Irregular periods (long inbetween 48-45 and light)
Terrible PMS for 2-3 weeks prior (with constant cramping?!)
Depression for 2-3 whole weeks
Extremely foggy and nausious before period finally show up
Cold soars on tongue right before period
Deordorant does not work anymore
Antiety and feeling of doom or death especially before bed
Anger all month long!!!!
Memory lapses when speaking to someone
Exercise with no results
Insomnia and Night time eating (NES)
Total loss of libido
Hair loss (after pregnancy and never stopped)
Hypertension (after pregnancy not during?)
Chest pain and tingling in left arm right before bed most times (got it checked and NO it's not heart related)
Desperate need for chocolate and chips!
Okay, here's my list...thank God many of these symptoms are gone...
Chills
Memory Lapses
Swollen Ankles
Irregular Periods
Fibroids
Anxiety
Spacey/dizzy/lightheaded, very weird feeling 24/7
Insomnia
Strange dreams
Bruise marks (strange bruise marks will sudden show up on my arms & legs)
The blues
Depression
Crying Spells
Feeling Faint
Chronic Fatigue
Tingling in legs
Brain Zaps
Dry skin, thin hair
Vision Disturbances
Ear aches, persistent fluid in ears
Moodiness, moodiness, moodiness (rapid mood changes)
Irritability
Weight gain although eating less
Panic Attacks (daily)
Hypertension
Hyperglycemia
Change in body odor
Deodorant stopped working (Elda, I thought I was the only one)
Hot flashes
Sweats (only during the day time)
Allergies became worst
IBS became worst
Poor Concentration
Poor Comprehension
No problem...bcp is birth control pills. I use to take them in my 20's and had problems with them so I was truly hesitatant to try them again in my 40's, but after getting some really good information from Dipity (another lady who posts here) I finally discussed this with my doctor. Being a big chicken I was concerned about side effects and possibly feeling worst...my doctor comforted me by saying that I'd probably feel better before I feel worst...she was right.
My worst symptom that I was able to stop, but has now returned is:
Right when my period ends, I get this awful lower abdominal pain that is often accompanied by bloating. It will last as long as a week. Here you are supposed to feel relief that your period ended, but instead I dread it.
Regular situps and exercise along with daily flaxseed, multivitamins, and magnesium were helping, but have now stopped working. In the past I have gone to two different doctors about this. I was put on birth control pills and had ultrasounds to check for ovarian cancer.
Any one else have this strange occurance happen right when their period ends? If so, were you able to stop the symptoms from happening?
Chills
Clammy skin
Memory Lapses
Irregular Periods
Anxiety
dizzy and lightheaded
Depression
Crying Spells
Feeling Faint on and off
Crushing Fatigue
Tingling all over at times
Electric shock sensation
Feeling of ants crawling on skin
Thinning hair
Ear aches
Wooshing sound in ears
Mood swings
Irritability
Panic Attacks on and off
Change in body odor
Bad taste in mouth
Hot flashes
Poor Concentration
there are more symptoms, but I can't remember them
My symptoms are almost to a "T" exactly like Catluvr4's....(I know us cat lovers gotta stick together...but this is ridiculous!!! lol) I don't get the total hot flash, but I get bad facial flushing and ear burning.
Add to that:
BAD HORRIBLE IBS symptoms
lower backache during period and the few days before
"brusing" feeling on my cheekbone(s) and sometimes under my arms right above the elbow
no hair thinning, but the tradeoff is a "mustache"
manic like activity levels right before my period
sore sides
And probably more, but like the rest of us....I forgot
Not having a good time the last few days...
Conni
Please excuse this question, but how old are you women? I have just turned 42 in July, and have started to wonder if I'm starting to go through this most awful thing called perimenopause! I had my hormone levels checked two yrs ago, (believe it or not we were trying to have a baby when I was 40,,,,) and at that time I was OK. But two yrs later, I am begining to wonder.
My periods are pretty normal - about 28 days apart and flow for three days. Not real heavy, but they haven't been since I was in my 20's. My husband was starting to wonder if I am going through it because my sexual drive is basically in the toilet! I have never really been a huge "sexaholic", but it's gotten worse. Is this a symptom????
How old were you when this all started?
Hi,
Yes, loss of sex drive is a symptom.I have been on meds since early July(menopause)I can feel a slight change in alot of my symptoms. I guess it takes time.Does anyone know how long it takes before you to start to feel like yourself again?One good thing is I don't have hot flashes anymore, yipee.
