I haven't used testosterone cream as I don't think I need it. When my estrogen is high, I feel like I've got a buzz on, so I don't think I need to add to that. As for the progesterone cream, if I use it when the estrogen is low and the progesterone is high, I have severe anxiety attacks which leave me unfunctional. If I use it when the estrogen is high I feel better. Same with the epo. If I use it when the estrogen is high, I'm worse. If I use it when the progesterone is high I feel better. You really have to figure out which hormone is high on which days, which won't be as easy when you don't have periods. I've gone 7 weeks between periods and have had three cycles of high estrogen in that seven weeks, so it can get pretty mixed up. I just finished a three week period and haven't had any days of high estrogen for about a month. A sure sign of high estrogen for me is high libido and a wired feeling that actually will make me shake. I haven't tried black cohosh as the epo seems to work for me. T
Its evening primrose oil (a phytoestrogen). Are you still on the prescription estrogen? I don't think epo is nearly as strong as a prescription estrogen. I guess the idea of hormone replacement is that you take the same amount everyday and it evens out your hormones so you don't have the spikes and valleys. I haven't tried it, so I take whatever supplement I need to counteract the offending hormone at that time. I have a new Dr and I'm supposed to go for blood work three days into my next period. Who knows when that will be, as I just finished a three week period last week. My Dr is testing estrogen, progesteron, Lh, FSH and whole bunch of other things. I've only ever had my FSH tested and it wasn't on day three, so I think she is being more aggressive about finding out where I am hormone wise. I've never really pushed testing because my sister had breast cancer at age forty, so I always assumed I shouldn't take estrogen. It's been almost four years of this hell and I think if she says I should try a very low dose to see if it helps, I might try it. I'm very interested to see where my hormones are.T
Ok. I am currently not taking anything right now. Sometimes I feel that my estrogen is low then it becomes progesterone low. Taking the estrogen makes me really nauseated. So at this point I don't know what to do. I am seeing a new obgyn today in hopes tat she will help me.
Maybe the prescription estrogen is too strong for you. I would be surprised if I can take it too as I'm very sensitive to hormones. I tried a progesterone only bcp and had to stop after a few days as it made my anxiety way worse. The epo for high progesterone and progesterone cream for high estrogen seems to work for me. Good luck with your new Dr.
I apologize in advance for such a long post, but I've been dealing with things and so happy to have found this board, I wish I had found it earlier, but I really had no idea what was wrong with me; from googling things I've begun to think I've started perimenopause. Almost 3 years ago, I felt dizzy twice in one day - never had this happen before. Went to the ER, scared me, they didn't find anything wrong; suggested is was a sinus issue, basically from that it was discovered I'm allergic to all green things that grow outside and a handful of inside things too - started allergy shots.
Around this time I started feeling lightheaded - woozy, not like I'm going to be dizzy but close to it. Hard to concentrate when I get like that - now this could be from allergies, but the shots didn't help with that so I still wonder. Months later I developed palpitations, and they put me on a BP med. I went to a cardiologist who found nothing wrong with me so that made me feel better. I also started noticing I would feel jittery/nervous for no reason - would just start feeling it during the day and would last for weeks then go away like nothing. In the last few years I've skipped a couple periods but they now seem to be around 36 - 38 days apart and around this time I get extremely tired, very irritable, yell at family members over stupid things, crave carbs, slight cramps; sometimes my periods last 5 days sometimes 7. I'll also have a slight depression, not where I feel like I can't do anything just like I don't care, an indifference to things I guess you could say. And of course I cry very easily during this time. I think I've noticed that my palpitations are now around my period as well which makes me think hormones.
Almost forgot this one, over the past year or so my libido has gone down, which is not at all how I used to be; my husband is not thrilled with this but he's trying to be understanding.
I sometimes feel what I guess is bit of anxiety, I'll just have a strange feeling come over me that makes me feel uneasy, and there's no one thing that causes it - I could be shopping, or crafting or watching tv.
I started googling all these things and perimenopause came up, I had no idea. I went to my obgyn to discuss it with her, she for some reason didn't think my symptoms were peri, but did say it could be hormone related. I don't have hot flashes which she seems to think is the one symptom I should have for it to be peri.
I'm 42, will be 43 later this year; my mom started menopause around 45 and was done by time she was 48 - she did say a few years prior to that she had palps, which may have been her peri stage - so I feel I could be too at my age, my obgyn still didn't think I was. She did bloodwork but said it may not show anything and of course it came back normal.
She said I could have anxiety - of course not knowing what is wrong would make anyone feel anxious. Went to my regular doc this past week and we reviewed the blood work, he said he thought I was depressed and wanted to put me on antidepressants, I am not depressed; so was not too happy with him - he didn't listen at all to what I was saying.
So I've decided to just continue trying to eat better and go to the gym, I'm so tired of going to doc's and not have them listen to what I'm saying. Frustrating, don't know if I should try another obgyn or if I will be wasting my time again.
