New here, questions :) - Menopause Message Board

BioAdoptMom3 · 10-03-2004, 09:35 PM

My name is Nancy and I am 45. I have recently been having some strange symptoms which have me a bit concerned.

The first and most noticable was dizziness. One night about a month ago I thought I was going to pass out. That same feeling happened once more and I have also had a lot of light headedness without the about to faint feeling since then. It even happened in bed the other night when I was lying down! It sometimes feels like I have a buzzing feeling in the top of my head (right about on my forehead).

Then, I have realized that after all my life having very irregular periods (every two to 18 months), I am and have been having one every 28 days like clockwork since January. I am also a lot more irritable, having some depression pretty frequently, getting tired more quickly and its more intense, plus I have had a hot feeling in my face a few times in the past few months.
I am not sure if that is considered a hot flash or not.

Does this all sound like it COULD be perimenopause? Except for the period changes it also seems to me like I could also be dealing with some anxiety. If so, how do you deal with these symptoms? Are there any types of vitamins or OTC remedies that seem to work for anyone here?

Thanks in advance!

Nancy

molly123 · 10-04-2004, 10:16 AM

Hi Nancy,
First, welcome to the club! Yep, it sounds like you're going thru peri-meno! Many of us here have had or still have anxiety as well as the symptoms you described.

I went through the dizziness, light headedness, extreme fatigue, and lots of other bad symptoms last year, which all came on suddenly. I am one of the lucky ones - it lasted only 5 months for me - and I was 50 yo. I was put on Paxil CR which helped my anxiety. As for vitamins and such, I take everything that is recommended in the "Before the Change" book by Ann Louise Gittleman (except Progesterone cream). To date, I have had only 1 period in a 11-month period so I'm heading into meno - maybe that is why my peri-meno symptoms came/went so suddenly. The ladies on this board can probably give you better help and advice than some drs. so spend time reading the old threads that have been posted. In my case, I didn't even feel good enough to sit in front of a computer or read a book so I spent a lot of time going from dr. to dr., which made a nervous wreck out of me and none of them understood what I was going thru.

Hope this somehow helps...hope to see you posting some more.

Molly

Hopefully · 10-04-2004, 03:42 PM

Nancy, just wanted to added another welcome to the club. Sorry that you are experiencing these symptoms, but rest assured that you are in good company. Have you been to the doctor to rule out other possibilities?

The dizziness (spacey, lightheaded, vertigo) was one of my first symptom, along with sleep disturbance, leg aches, irregular period (I use to be about every 28 days...now it's whenever it wants to make an appearance), ankle swelling...just to list a few initial symptoms.

Definitely read previous posts and ask all the questions you can think of... I've found the ladies here to be more compassionate and helpful than the majority of the doctors that I've seen, and also quite knowledgeable.

BioAdoptMom3 · 10-05-2004, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the welcome!

I haven't been to the doctor yet, but guess I should go and see if I can get some answers. The dizziness has really thrown me for a loop. Its what I feel is the worst symptom, followed of course by the anxiety and moodiness. Its hard to deal with that with two teens, a kindergartner and teaching K all day long. I have to really try to fight it so I don't take it out on my students or my own kids.

After reading further on this board as you suggested it really does seem as if I am dealing with perimenopause. Oh the joys of womanhood!

Thanks again for the welcome and the words of wisdom!

Nancy