Well I might be joining the peri club!

[Brandi]

Yes the perimenopause club. I have been having symptoms the last 5 months which I believe I have mentioned. Some said thyroid some suggested peri. Finally could not take it anymore and went to the Dr's today. I have been so fatigued, heart palps (which I have had for years but have been worse since Aug of this year) sometimes totally pissed off moods, mini hot flash moments, sad, lack of sex drive and my favorite..... adrenalin rushes waking me up in the morning and exhausting me. Oh plus a couple major crying break downs that freaked me out. My poor husband. He has been supportive but finally said enough is enough I need to go see the doc. Now having my blood done tomorrow morning. We are doing a reg panel plus thyroid and hormones.
My blood pressure is good my heart does have PVC though which could be worse due to the stress I have put myself through thinking about this. I don't care what it is at this point but feel better that I am doing something finally. I am high anxiety type person so I am scared to go to the Dr's sometimes. They did give me xanax to help me not feel so out of control right now. Not a long term fix by any means. I know it is very addictive just something to help with the adrenalin and heart palps for now. Till we have answer's.
Any advice?
My friend said if it is peri to say thank you accept it and move on to a new life. Haha. She is my wiser older friend.
It could also be thyroid it does run in my family. But they also said my anxiety could just really be bad at this time and my body is feeding off the adrenalin and that is why I am having such a hard time kicking it this time around. Then they were talking prozac or something like that to help me get past this. Just a like 6 month term. don't like that.
I am 43 and can't gauge when peri would hit me because my mom was an alcoholic/drug user/not take good care of herself person plus a 2 pack a day smoker and I am complete opposite of her.
Am I babbling sorry!

[Irulan]

You might consider being more open minded to the proper medication. It's not always bad once you get over the feeling of "I shouldn't need this". Prozac is a libido killer, you might inquire about something without that side effect.

Xanax is not addictive if you are careful in it's use.

I've been perimenopasual for year, but my symptoms are all in the form of really obnoxious periods.

[OakLeaf]

Buspirone is a non-addictive anxiety drug that you can take regularly and has few side effects. Might be something to think about if you and your doctors decide you want to medicate your anxiety long term.

Prozac is an antidepressant and like most antidepressants, tends to make people more anxious, actually. Generally I'm not a big fan of PCPs prescribing psychiatric drugs anyhow, there are too many subtleties.

I want to say perimenopause lasted over ten years for me. Definitely over seven. It wasn't until three years ago my periods finally stopped.

[Crankin]

Oh yeah, I had my first peri symptoms in my late thirties, started skipping periods occasionally at 43 and then had 5 years of hell, two years, going 11 months with no period and then one! They finally stopped at 48.
Are you having heavy periods, or any irregularities there?
Sometimes doctors are quick to say an issue is menopause related, so make sure everything else is ruled out.
As far as anxiety goes, all of your symptoms *could* be from anxiety, or it could be a bit of both. Oak, I've worked with 5 psychopharms (MDs and psych. nurse practitioners) and none of them would prescribe Buspirone. In fact, most are reluctant to prescribe any anti-anxiety drug. But, I do agree, if you are careful and follow instructions, and wean yourself off correctly, things like Xanax and Attivan can be useful in a crisis. And yes, some SSRIs and SSNRIs do make people more anxious. It's a guessing game. But right now, a lot of docs are prescribing them for anxiety because they work on the chemicals in our brain that can cause anxiety, as well as depression.
Brandi, I wouldn't rule out a short course of any meds. Attivan helped me over a 3-4 month period and I was scrupulous about using it correctly. I agree with Oak in that I would see psychiatrist to prescribe any of these types of meds, if it is decided that's what is causing the symptoms. Psychiatrists are generally just prescribers of meds now and do little or no counseling. But, they will refer you to someone for that. Usually, though it's the other way around.
I don't mean to pry, but growing up with an alcoholic parent can "help" all kinds of things to surface later in life. So, make sure you attend to both your physical and mental health and don't let anyone push you into believing it's one or the other, when it could be a whole bunch of things.

[goldfinch]

Prozac is an antidepressant and like most antidepressants, tends to make people more anxious, actually. Generally I'm not a big fan of PCPs prescribing psychiatric drugs anyhow, there are too many subtleties.

