Perimenopause

[toria]

Hi I was after a little advice please, I have just turned 45 and for the past 6 to 9 months I have been getting some symptoms and dr thinks it's perimenopause but was just after any advice or help, my symptoms are weight gain especially round middle, lots of bloating heartburn which was very bad till I started lansoprazole, periods getting further apart I went 3 months without one, periods of hot flashes which at the moment has eased, increased anxiety, feel very irritability, aching joints and back, and low motivation, sorry its a list, does it sound like perimenopause because I am quite worried about all these symptoms thanks toria xx

[nomorepanic]

Have they not offered to do a blood test?

[toria]

I recently had general blood test but she told me that the blood test for hormones is not very accurate and they go on symptoms more than blood results xx

[Catkins]

It does sound like perimenopause. I started maybe around the same time as you. Aching joints, hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, sleeplessness, mood swings; the works. I went through bad patches with it, then would be fine for a while. Hormone tests early on often don't pick it up because your hormones are so all over the place. I hung on until I was 52 and then after quite a prolonged period of no symptoms they came back with a big bang and I decided to give HRT a go. It worked for me and I've felt a lot better since.

[NoraB]

Hi I was after a little advice please, I have just turned 45 and for the past 6 to 9 months I have been getting some symptoms and dr thinks it's perimenopause but was just after any advice or help, my symptoms are weight gain especially round middle, lots of bloating heartburn which was very bad till I started lansoprazole, periods getting further apart I went 3 months without one, periods of hot flashes which at the moment has eased, increased anxiety, feel very irritability, aching joints and back, and low motivation, sorry its a list, does it sound like perimenopause because I am quite worried about all these symptoms thanks toria xx

Ask them to do an FSH test. Elevated levels (combined with your age & symptoms) would suggest menopause..

[Carys]

I was also told by my Dr that they don't generally do blood tests in peri, as they are inaccurate with the hormones swinging wildly from day to day (hour to hour it felt like LOL). I bought myself, online, a set of FSH urine tests and it did indicate that the menopause transition was in progress. FSH is Follicle Stimulating Hormone - and it goes a bit nuts in trying to get your body to make eggs, when it is winding down on that front. However, my results just told me what I and my doctor knew really - many GPs like to base it on symptoms rather than tests. Your symptoms certainly 'speak' perimenopause, I had all of them and others......here's an interesting chart, which looks a bit complex but it helped me understand a few elements at the time. I'm now in full meno after 12 months no period, but my 'peri' last 10 years in total, but everyone is individual and timescales are different for everyone. I think that Average age of complete menopause for UK women is 51 years old, and that is those who are 12 months without a period....so at 45 to be experiencing what you are now is quite expected.

[toria]

Thank you all so much for your advice and reply, I need to speak to drs again soon so I may ask for the blood test and see what she says, it's very reassuring that you all think that's what it could be and like you say with my age is likely, thanks for the chart as well very much appreciated. Toria xx

[Carys]

I never had a blood test done at all Toria - and I'm now a year a half into meno proper. The symptoms were correct