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Perimenopause


Greatmum

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Can I ask - what is flooding? I have very heavy periods for the first 2-3 days then it gets more normal (usually 7 days all up). The most frequent I'd be changing my pad would be about 1.5-2hrs at the heaviest. Does that count as flooding?

I don’t know the technical definition but my Dr did mention something about if it got heavier than 90mL per period, I should bring it up. I said that I was having cycles where I would have more than 90mL per day! I use a cup so can tell reasonably accurately.


On my bad days, I will soak through a tampon/cup plus pad and my pants and sometimes blood gets on the chair too. I end up just staying on the toilet because it’s too messy otherwise. If I have to go out on those days, I try to be home within 2-3hrs or else it gets embarrassing. Mostly, I try to schedule things so I can be home. It is really inconvenient but then it goes away for a few months. Sigh.

 

Yep unfortunately I know the feeling of not being able to leave the house due to the fear of flooding.

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I'm in full menopause now but when I was in perimenopause my mental health was more unstable - I was definitely more prone to depression and flying off the handle. This has started to return to normal levels, but I'm still more moody and short-tempered than I used to be.


Apart from that - hot flushes, weight gain, less energy, itchy dry skin, need to wee more often. Fun times.

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Can I ask if anyone has all the mood /anxiety/etc symptoms without any changes to periods/cycles? I feel like I could tick off every symptom mentioned in this thread, from restless legs to fatigue to brain fog to depression - but is that just life/age/stage ? Like yes I'm irritated and exhausted and losing my mind but that's probably because I work full time and have 3 young kids and ageing/unwell parents and a house to run and an unemployed husband and a house that's cracking to pieces etc etc...

Perimenopause or just life? My periods are regular, same as always, and not problematic


ETA I have zero libido. Like zero. Again I wonder

- life, or perimenopause?

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I’ve just started HRT, started peri mid 40’s then no period from 47, I’m 52


My change of life was a non-event, bit of a hot flush here and there in the middle of the night but that was only when I didn’t take my remmifem vitamins.


Following a bone density scan 3 weeks ago I discovered I’m osteoporotic, so I’m on HRT and I still don’t know how I feel about that.


Yesterday I had twinges in my lower groin like I was ovulating... is that normal?

I'm on a Facebook support group for menopausal women, if you have any questions I'm happy to share the name of the group with you if you like? Send me a PM and I'll give you the name :)

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I'm in full menopause now but when I was in perimenopause my mental health was more unstable - I was definitely more prone to depression and flying off the handle. This has started to return to normal levels, but I'm still more moody and short-tempered than I used to be.


Apart from that - hot flushes, weight gain, less energy, itchy dry skin, need to wee more often. Fun times.

 

Bugger, quite a few of those sound familiar. Problem for me is I have some thyroid stuff going on too, so never sure which one is causing which symptom or if its all connected.


[mention]Basil[/mention] thanks, I'm not flooding then. I may have to change pads every 1-2hrs on day 2/3 but its rare for me to bleed through that much.

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I’d be interested in hearing the stats on long time IVF’ers and early menopause but that’s another thread. I’m sure the number crunching has been done.

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Can I ask if anyone has all the mood /anxiety/etc symptoms without any changes to periods/cycles? I feel like I could tick off every symptom mentioned in this thread, from restless legs to fatigue to brain fog to depression - but is that just life/age/stage ? Like yes I'm irritated and exhausted and losing my mind but that's probably because I work full time and have 3 young kids and ageing/unwell parents and a house to run and an unemployed husband and a house that's cracking to pieces etc etc...

Perimenopause or just life? My periods are regular, same as always, and not problematic


ETA I have zero libido. Like zero. Again I wonder

- life, or perimenopause?

 

Yes.

My periods never went too crazy - changed from a reliable 28 day cycle to a ~24 day cycle with the odd change to cycle length here and there. My flow got heavier, but again nothing crazy. Some premenstrual symptoms became more pronounced. The anxiety and unexplainable joint pain over time was debilitating. And the foul mood swings were out of this world. Tested for a bunch of things over the years, diagnosed with a couple that never quite fit. Also, like for most of us, there were life circumstances that could explain some things away.

It was actually a relief when last year, 3 cycles never showed up and I felt the best I had in years!!! Coincidentally, I watched an Insight ep rerun that happened to be on menopause and my experience was mirrored in the younger woman's experience. So, I went to Dr couple months later said I want to try HRT because I think I'm perimenopausal. They surprisingly said ok - went thru options, blah blah.

And here we are.


