Is It Over Yet? The Perimenopause Thread

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  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    Well, I learned something new in the menopause symptoms department: frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis.
    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/frozen-shoulder/symptoms-causes/syc-20372684

    Orthopedic surgeon said it is triggered by hormone imbalance: insulin (diabetes), thyroid (hypo- or hyper) or menopause (!). He said most of his patients are postmenopausal women. I'm not, but I'm hoping to reach the 1-year mark within a year. 166 days is my longest stretch, and I'm presently approaching that for the 3rd time. Bright spot is nothing is torn or requires surgery, but it is very painful and takes 1-2 years to be back to normal. So depressing. Ceased all strength training 2 months ago. Have dozens of tedious exercises for it, and they HURT. Inflamed ligaments deep in the joint won't stretch, and that is what restricts range of motion. The only thing that speeds recovery, he says, is a steroid shot deep in the joint. That sounds pretty unpleasant, too. It's my next step if insufficient progress after 2 month of exercises. I asked if there were other joints that experience ligament "freezing" due to hormone imbalance, and he said no. He is a shoulder specialist, though.

    Anyone else experience this?
    I realize that I am a couple years late or whatever, but this totally happened to my Mom! We assumed it was arthritis, and I helped her dress everyday. It went away in 10 months, and she started being able to move. I thought she might just be in some sort of arthritic remission... but it never came back! I would have never guessed until you wrote that.

    Also, 48 I have cycles and I thought last year that I might have dementia real bad. I also have fibroids, I also got melanoma.. but that is unrelated. Or it would have been if the cancer dr. didn't top me up on some nice cushy IV iron! Best thing ever! Seemed to help some of the dementia, which made me wonder. Then I started have vengeful night sweats with an incapacity to get back to sleep. Now I know that even though I had incredibly long painful crazy periods - I was definitely and still am going through peri. Since I have had short cycles, and long periods. So much bleeding, I am about to check ferritin levels again next week. Also, checking hormones - but I don't really know what the purpose of checking my hormones are. I mean, I know they are full on crazy and I am in peri - what exactly is the point of going.. yep, hormones are crazy lady!!

  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    I also had cold flashes which came from inside my chest and I just couldn’t get my core temp up. Honestly, those were more uncomfortable and of longer duration than hot flashes for me. Some days it just feels like my temperature regulation isn’t working.

    Now that I have an idea what is going on, I have had momentary hot then sometimes 6 hours of deep freeze! So since I live in Houston, Tx. I couldn't tell if it was a hot flash - but now I know. Then I also felt super hot and super cold at the same freakin time!! Yep, at the time I didn't know what it was about or what was going on.. but now I am thinking, I am in full peri and it is just part of the broken thermometer syndrome.

    For the night sweats, which have just started a month ago - that is when I knew something was up. Even though I had the hot and freeze and all that. I got a waterproof sheet, but I am having some pretty severe issues sleeping.

    I have decided when I am sweating, won't stop and cannot sleep - I work out. Yep, after a few deep freeze workouts during the day, when I literally couldn't sweat... I just was like, maybe if I do the night sweat thing - get my workout going, I mean I am already halfway there... That is what I decided to do this week. So far so good. Nothing odder than sweating all night in bed, then being unable to sweat when you workout! I really wanted to yell at Jo with her sweating everywhere self! I drink a gallon of water a day, but for peri - should I increase that?? Where is a freakin chart people!!

  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    I've had a few months of manageable symptoms. The ibuprofen on my bleeding days really does work to take the edge off the super heavy bleeding, and bring it into a "heavy but manageable" area. I wasn't having any hot flashes and very little trouble with sleep. And then March came....

    O.M.G. I have had the WORST hot flashes of my life this month. They've been coming in clusters. Just when you think, "yay, that's over", here comes another one. During the day they are annoying, but it's been really rough at night. They start at about 3 or 4 am and wake me up. From about 3-4-ish until I have to get up (~6am), I'm doing an endless cycle of: wake up, throw off all blankets and sweat, pull blankets back on because now I'm cold, doze for about 30 minutes to an hour, repeat. I'm surprised I'm even remotely functional during the day.

    @fatty2begone My aunt claims to be one of those "I just stopped one day" women. We can't all be that lucky, I guess. :/
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    edited March 2022
    justanotherloser007 wrote: »
    I have decided when I am sweating, won't stop and cannot sleep - I work out.

    That's an interesting strategy! Do you find you sleep well after that?

    I don't think this is an option for me as the elliptical is in my bedroom. My husband might be more than a bit annoyed if I suddenly fired it up at 3am. Lol! :D
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    dralicephd wrote: »
    Do you find you sleep well after that?

    I don't think this is an option for me as the elliptical is in my bedroom. My husband might be more than a bit annoyed if I suddenly fired it up at 3am. Lol! :D

    I do this in the living room, since I have a sleeping hubby. I just put in a youtube video with no sound, and so far I can sleep 4 hours and feel like a rock star because I got my workout in!

