas & I'm in Canada (is it me or is the sun a lot stronger lately )I'm bringing those greasy euro sunscreens ( ) with me.
P.s. It's been 3 weeks now. For the first time in at least a year, I slept from 11:30 to 5 a.m. without getting up or tossing and turning. It was bliss! I hope it continues . I think my mood is better too-I don't find the kids hiding behind the couch like before.  |
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Sat Jul 29, 2006 5:35 pm |
Marina: Use Vit. C on your face and drink 2 c of green tea on mornings you go out in the sun. I reaaly believe this combo is great for avoiding skin damage from the sun.
Glad to hear you're getting some sleep. 0.5mg is a low very safe dose if this is working for you blood tests are probably not necessary. |
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