Perfect 28 day cycles-but with other symtoms? What the hey!

[lizaanne]

Hello!
I posted my sorry pitty party in the welcome place, so guess I'l stop crabbing and start asking some questions.

I think I've been in denial over this whole peri-menopause thing becuse my periods are still the perfect little things they have always been. I can set my clock, still, every 28 days by it. Still the same duration and all the rest.

But...

I have horrible night sweats, irritability, itchy skin, ... is it possible to still have perfect periods and still be starting into the mental pause?

I've never had children. I was previously "married" and have never used birthcontrol. No sex in the past 5 years, but engaged to be married next year. Went through infertility testing and nothing was found wrong with me. Hoping to still try to have children if we can, though I know that starting at 40 has its risks.

Anyway - say it isn't so. Am I really getting there?

Thanks - glad to find this place.

~Liza

[minniepauz]

forgot to ask you if you've had your thyroid checked? Sometimes those symptoms mimic peri-menopause....

[lizaanne]

Hello! And thank you for your nice welcome!

I had my thyroid checked about 9 months ago. I was having some pretty serious dizzy spells which have since passed. I have very prominent eyes, and EVERY time I see a new doctor they check my thyroid because of it. So, as of about 9 months ago, that wasn't a problem.

Spoke to the sweetest fiance in the world last night, and he was just wonderful and so understanding. He actually said that he had suspected this might be happening to me, and was wondering how long it would take me to come to that conclusion on my own. He would have never suggested it, he's very sweet that way. But he made me feel so much better, and was very reassuring that it really doesn't matter to him.

I'm still not happy about it, but I guess it is what it is and it's not exactly as if I can do anything about it.

I do miss being able to wear satin jammies though.

~Liza

[drjudy]

Hi Liza,

I'm glad you're going through your difficult phase with such wonderful support in your fiance, and I'm glad you've joined us here.

Is there any correlation between the timing of your symptoms and your cycles? Early in perimenopause, even with regular periods, the time around ovulation mid-month and pre-menstrually in the week or so before your period plus 2-3 days into it could be rough. These are the times with the widest swings in hormone levels that could precipitate your symptoms. Use of progesterone cream in the last half of your cycle, and/or the addition of a small amount of estrogen (I prefer via a skin patch) may help smooth things out.

Hang on, this could be a long ride. You still may be years away from the end of the change.

Best,
Judy

[lizaanne]

Is there any correlation between the timing of your symptoms and your cycles? Early in perimenopause, even with regular periods, the time around ovulation mid-month and pre-menstrually in the week or so before your period plus 2-3 days into it could be rough. These are the times with the widest swings in hormone levels that could precipitate your symptoms.

Hello!

Hmmm - some yes, some no. The irritability and extreme breast tenderness (more so than in the past) is absolutely cyclical. The night sweats, itchyness, and the dizziness I experienced previously, are not at any particular time of my cycle. Also, now that I'm thinking about it, I do have one day a month, usually the week before my period starts, where I absolutely can not crawl out of the bed, and will sleep for 20 hours. Next day, I'm fine. Weird.

My concern about any type of hormone treatment is that we do hope to get pregnant. We will be married around late summer next year (he's immigrating to the US from England so it's all up to the immigration people). Also, I don't use any form of artificial birth control for religious reasons, so I would have to consider those beliefs when choosing any type of treatment. My Gyn suggested low dose BC pills for the breast tenderness, and that's just not an option.

My maternal Grandmother never had a symptom. Not a mood swing, not a hot flash, nothing. Just stopped having periods one day and that was it. Now why didn't I inherit THAT instead of the big butts in the family!!!

Thanks!!!
~Liza

[drjudy]

Neither progesterone cream nor low-dose estrogen would interfere with your own ovulation or cycling. Your fertility may be down at this point due to not ovulating regularly. I found early in perimenopause that a little supplemental estrogen actually seemed to promote ovulation.

Judy