    But, I am having trouble with sleep anytime after that. You would think after four hours of sleep, and a workout I would sleep like a baby. I might doze here and there, but I am working out the "second sleep" part of the equation. I will see the ob/gyn sometime in the next two weeks. Until then, as long as I can get 4 hours I am pretty sure I won't go Kafka insane. That happens with no sleep!

  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    edited March 2022
    Hmm also, for those evidently really brave peri-menopause ladies who decide to lose weight during this time of life, I have a little help! Milk Thistle (silymarin) has been very helpful for the super water fluctuations that I think are at least one reason so many find this time of life difficult to lose weight... I remember one weigh-in I had night sweats all night, got up at 5am slammed 1/2 gallon of water (maybe more) before I realized it was weigh-in day!!

    Water fluctuations can make it difficult to see what sort of weight loss is actually happening. I was actually on milk thistle for other reasons.. spring cleaning of liver.. but it works great for balancing water.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,653 Member
    A little tip for those “burning up inside and sweating like I’m running in 100 degree moments” - I’ve started keeping Biofreeze gel and spray by the bed (the stuff you put on aching muscles). I use it when I wake up boiling and it seems to help a bit. No idea if it’s psychosomatic but I also don’t care - anything which helps me to cool down enough to get back to sleep is good.

    I have also told the people in my office In case I start stripping off (to acceptable limits I hasten to add) as I thought it best just to get it out in the open!
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    My gynecologist recommended some supplements to me that have finally started to kick in. They say you need about 3 months for them to really be effective and they were right on the money with that. The company is Bonafide and the supplements are some kind of Swedish flower. I’m about 4 months in taking them and probably having hot flashes and night sweats about a third as often as I was before and are significantly less intense when they do happen.
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    So... a crazy update. I said earlier that I had crazy hot flashes in March. Guess what? I haven't had a period since then. As someone that has ALWAYS been super regular, it is absolutely not normal for me to skip periods. And now I've skipped two. Was the March craziness the last gasp? A farewell hormonal party? Or are my ovaries just messing with me?

    The downside is that I've still had PMS symptoms and a ton of bloating. The scale is all over the map. It's a little frustrating, especially since I was within a couple of pounds of goal weight. :/ Oh well...
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    For the ladies with the fibroids:

    I had a biopsy today, as it is a very very slight possibility that the bleeding which was super heavy got worse (yeah, I didn't think it was possible either). But, I don't like ANY of the options presented, because I am a brat - and I have no children and would like to stay in tact till my body quits of its own accord.

    Has anyone, who has had fibroids and super heavy bleeding, ever taken the option of: do nothing (which I am now thinking of as the unspoken option)?

    I am 48, and I think I can ride this crazy ship until I am 58.. whatever, it is my ride - however bumpy. Is there any particular reason Dr.'s don't mention this?? What don't I know?
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I have fibroids and my heavy periods have settled down a bit. But I am by no means an expert and my docs are monitoring me pretty closely. From the research I’ve undertaken, the crime-scene-periods can come and go thoughout peri, but I guess it really depends on how you’re coping with the impact, and whether you reach a tipping point when you become ill. sending best wishes as it can be pretty grim!
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    I have fibroids and took birth control pills (on top of a hormonal IUD) to control the bleeding for a few years. That quit working and an ultrasound showed that not only had they grown considerably, they had encapsulated my IUD and turned it completely upside down. I ended up needing surgery to remove the IUD and the doctor also removed about 25% of the fibroids. Not sure if that counts as "still intact", but I haven't had more than a little spotting since August. I still have all of my original parts and most of the fibroids, but am definitely not missing the rest of the mess! I've been warned that when my periods come back, they'll likely be heavy, but until then I'll be grateful for the respite.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited April 2022
    justanotherloser007 wrote: »
    For the ladies with the fibroids:

    I had a biopsy today, as it is a very very slight possibility that the bleeding which was super heavy got worse (yeah, I didn't think it was possible either). But, I don't like ANY of the options presented, because I am a brat - and I have no children and would like to stay in tact till my body quits of its own accord.

    Has anyone, who has had fibroids and super heavy bleeding, ever taken the option of: do nothing (which I am now thinking of as the unspoken option)?

    I am 48, and I think I can ride this crazy ship until I am 58.. whatever, it is my ride - however bumpy. Is there any particular reason Dr.'s don't mention this?? What don't I know?

    Do you literally mean make no changes at all or are you open to non-surgical options? Because there are lots of those!

    1. I had success last year with reducing my bleeding by presumably reducing my circulating estrogen levels with dietary changes - reducing fat and saturated fat, and increasing fiber. I started that journey here:

    https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain

    That website does have a vegan agenda, but I verified the concepts elsewhere, and also in the laboratory of my body.

    I fell off that wagon while preparing to sell my house and move in with family, and would like to get back on it, but there are a number of reasons why I'm not in an emotional place to do it.

    I ate a lot less red meat, butter, and cheese, and more EVOO, chicken, legumes, and other high fiber foods.

