Feel like I'm going nuts

[Elle247]

Hello 👋 this ones mainly for the ladies. So I'm wondering what peoples experience is of perimenopause and fibromyalgia. I am 44 this month and since the tail end of my 30s my body and brain has been in a whole new level of awful before my period. The pain, anxiety and mood swings start to ramp up around 14 days before my period and now I've got hot flushes and sweats in the mix as well. When I get a bad hot flush its followed by a migraine of which seem to have hot more painful also. I was on escitaloprám for around 7 months and things settled a bit it wasn't until I came off it to try doluxitine (HUGE MISTAKE) that my symptoms came flooding back. The brain fog and confusion and tiredness all go off the charts in the run up to my period and after a bit googling I now know that perimenopause can result in PMS like symptoms. So my question is this have any of you guys experienced this or are you currently going through this and how did you cope or are you coping. I'm not on any meds but I think I need something. My hormones levels seemed to be ok so what do I do. I was thinking maybe try fluoxetine??? Any advice is welcome right now as I'm struggling. Thank you as always for taking the time to read this post. 🙏😊

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

My fibro symptoms were aggravated massively when going through menopause, and my anxiety and panic attacks joined the party

Hrt helped some of the menopause symptoms - and used mindfulness, meditation, cbt etc to help manage the anxiety

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hello, my body was going threw changes mid thirties , anxiety, proberly depression, heavy periods , I tried telling the doc at the time but didn’t get any help there, following my mum, auntie ,sisters I finished at 44 ,so all along I had a gut feeling I would finish early , I seem too struggle threw it, I wish at the time I had requested too see the female nurse practioner as they seem too be more helpful and understanding where as no offence guys but male doc gave me wrong medication for depression and it was anxiety I had ☹️all the way threw. I hope you get some good advice x

[Iamthemedicalmystery]

I'm now 46, have been peri menapausal since age 38. Still have night sweats and sometimes during the day. I had the contraceptive arm implant hoping it would stop my periods, but for me it didn't. However, my pms that I always had for a week before it started Haa been helped so much. I'm now much less likely to kill someone 😆

I brought a gel cool mat for sleeping, I put it under my sheet and lay on it . This helps not only cool my body down but when I have painful feet and legs it eases the pain a bit.

[Loobielu]

Hiya, I'm 49 and like you from late 30's I started feeling right rough! HRT did help my anxiety and mood and the addition of the mirena coil was a life saver. I'm also on Testosterone which has been great for my libido. It hasn't helped my fibro symptoms though but I still feel its worth having. I started on Duloxetine 3 months ago, it's not life changing yet! Try everything I say, you have nothing to lose by trying HRT. Best of luck x ps the new pre paid yearly menopause certificate for £20 is well worth it 👍

[Blaaland]

Hi, I got a fibromyalgia diagnosis last autumn (I was told it’s ‘not a diagnosis’ but that’s what I had- I take this to mean go off and deal with it yourself 🙄

I have been feeling worse before my periods for several years now (I’m 47) my female gp is very well up on women’s health - I tried mirena coil, it didn’t suit, and after almost a year my body ‘expelled’ it 🫣 it was, however, a great relief not to bleed as much but my pms ( I think it was pmdd to be honest) was still awful if not worse.

I’m now on progesterone (bio- identical) and oestrogen spray (Lenzetto).

I feel it has given me a good boost in mood (life long depression/anxiety) and I haven’t had a flare up since 🤞 my hormone levels weren’t severely off but gp knew I was struggling and to be honest I’d rather take the chance experimenting with hormones as antidepressants have mixed results for me. I’d be in the dark zone about 7 days before my period, now all I have is a brief tearfulness the day before with crushing tiredness. My period is still as heavy and painful unfortunately

So getting a compassionate well informed gp on ‘women’s’ matters - I got the lotto ticket here I feel.

I would def try hormonal path for some relief X

[BlueTofu]

Hello, I didn't develop the body wide fibro symptoms till post menopause. However I was on contraceptive pill for years for PMS ( I got symptoms mid cycle as well as pre and during period) I couldn't have hrt due to family history. My IBS got worse, and I developed Reflux, mood swings, more depression. I just used sage tablets, ate soya no caffeine no alcohol ( low tolerance and terrible hangovers) good diet etc. I developed migraines/ hot flushes from early forties. I don't know how I got through it to be honest. Tried various serotonin meds, can't cope with those. Various IBS/reflux meds, made my hair fall out, which the doctor didn't believe.Wearing cotton layers, large glass of water by bed, cool not cold. Used to go off to toilet and back in the night with hot flushes, because they would be on the way out, by the time I got back to bed.I told people at work when I felt ill, going bright red and dripping sweat must have been a clue! But I was only a retail worker.