IIRC, the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac can worsen anxiety early on in treatment but it most often goes away and actually reduces anxiety symptoms. SSRIs are commonly used to treat anxiety.

I took an SSRI for about three years to deal with anxiety. It worked fairly well but I was glad to wean myself off of it. Some of the SSRIs are harder to stop using than others and you have to slowly taper off the dose. It took me 6 months to stop entirely.

[tealtreak]

Yes the perimenopause club. I have been having symptoms the last 5 months which I believe I have mentioned. Some said thyroid some suggested peri. Finally could not take it anymore and went to the Dr's today. I have been so fatigued, heart palps (which I have had for years but have been worse since Aug of this year) sometimes totally pissed off moods, mini hot flash moments, sad, lack of sex drive and my favorite..... adrenalin rushes waking me up in the morning and exhausting me. Oh plus a couple major crying break downs that freaked me out. My poor husband. He has been supportive but finally said enough is enough I need to go see the doc. Now having my blood done tomorrow morning. We are doing a reg panel plus thyroid and hormones.
My blood pressure is good my heart does have PVC though which could be worse due to the stress I have put myself through thinking about this. I don't care what it is at this point but feel better that I am doing something finally. I am high anxiety type person so I am scared to go to the Dr's sometimes. They did give me xanax to help me not feel so out of control right now. Not a long term fix by any means. I know it is very addictive just something to help with the adrenalin and heart palps for now. Till we have answer's.
Any advice?
My friend said if it is peri to say thank you accept it and move on to a new life. Haha. She is my wiser older friend.
It could also be thyroid it does run in my family. But they also said my anxiety could just really be bad at this time and my body is feeding off the adrenalin and that is why I am having such a hard time kicking it this time around. Then they were talking prozac or something like that to help me get past this. Just a like 6 month term. don't like that.
I am 43 and can't gauge when peri would hit me because my mom was an alcoholic/drug user/not take good care of herself person plus a 2 pack a day smoker and I am complete opposite of her.
Am I babbling sorry!

never apologize for "babbling" forums are for venting and advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

menopause (peri or otherwise) is crazy!!!!!!!!!! If you can accept it as such, and go with the insanity, I would encourage avoiding psychotropic meds......Work out like crazy, chug warm milk before bed, eat mega nutrition.......but true messing with your serotonin/neurotransmitter levels is really not a good idea unless you are losing it.........In which case go for it........

[yellow]

Hang in there, girl. A bunch of us are with you. I was in the tampon-an-hour club before I finally had it and sought a remedy for that. It was absolutely, completely ridiculous. Talk to you doc about ways to deal with that.

I recently went back to my doc whining about a lot of the same things--ridiculously exhausted even though I have cut back on exercise in an attempt to "rest up" (completely ridiculous, as in I had to lie on the floor under my desk at work often because I just could not stand up any more), crazy mood swings, inability to sleep normally, and depression unlike any I've ever experienced. She did some blood work and most everything was normal, but my ferratin was low. I'm not anemic (all the other indicators were completely normal), but just low iron. Also, she found an interesting thing in the blood work: extremely high Vitamin D, as in on the way to toxicity. We figured out that it's probably my calcium supplement (most calcium supplements also have D in them) coupled with the fact that I am outdoors a LOT, so she instructed me to find a calcium supplement without D (I do not eat/drink any dairy, so a supplement is important for me). So who knows...could be some weird stuff like that going on.

Hopefully your blood work will give you some good information!

[Brandi]

Wow lot's of stuff to read here and remember what ? were asked here. First and foremost I do not get my periods because I have an iud that stopped them. So that might be a plus since my whole life my periods were way not normal. Can't tell you how many pregger's tests I bought because of it. Even on birth control they were not normal.
i promise I will not go lightly into medication without much research and a hopeful natural alternative first. But it could not be it at all I might just REALLY need a vacation. lol.But I believe something is off though.
I wish I could do yoga all day long that and riding my bike really help level me out.
I just want my energy back more then anything. I am off coffee and tea. That always gave me energy but I know it does not help.
Thank you all for your advice. I was hoping for more positive feedback but it sounds like it's not good. Sigh........of coarse my mom said it was no big deal for her. But she probably drank her way through it.

