Perimenopause ? / BE PERSISTANT !!!

05-22-2002, 07:39 AM

Zoloft has been my savior. About two years ago, I went to my doctor and told him quite litterally, "if you don't give me something, I'm afraid I'm gonna kill someone". Half expecting him to laugh and brush it off, I was surprised to his quick response of "sounds like depression". He eased me on to a dosage of zoloft, which may be increased as needed. I what a world of difference. I had gotten to the point where I, a normally happy happy girl, didnt even want to talk to people... and when I did it was filled with "attitude". It became clear to me that there was a problem when a new tenant in our shared office space approached me and ask if there was a problem between us. After getting past my first thought of wanting to rip her throat out, I realized that if a total stranger saw a bad attitude in me, there was definately a problem.

Since then I have noticed a bunch of different symptons, (which I now believe them to be Perimenopause Symptons). Horrible night sweats, headaches, lack of sex drive, painful intercourse, forgetfullness, heart palptations, major bloating in the abdomen area, weight gain, tired all the time, strange aches and pains (one week my hip hurts, the next week, my hip is fine but my knee is killing me), mood swings (although the zoloft helps keep them tollerable), and a few more I cant think of at the moment. Now that I have done more research on perimenopause, I realize that I have probably been going through this for several years.

I have gone to the OBGYN and had (insisted on having) some blood test done, waiting for the results. At first BOTH doctors laughed at me and said you too young. This BLOWS me away since the OB actually was featured in a hopsital new letter on that exact topic. In this article HE stated that Perimenopause starts in the early 30's. It wasnt until I informed him that my mother had her last period at 40. (Again, Im 39 !)

The moral of the story is... Sometimes we know our bodies better then the experts. If you know something is not right... be persistant.

Chick

[This message has been edited by HDChick10 (edited 05-22-2002).]

[This message has been edited by HDChick10 (edited 05-22-2002).]

05-22-2002, 03:45 PM

oh my god I have been suffering from the same symptoms I know it is perimenopause but I am only 34 so they look at me crazy they just put me on zoloft and said to come back in 3 wks my moms last period was also 41 yrs old and I know I know my body the best when you go from no symptoms to hot flashes, extreme mood swings irregular menses I could go on and on but I hope some one listens soon!!!!

05-23-2002, 01:35 PM

Hi..Tell your doctor to give you a FSH test..They said too, when I was 40, now 45 "your too young" and sure enough, I took the FSH and was MENOPAUSAL..They think your not in the "change" until your late 50's, well, the "change" starts way before that, I was put on Premarin and 12 days of progestrone, and was great EXCEPT for the 12 days on progestrone, was like a crazy woman .Now trying low estrogen BC pill, having bad last few days on it too, so long story shoirt, INSIST you get a FSH test or change doctors, no reason to suffer this out..DEB

05-23-2002, 01:45 PM

thanks Deb I am going in 2 wks I will ask for that test how does the hormone replacement thearpy make you feel? thanks Angie

05-24-2002, 12:55 AM

It seems that HRT affects different women in different ways - some of us are really lucky! I have a 12 month oestrogen implant (dont like pills and the patches were expensive!!) and half a month on primolut which is progesterone. Feel great! A whole lot better than with the hot flashes, mood swings, creepy skin, insomnia, panic attacks etc etc. I wish the periods would stop once and for all but the HRT apparently keeps them going longer (blah!) otherwise I feel like a 20 year old (I'm 53!)

Perimenopause ? / BE PERSISTANT !!!

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