I'm still getting hot flushes, set off again by taking Nortriptyline, but I can't tolerate anything else. Your medication may be making things worse.

I feel like I lost umpteen IQ points, and can't trust my brain anymore, and that was before fibro fog. If I could remember things, I could give better advice!

[Debsdelight72]

Morning Elle247,

I didn't know what was going on,

I don't have a mother figure in my life, So didn't know what was happening, I went to our G.P and told her i hadn't had a period for 18 months,And then had something horrible to visit (No not the mother-in law) (She was lovely)Apparently I had a polyp thing which was removed,I Didn't really know what the menopause was or is,But I have it,If the time comes when I'll need something done I'll d it,

After I was assessed in mental health place I was put on doluxitine but I didn't cope very well and changed to fluoxetine, surposed to take in the morning,No thanks to the zombie mode,so I take it at night now,I'm not sure how long I'm meant to take it but it's been around 6 years,I also tried Sertraline for a while in the 00's

You have to kiss a lot of frogs until you get the right meds good luck on your adventure

Take care

Debs

[Elle247 in reply to Debsdelight72]

Hiya Debsdelight72 and thank you for your reply. Can I ask has fluoxetine helped at all? I know I benefit from taking an antidepressant I can't stand feeling like I'm unravelling. 🤯😫😊.

[Debsdelight72 in reply to Elle247]

Sorry Elle247,

I cant always type back straight away,I personally say the sertraline worked in the sense that I was a zombie, (not quite the ones on tv) I would ask Hubby what day it was at least every couple of hrs,So I'm on fluoxetine now have been for 6 years,

I cant really feel any benefit from the damn tablets now

[Buboo]

Hi elle247I feel for you. I am hopefully on the other side now.

I am 57 have fibro, asthma and elhers danlos. I found the perimenopaus and menopause horrible.

I found my doctors useless and started looking at how to help myself.

I found black cohosh was very useful for the flushes and general symptoms although couldn't stay on it forever..about 6 months then you need a break if I remember. I took starflower oil and cod liver for my joints. I also had amitriptyline to help with sleep and nerve pain.

I never took HRT until recently. I have pessaries but I am finding they do lift my mood and I generally feel a bit better with them.

I was given the mirena coil after a fibroid removal OP but I dint get on with it.

I hope my suggestions helps. I do think us ladies have a rough deal with all the lady issues. It does help if your partner is made aware of your issues and is supportive...sometimes you just need a hug.

I wish you the best on this journey..dont give up..it will eventually get better. Xx

[saj01]

Hi Elle,

just wondering if some of your symptoms are related to being perimenopausal? If you're not taking anything which affects your hormones, it would be worth asking your gp for a hormone test to see if you need medication for that problem... it's a well known fact that a hormone imbalance can affect concentration , emotions etc and cause depression... apart from having to deal with the fibro.... that's depressing enough as it is. !

I was on femoston- conti hrt being menopausal until some bright spark of a male dr.... withdrew my prescription, just like that!!... I end up with severe depression and had to stop work . that was before having fibro. They now know that patients should be weaned off hrt !

I'm inclined to suggest going down the hrt road first before taking anything like prozac /fluoxetine because it's addictive.

Take care xx

[Dancerooni]

hi, I feel for you, before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I also had these awful symptoms, I am now on hrt (oestrogen gel and the mirena coil) which has stopped my periods altogether, which helped a lot, but did take a few months to settle down. Since then I have been diagnosed with fibro and take duloxetine, it’s not been great but takes the edge off the pain, hope you can get something that works for you.

[Elle247]

Just wanna say a huge THANK YOU ladies for taking the time to reply to my post its been so very helpful and comforting. Its a really crappy time but I feel less nuts knowing I'm not alone. Its definitely not easy being a gal, who knew the change as my gran called it could having you feeling like this. I really don't know now generations past coped with it. I feel so sorry for all the women that would be classed as having a nervous breakdown that was probably going through perimenopause/menopause. I don't know if doctors especially males have progressed that much since the change days but at least we are more informed and can push for help instead if suffering in silence. Anyhooooo I'm gonna reach out to the doctors again and ask to speak to a female doctor or nurse and take it from there. Thanks again community you are all amazingly supportive, its so very much appreciated 🙏. Much gratitude to you all 🥰😊 xx