[Irulan]

never apologize for "babbling" forums are for venting and advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

menopause (peri or otherwise) is crazy!!!!!!!!!! If you can accept it as such, and go with the insanity, I would encourage avoiding psychotropic meds......Work out like crazy, chug warm milk before bed, eat mega nutrition.......but true messing with your serotonin/neurotransmitter levels is really not a good idea unless you are losing it.........In which case go for it........

Define "losing it".
Some of us have found out the really hard way that we do need medication to function at our fullest. There are situations, sometimes biochemical, sometimes dysfunctional emotional ones, where working out, warm milk, eating right, meditation, mindfulness and all that fun stuff just doesn't work. .

I believe that it's not right to dissuade people from exploring all the options open to them, even if they might involve (omg) medication. Drugs work. They work well, when used appropriately. For many people, it can be a short term situation where the quality of life is vastly improved. For others, biochemical imbalances can be a situation that requires more ongoing treatment.

Among my experiences have been fighting the idea of having to take drugs.... and then the profound relief and amazement of feeling better, lots better, better than I had for YEARS, in the matter of a few weeks.

Anxiety in particular is an energy sucker. It's wonderful how much life improves when all that negative wasted energy can be collected, calmed and channeled into more productive living.

Brandi, you might also look into AL Anon. It's a program for people who have alcoholics in their families, or grew up in alcoholic homes. The program offers a lot of great tools for dealing with anxiety and other issues that can be the collateral damage of living with alcoholics.

[Brandi]

I have done Al anon years ago. Not really for me though. I have gotten all that stuff out and found after a while that the program just constantly reminded me of how bad things were when things were actually waaaaay better. My parents not being in my life (my choice) or let's say held at arms length changed everything. Anyway I am very open to all idea's on how to handle whatever they come up with. I will do my homework for sure! And I know what works for me and have an amazing husband who will support whatever I have or have to do. I am looking for tid bits of wisdom from these great women here. Seems we have all been through a lot together.

[PamNY]

Thank you all for your advice. I was hoping for more positive feedback but it sounds like it's not good.

Brandi, nothing bad whatsoever happened to me. Really, I never even thought about "perimenopause" or had any symptoms of any kind.

I'd be really careful about attributing mental or emotional challenges to hormones.

[Irulan]

Brandi, nothing bad whatsoever happened to me. Really, I never even thought about "perimenopause" or had any symptoms of any kind.

I'd be really careful about attributing mental or emotional challenges to hormones.

It certainly depends and if you haven't been there, you wouldn't know or understand it. Part of my mood diagnoses are directly related to my cycles. This determination is made by my MD Psych, and the management plan is to not attempt to function without some medication assistance until my periods have completely stopped. This may not be the case for everyone, but it certainly is real and a problem for some people.

[indysteel]

Honestly, there are a lot of things at play here: brain chemistry, various types of hormones, perimenopause, upbringing, family history, personality, etc. Any number of things could cause the cluster of symptoms that the OP is experiencing, and our own experiences with this or that are only so instructive. I think the best thing at this point is for Brandi to go her doctor or doctors with an open mind. Listen carefully, take notes, ask questions, do some independent research depending on what any tests or assessments reveal, ask some more questions. Hopefully, there will be some clear answer as to what's wrong and an effective treatment.

[Brandi]

Honestly, there are a lot of things at play here: brain chemistry, various types of hormones, perimenopause, upbringing, family history, personality, etc. Any number of things could cause the cluster of symptoms that the OP is experiencing, and our own experiences with this or that are only so instructive. I think the best thing at this point is for Brandi to go her doctor or doctors with an open mind. Listen carefully, take notes, ask questions, do some independent research depending on what any tests or assessments reveal, ask some more questions. Hopefully, there will be some clear answer as to what's wrong and an effective treatment.

Yes I agree. Blood tests were done this morning after fasting should have hopefully some answer tomorrow. Feeling better just being proactive about it. Was not before...i was fighting it and going to the Doc. I don't know why I do that except out of fear I guess. Unreasonable fear too and I know it. It always seems once I go and see the Dr I feel better. Go figure. I need to be kinder to myself.

[Brandi]

Brandi, nothing bad whatsoever happened to me. Really, I never even thought about "perimenopause" or had any symptoms of any kind.

I'd be really careful about attributing mental or emotional challenges to hormones.

That is really good to know. You always hear the bad side of things like this and I know there are people who have had good experiences too. Or I should say it didn't bother them.