The one thing that's annoying lately is the jittery feeling I get, I hadn't had it for a month or so and forgot about it but it's been back off and on for a month now and I don't like it at all. Comes and goes throughout the day. That and the lightheadedness, which may or may not be somehow related to my allergies.
It's helpful reading all the posts, makes me think I'm not crazy.
tcalix. I am 50 years old. I started having perimenopause symptoms when I was 42. They were subtle yet I knew something was going on. I was always a very patient person, well that went out the window. My periods were still regular so I didn't think peri. Over the next 2 to 3 years other people (family, friends, people at work) noticed a change in me. I started getting anxiety, I would cry much easier ( i was never a crier), I just felt different inside. When I saw my doctor she said possibly peri, took blood, came back normal. It took 3 times of her taking blood work before i registered that my hormones were off balance. In the beginning of peri, hormones fluctuate, so you can have a few normal readings before you get a reading that says hormonal imbalance. Fast forward, went through all the other symptoms, fatigue, sore muscles, headaches, irregular periods between the ages of 45 to 48. At 48 (not at 42) I started getting hot flashes and night sweats. Today my symptoms are, hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, occasional anxiety. Hope this helps.
I have terrible perimenopause symptoms with the worst being anxiety. I don't have hot flashes yet and I don't believe you have to have them to be in perimenopause. Hormone fluctuations can cause extreme symptoms before hot flashes ever appear. T
Jojopooh - Thank you, I saw your post on the other thread as well. I really do think I'm peri, and as you mentioned I've also read that it depends when blood is drawn for the results. I feel lightheaded or fuzzy headed a lot and off and on I seem to have the jittery feeling. I realize my palps are hormonal since they appear to be closer to my period, so I do my best to not stress over them anymore. My new allergist thinks it's highly likely my allergies are causing the lightheadedness but I'm beginning to wonder now - the shots didn't help the lightheadedness much and I did them for two years.
Hodge - I agree, the anxiety is bad too. All of the sudden I'll feel a slight panic - for no reason.
It's just insane that hormones can cause so many strange feelings, and you would think obgyn's would start talking about it as we get closer to 40. It's ridiculous that we have to go through this with no warning, I honestly thought something was seriously wrong with me, I've wasted time and money going to the ER and seeing new doctors for new tests - all to be told there is absolutely nothing wrong with me.
Being able to share how I feel and read about others does make me feel less crazy.
Hello everyone. I know I know...I am too young for this. I have never worked right in the lady department. Had a partial hysterectomy in 2007 and kinda expected this. What I didn't expect is that NO doctors would believe me!! Here is my story:
In May I got really sick. Flu for 2 weeks. Couldn't keep anything down. Went to every doctor in the book and had all kinds of testing done. At a last result they took my Gall Bladder, but that didn't resolve anything but give me digestive issues. Fun huh?
Symptoms were: anxiety (for no reason), couldn't sleep AT ALL (would wake every hour IF I could fall asleep and....no sleeping pills would work), fast pulse, tender breasts and swelling, digestive problems, migraines etc.
The majority of the doctor's blamed all these symptoms on anxiety and even put me on an anti-depressant that did NOTHING but make me gain 20 lbs. Yay for me!
Sooo...I finally took matters into my own hands and submitted a saliva test and found a female DO that would help me read it. Low and behold my Estrogen was below half of the lowest range, Progesterone low normal, Testosterone low normal, DHEA low normal, and morning Cortisol very low.
Now I am on Estradiol 1mg and Natural Progesterone and have been for about 3 days. Wondering about how long for this stuff to kick in and start to feel normal??
Hi there! I'm new here and 35....possibly going through peri also. i have had quite confusing health situations since Oct. i am a healthy eater, i do yoga and meditation and am not overweight. All of my doctors just keep telling me I'm too young and it's highly unlikely. I don't know what to think anymore. It started with a simple brain fog...almost like I was slightly buzzed from drinking. I just felt "off". It used to be during my period....then more and more until it was here every day of my life! Along with this I had the occasional night sweat (litterally 3 nights in a row, once a month), fatigue and my past few periods have been late like two weeks. (Currently I'm 2 weeks late now). I have three kids and my husband had a hysterectomy so no chance in pregnancy. Anyway, I have had 3 ER visits, MRI, complete heart work up (besides pvc's all good), infectious disease doctor with detected a week positive for auto immune...but again all else was normal! I've been misdiagnosed with hypoglycemia. Something is off but no one can find it. At this point I'm currently seeing my uncle who is a homeopathic doctor. He has put me on natural cleanses, adrenal support and natural supplements. All have helped somewhat...but still seem to be off. I currently have added anxiety...still a slight "fog"'and sometimes strange lightheadedness...which adds to anxiety. i guess last thing is hormones! i am going to try out this o'natural bioidentical progeserone cream. its supposed to balance out everything...naturally....w/o sideeffects. hope it works! anyway, glad to see im not alone! Be well
Re: Perimenopause at the ripe age of 33. 