Sue
Hey Susie...I'm 48. In looking back, I've been having peri symptoms for 8-10 years, so God willing it won't last much longer!!
Conni
Hi Conni - I am 46 and I think I have symptoms for 8-9 years, also. In the beginning had no idea what was wrong. I used to feel lighthead, surges etc but they were few and far between - like every few months. But now if I get a few good days together I'm delighted. I read about your "Instant Anxiety" and that happens to me quite a lot also. Like you I may be at work happy out or just sitting watching tv and all of a sudden this surge, sweaty palms and a feeling of weakness as if I might faint. Luckily it passes but I am always left scared and tired afterwards. Were you like that?? I have so many symptoms. A few days ago I was in the church at a funneral and I really thought I would faint - I think it must have been a full blown panic attack I had - it was awful but I kept telling myself that it would pass and it eventually did but boy was I scared. I wasn't right until the next day. I don't take any meds at all but maybe I will have to give in about that some time soon. Lately i seem to be suffering a lot from headaches as well. They seem to be pressure headache (I'm not sure) but they are accross my forehead and I seem to frown alot when I have them. I am sick of all this but hopefully some day soon they will all go away! ha ha. I have had all the blood work done of course and it always comes back normal. I just wish I knew for certain that it was menopause or peri I should say. When I get an attack of any description of course I always wonder "what is really wrong with me" and I start doubting about this peri thing. I could go on forever but I find these boards better than any doctor. We must carry on though!!
Hi Susie, I am only 43, but I had a hysterectomy at 38 and that brought mine on early, or so I'm told. But it is AWFUL!!!!! I dont know how long it lasts, but I hate it. There has to be something natural we can take, I am dead set about not being put on estrogen, of course, that was the first thing my doctor said, low dosage patches.. Still estrogen, I am scared to death of it, but I am fighting it because I have to have something, I feel miserable, not to mention I am bipolar too. Girl, we gotta all stick together...talk helps to know others are going thru similar experiences.
Hi Susie, I am only 43, but I had a hysterectomy at 38 and that brought mine on early, or so I'm told. But it is AWFUL!!!!! I dont know how long it lasts, but I hate it. There has to be something natural we can take, I am dead set about not being put on estrogen, of course, that was the first thing my doctor said, low dosage patches.. Still estrogen, I am scared to death of it, but I am fighting it because I have to have something, I feel miserable, not to mention I am bipolar too. Girl, we gotta all stick together...talk helps to know others are going thru similar experiences.
Feel better...
Dana
Hi Dana,
I also had a hysterectomy 3 years ago.I wasn't sure about the meds either but I would not be able to function without it. I was at the point that I could not stand anyone not even my kids.Pretty bad.
Sue
Thanks to all that responded. I guess I will have to back to have another blood test to see where my levels are. I have some of the symptoms, but not all of them. I have never had children, though we did try for awhile.
My biggest one is the lost sex drive. Of course that could be for numerous reasons. I have also noticed that it's harder to loose weight than it used to be. Thank God I don't have any night sweats (yet anyway) or some of the other issues listed. Geez,,,doesn't seem fair does it? We get to have all these rotten things happen to us, yet Tony Randall was making babies at age 77! (LOL!) It's called MENopause,,,,why don't we give it to the MEN?!!!!
Hi Maggie...yep, we sound similar. I get those headaches too but (knock wood) haven't had one this period. I too wonder if its all peri, but there's so many coincidences that I'd bet it is along with all the women here who feel the same way. And I don't think its uncommon to worry that something worse is wrong, I think that goes hand in hand with the anxiety and panic. There is a disorder called health anxiety, and I think to some extent we all get that sometimes. Our brains work in strange ways! Today was wonderful, (NOT!) well actually started last nite, gut problems (HORRID) and woke up today feeling like crap...sinuses hurt on top of all the other little things. I'm on the last days of my period and I always have a "pause" for a day or so and lo and behold, gushed (and I mean GUSHED) a couple huge clots and now everything feels fine...period is back to light and will be done by tomorrow I'm sure. Yeah sure Doc, tell me it ain't hormonal.....seems awfully strange to me when the period starts flowing again the other things go away...hhhhmmmm. Happens the same way every month! ****, I just LOVE being a girl!!! lol
Susie, I agree with you...lets give it to the men!!! My personal feeling is that God knew they wouldn't be able to stand it, so he gave it to the STRONGER sex!!! hehehehe Can you imagine a man going through 10 years of this junk? ROFLMAO!!!
Good day all...mine is getting there...
Conni
Let's do a list of peri menopausal syptoms 
