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| Doctor, am I experiencing Perimenopause? | ||
| Q: About 2 years ago
I told
my obgyn that I wasn't feeling myself mentally. He just handed
me a prescription for Prozac. I did for 2 months and decided I
did not want to take it. After a few months I was put on the
birth control pill called mircette. I stayed on that for about 6
months and it did not seem to help. I then went to a different
doctor and he told me it must be anger and anxiety and put me on Paxil.
He also put me on Clonazepan for sleeping at night. I was on
that for 1 year. Just this past month I went back to him and
told him I did not want to be on Paxil anymore. It has been only
3 weeks since going off the Paxil. The physical side effects
seem to have left but I feel worse mentally then ever before. Crying
all the time and angry with people, no one can please me.
I know I am awful to live with and I am just wondering what
suggestions you might have. Is this perimenopause? Where
should I go for help? A: This kind of troubles are best treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist. |
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| Q:
I was told at age 39 that my fsh level
was high (about 25) and that I had started the menopause (I am now
41). Since then I have had irregular periods. Sometimes
they are completely normal and I suspect that ovulation has
occurred, but other months I have very long cycles (45 days) or
normal length cycles with very long bleeds (sometimes as long as 3
weeks). At the moment I have been bleeding for 9 days and feel
very tired. I also have period pains. Is this normal for
perimenopause? I worry sometimes about the long bleeds,
especially when they are accompanied by pain. I have been trying for 5 years to become
pregnant (since my second marriage) and assume now that this is
impossible. My last fsh was 35. Please
can you tell me if everything sounds normal, or should I consult a gynecologist? Apart from early menopause I have a great life. A: This pattern of bleeding is typical for perimenopause. This will be your pattern until menopause (the last menstrual period). Usually in the last phase of perimenopause the intervals become larger: 2-3 months with occasionally short intervals in between. It is completely unpredictable. The chance to become pregnant with these data will be very, very small. |
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| Q: I am 43 years old and am
having symptoms such as night sweats and during the day. I have this
warmth on my thighs that feels like I have just put on a pair of
slacks that have just been ironed. This warmth seems to affect my
thighs and moves up my body to my face, where I then seem to break out
in a small sweat. I seem to even have some sort of rash on my thighs
prior to my period. My periods have always been sort of heavy
especially on the 2nd and 3rd day of my 5 day period. I normally have
to wear a tampon and pad that I have to change at least every 1 1/2 to
2 hours. I also have breast tenderness 1 week before my period, and as
soon as my period starts, the next day my breasts stop hurting. I also
get leg cramps as well as aching. Sometimes I feel like something is
crawling on my skin, especially my arms and legs. Lately I've even
begin to experience water retention in my ankles during my period
which I had never had a problem with and some anxiety. Do you think
with these symptoms this can be a sign of perimenopause? A: This sounds much more like Premenstrual Syndrome than perimenopause. |
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| Q: I am forty years old.
My first child was born when I was 31. I delivered identical twins at
35. I have had classic PMS symptoms for years. However, since
age 36 things have gotten much worse. I started taking Paxil at 37 and
while it worked for awhile to relieve the depression, anxiety and
crying spells, I also began gaining weight. My appetite
got so good that I have gained 45lbs. in 3 1/2 years. I have
joint aches, insomnia, a very short fuse, itching from head to toe,
depression, memory lapses etc.. My blood work shows hyperthyroid .01
and my cortisol is normal. My FSH is elevated, testosterone low
normal, dhea normal. Am I perimenopausal? A: It is all a question of definition. Elevated FSH at age 40 is quite normal and tells us something about ovarian function. The start of perimenopause is defined as the change in menstrual pattern. Usually elevated FSH and shortening of menstrual cycle comes together. PMS is often aggravated during perimenopause. But all this has nothing to do with weight gain. Weight gain is not a perimenopausal symptom. It can be a symptom of depression. But most times it is simple a discrepancy between needs (exercise, work, metabolism) and intake (to much food). |
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| Q: I am 38 years old and
have completed my family. I am considering a tubal. Can you give me any insight on how a tubal may affect my menopause? A: A tubal sterilization will not affect menopause. It has nothing to do with it. |
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| Q:
I am a 28 year old woman who was told by
my nurse-practitioner that it looks like I
am going through extraordinarily early perimenopause. I went
to her because I started having headaches - she found them to be
migraines due to hormonal problems - and she began asking questions
which all seem to lead to perimenopause. My periods have
become very heavy, very long and very painful ( last month I
caught myself doing middle phase labor type of breathing and
realized it was my reaction to the cramps). I have had five
children in seven years, and haven't really had a chance to have
many regular periods before getting pregnant again until now.
I have been experiencing painful intercourse at times, vaginal
dryness, intense cramp-like pain following my periods, a feeling of
"fuzziness" or memory loss, confusion of sorts, very
unlike me, anger, unusually difficult PMS, I have even
told my husband that at times I feel like I am losing my mind, I
don't know what in the world is going on inside of me.
And the headaches have also been awful, they have built up to daily,
sometimes from the time I wake until I go to bed I have a headache.
Actually that is the norm now, it is rare not to have a headache.
Any advice? I already am scheduled to see my OB-GYN in a
couple of weeks for my annual well-woman appointment, and she has
seen me since my first pregnancy and delivered all five of my
children and done a cone biopsy on me about 8 years ago for
dysplasia. If you have any advice at all, I would
appreciate it. A: Why thinking of perimenopause in this story? I do not recognize any typical symptoms. Are there reasons to consider being stressed and burned-out as the main cause of your problems? Maybe, you can try oral contraceptive pills for your menstrual problems and look for time for yourself if possible with a large family with many young children. Please review this article "Do I have endometriosis?" by Peg Pepping, RN, which relates to your question about pain after intercourse. |
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