I do have other health things that muddy the waters, but - the easing of perimeno symptoms has made it a bit clearer in attributing what's-to-correct-what.

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Seayork2002

Timing with my period is always more reliable thank clockwork through my perimenopause stage but each actual period is different as in heavier one minute then lighter or the otherway around, this last one was heavier than it has been for years

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So I’ve been doing a tonne of reading about MHT/HRT shout out to [mention]RomeoVoid[/mention] and have discovered my cycles may return for maybe 6 months while by body gets used to the hormones. Holy crap I adore my white jeans and now I’m going to have to carry protection otherwise I could get caught out.


Be interesting if I actually drop an egg... 😳

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Can I ask - what is flooding? I have very heavy periods for the first 2-3 days then it gets more normal (usually 7 days all up). The most frequent I'd be changing my pad would be about 1.5-2hrs at the heaviest. Does that count as flooding?

I don’t know the technical definition but my Dr did mention something about if it got heavier than 90mL per period, I should bring it up. I said that I was having cycles where I would have more than 90mL per day! I use a cup so can tell reasonably accurately.


On my bad days, I will soak through a tampon/cup plus pad and my pants and sometimes blood gets on the chair too. I end up just staying on the toilet because it’s too messy otherwise. If I have to go out on those days, I try to be home within 2-3hrs or else it gets embarrassing. Mostly, I try to schedule things so I can be home. It is really inconvenient but then it goes away for a few months. Sigh.

 

Yep unfortunately I know the feeling of not being able to leave the house due to the fear of flooding.

 

I had to go to work flooding. I would shower, put in a super tampon and 2 maternity pads, drive 35 minutes with my pants down and sitting on a towel and have to shove in a towel between my legs when I arrived 35 minutes later to walk up to the ward toilet and do the super tampon and 2 maternity pads things again that would almost get me through handover where I stood for fear that I would bleed all over the chair.

This happened for 4 days at this level and it was the worst time trying to tend patients in labour. I spent thousands and thousands per year on feminine products.

Hysterectomy saved my life.......literally.

Being a woman sucks balls.

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I’m so sorry @STBG +2 my whining about white jeans was terribly insensitive.


My apologies

Noooo, not at all. It is all behind me now and I agree how nice it is to be able to wear white pants without stress.

I was just trying to point out what 'flooding' looked like.

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My biggest issue is why women are expected to stay silent about this. Just put up with it.


They need to do a lot more research into ways to make this time a lot easier for women. Let’s face it we are all trying to work, look after kids and pay our bills.


We don’t need to just put up with this. It seriously affects your life.

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Kiwi Bicycle

I asked my mum last night about her perimenopause and menopause and she had a very easy transition. She started around 47 and was blood tested as menopuasal at 50 without symptoms like hot flushes etc.

Soooo if my mum had an easy journey, how likely is for myself to have similar? Is it genetically linked or different for everyone?

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I'm 48 and have had a lot of these symptoms but never put them together. I had hot flushes maybe a couple of years ago, but nothing since. They maybe lasted 6 months. My sleeping is up shit creek. I'm tired and get maybe 3 or 4 hours a night. I put on weight, but I thought that had to do with the god awful implanon I had for 2 years. I've since had it removed and had a Mirena again. So my periods are whacked out but going back to the nothing I had on my first and second Mirena. My hair is dry and falling out copiously and my skin is dry. My moods have been better since off Implanon and back on Mirena. I had a hair trigger temper with Implanon.


I tell you what, aging sucks! But, I suppose, it's better than the alternative.

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I’d be interested in hearing the stats on long time IVF’ers and early menopause but that’s another thread. I’m sure the number crunching has been done.

I've reached perimenopause later than my mother.

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Seayork2002

Mine was due to a growth so way earlier than my mum but my specialist says I am not in it now, but I wish they told the hot flushes that!

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tranexanic acid is now very hard to get in Australia. I did manage to get some from chemist warehouse.


I have also been prescribed Ralovera tablets as a alternative.


Both are meant to stop the flooding.

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RALOVERA, in combination with an estrogen containing medicine, is used to relieve symptoms of menopause in women with an intact uterus. This is called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). RALOVERA is used to protect the lining of the uterus while the estrogens relieve the symptoms of menopause. RALOVERA is not suitable as a HRT treatment in women who have undergone a hysterectomy

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Spidey_Senses

I read somewhere recently (like a proper government website) that menopause can start any time from 45, before that age is premature menopause. So you do fall within that age range OP.


Im 44 and dont have those symptoms but I have heavy and erratic periods. I always have though, this is just because I can no longer take the combined contraceptive pill its no longer regulating my period.

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