I am 45 yrs old and last 6 months my cycle and symptoms have been going haywire. My periods are either early or weeks late and I have had excruitiating ovulation pain as well at weird times of the cycle. I have had a pelvic ultrasound and all is normal so Dr says its perimenopause. My period is now two weeks late. In fact I have had only one normal cycle in last 6.
I did the menopause test you can buy online and it was negative but have been told by Dr that you need to test yourself every month for many months to maybe get a positive as hormones fluctuate so much.
I suffer badly with health anxiety and am trying hard not to get into a panic about whats happening especially as the ultrasound was normal.
Its the not knowing whats going to happen next that is freaking me out.
Just wanted to talk to peopel who know what its like as all my friends are much older than me and have forgotten it or had hysterectomies in their 30's so never experienced the period side of it.

Hi Gavi,
I just turned 46 and my periods are wacky too. I also suffer from health anxiety. I worry about my heart all the time because I get heavy fatigue and shortness of breath and palps. Went to cardio doctor and was told that I shouldn't worry, but I do. It is hard when you don't have people around who are going through the same thing. Just know that we are all here for each other. I thank God for this website!. T

HI:

I've had the anxiety problems too. I went through a stage where the only thing on my mind day after day was my health. I'd sneeze and be convinced I had lung cancer.

I don't have the periods as whacky as you do but I do have the ovulation pain. I was told that it's because your body has nearly enough hormones to stimulate the release of an egg but not sufficient eggs left to be ovulation. The follicle enlarges but the but the body can't release anything so the pain occurs. Probably not an exact description but you get the idea.

I did go on a mild antianxiety drug for several months to get myself through the worst of it. Eventually, I started using B stress complex, magesium, fish oils and natural progesterone cream. They all seem to be working really well now in place of the anti anxiety meds.

I've been perimenopausing now for the past 7 years!!!! :mad:
I will be 57 this year.

Still waiting for the night sweats & heat flashes which may never come. :dizzy: My doctor told me this could last for 15 years!!! :eek:
I get migraines in place of the above. :mad:

So I'll probably either end up in the crazy house or on death row. :D

Thanks for your replies. Things are not improving! My period is now 4 weeks late apart from a one off spot a few days ago so am wondering if period will start soon.
I asked my Dr about it and she said peri - she also said to check i wasn't pregnant even though my husband had a vascectomy 26 years ago. She said to check once in case we had made medical history - don't know if she was joking or not so have bought a test kit in case period doesn't start in next week of so.
I feel as if I am stuck in mid month time as I have the usual heavy discharge of mid month and my libido is high as in mid month ( some benefits!!!).
Being a health anxiety freak and experiencing peri is not a good combination.
Thanks all

Hello Gavi

I had a blood test taken which showed that I was at the start of the meno (I am 48 now, this was two years ago). Like you, my periods were all over the place.
Maybe you can ask your GP for a blood test - at least you will know (I also did a pregnancy test at the time because I couldn't believe/didn't want to believe it was the menopause, but the beginning of it can be confusing)

LL x

Hi. I am also going crazy. I think it's perimenopuase but no one will officially tell me! I have had every blood test out there and been to a neurologist! I am so worried! I just want to know what's going on! I have burning sensations throughout my legs and arms. I have been tested for all the autoimmune diseases as well as b12 and those other tests! Does anyone else experience this as a symptom? I just want to know this is perimoenopause!!

I also suffer from some of the anxiety that you speak of. I am just starting what I believe is peri so this is all extremely new to me. Whacko period, spotting, the pain you speak of, sweating, dizziness. All those lovely symptoms. In retrospect, last year I was feeling an extraordinary amount of anxiety. The doctor did a stress test and such and put me on Wellbutrin. I've bee on that for a little under a year. It's been very helpful with the anxiety but as of late, I'm not sure it's working anymore. It was always just enough to take the edge off me without feeling like it was altering my mood/personality which is why I liked this anti-depressant. However, since starting with these other symptoms, i've noticed my moods swings are horrible. I'm understand that women's bodies were meant to go thru menopause and aside from all the symptoms, it's a natural process and I keep wondering if I should interfere with it at all but it's a cruel world and I'm not sure I can do this without the help of something. Once I find out for certain I'm in peri as my doctor appt. is in April, I'm going to talk to her about what types of things will work to help with the anxiety. Mine is awful again. Thank goodness for this website....I happened to stumble on it and really do find comfort in these postings:)

I'm in a panic now as I have had spotting for 5 days once in the morning and once again in the evening - I had one day where I had incredibly light bleeding most of the day but apart from that just this morning and evening spotting. Sorry for being gross but I wouldn't even call it bleeding as its just my normal discharge that is discoloured.

I saw my GP a couple of days ago and she just said to keep a diary but was not at all worried as I had had a pelvic ultrasound scan about 5 months ago and all was normal. I have done the home test for FSH which was negative but have been told that these don't go positive till you are almost through the menopause. My GP said the hormone blood tests rarely show anything up at start of perimenopause and she only does them when someone hasn't had a period for at least 6 months.

I just wish I would either have a proper period or this discoloured discharge would stop! My elderly Aunty told me that she started like me at 45 yrs old and finally ended at 50 yrs old and she had lots of times where she would have a period that was almost none existant and she said she always felt it wasn't worth the effort!

I know that if I push my Dr she will send me to Gyny consultant but they autormatically do hysteroscpies and having had two in the past am not wanting to have to repeat the experience!!!!

I really need to know at what point you genuinly need to panic as I have no common sense at all where health is concerned. How long should I leave it if the discoloured discharge continues before going back to Dr - its not as if I am at risk of anaemia through blood loss!!

hello! Well mine has just stopped!I'll be 50 in a few weeks... My last one was in May of last year-I thought it stopped from the stress of my mom being ill/caring for her B4 she passed awayed from cancer. (6 mths ago) Even my Dr is telling me I'm not having pemimenopause! I've given up!!