    2. Did you see my earlier posts about Prometrium (a bioidentical progesterone) and Tranexamic Acid? That plus the lower fat/higher fiber diet was working pretty well, but then my periods starting coming every 18 days and I switched to a different progesterone (norethindrone acetate) that I take continuously (no one week break), which is supposed to stop the bleeding all together, but alas, does not.

    3. I'm 55 and should go into menopause any second now, but am tired of waiting, and have enormous fibroids, and finally got the approval to get Lupron Depot injections. This should put me into menopause and keep me there.

    The following talks about using Lupron to shrink fibroids before surgery, but because I am 55, everyone is on board with me taking it to bridge me to menopause, without surgery.

    https://www.luprongyn.com/content/pdf/fibroids-patient-brochure.pdf
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I'm 55 and still have yet to have a hot flash, but am always hot. This was not a problem when I controlled the thermostat, but now I am living with my 84 year old mother, who is always cold. I just found out Gabapentin can help with night sweats and that SSNRIs can help with peri/menopausal vasomotor symptoms during the day. I was already taking the lowest dose of Cymbalta available, and have just switched to a higher dose, which I think I needed for some mental health issues as well.
  • fatty2begone
    fatty2begone Posts: 249 Member
    Almost 54 and still perimeno. I have a period monthly, regularly. Although last month snuck up and didnt linger. I usually have killer backaches starting a week before and during, spot a few days before actual flow. (Spot and flow last around 1 week). No backache warning, no spotting, and flow done in 2 day this month. Very heavy 1st day then calmed to nothing.
    I sure hope this is not a fluke and it is a sign I might be entering into occasional and light very soon.

    So sorry for all with fibroids. The heavy bleeding nonstop must be agonizing.

    Sending menopause fairy dust to all.
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    edited May 2022
    kshama2001 wrote: »

    Do you literally mean make no changes at all or are you open to non-surgical options? Because there are lots of those!

    1. I had success last year with reducing my bleeding by presumably reducing my circulating estrogen levels with dietary changes - reducing fat and saturated fat, and increasing fiber. I started that journey here:

    https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain
    I ate a lot less red meat, butter, and cheese, and more EVOO, chicken, legumes, and other high fiber foods.

    2. Did you see my earlier posts about Prometrium (a bioidentical progesterone) and Tranexamic Acid?

    Thank you! Yes, I meant non-surgery options. And also, I don't really want to take the birth control pill, if I don't have to. It has estrogen in it anyway, and I DON'T need that! I took Tranexamic Acid for two months and it damaged my kidneys (and I really need those!). I will look into my diet, thanks for the info.

    I don't eat red meat or drink milk or eat cheese (I am allergic to whey, and my Mom's cooking made me HATE beef from a tender age) I am eating a high fiber diet, but it looks like I could bump up my broccoli intake. Thank you, I will absolutely look into this. Is there any herbal progesterone type stuff? Because of the fibroids, my Dr. did not think that addressing my progesterone will do anything (and this is where I have problems with the Dr.'s) none of them are willing to address any of my peri-menopause symptoms - it is as if they have never heard of it! So frustrating.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    justanotherloser007 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »

    Do you literally mean make no changes at all or are you open to non-surgical options? Because there are lots of those!

    1. I had success last year with reducing my bleeding by presumably reducing my circulating estrogen levels with dietary changes - reducing fat and saturated fat, and increasing fiber. I started that journey here:

    https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain
    I ate a lot less red meat, butter, and cheese, and more EVOO, chicken, legumes, and other high fiber foods.

    2. Did you see my earlier posts about Prometrium (a bioidentical progesterone) and Tranexamic Acid?

    Thank you! Yes, I meant non-surgery options. And also, I don't really want to take the birth control pill, if I don't have to. It has estrogen in it anyway, and I DON'T need that! I took Tranexamic Acid for two months and it damaged my kidneys (and I really need those!). I will look into my diet, thanks for the info.

    I don't eat red meat or drink milk or eat cheese (I am allergic to whey, and my Mom's cooking made me HATE beef from a tender age) I am eating a high fiber diet, but it looks like I could bump up my broccoli intake. Thank you, I will absolutely look into this. Is there any herbal progesterone type stuff? Because of the fibroids, my Dr. did not think that addressing my progesterone will do anything (and this is where I have problems with the Dr.'s) none of them are willing to address any of my peri-menopause symptoms - it is as if they have never heard of it! So frustrating.

    I've had quite a few GYNs prescribe progesterone FOR the fibroids, so I initially found it odd that yours will not, but after digging see that there is some controversy over this.

    You can try this (also available on Amazon, etc.):

    https://emerita.com/collections/hormone-creams/products/pro-gest-balancing-cream
  • chocorange35
    chocorange35 Posts: 8 Member
    I am sorry to hear about some of the troubles you ladies are experiencing, it ain't easy being female sometimes! For myself I will be 52 in a few weeks and have no menopausal symptoms yet, my periods still coming on the dot and last the usual amount of time. I regularly experience crime scene periods so they are nothing new for me. I am just wanting it to end though, both sis and mum were in late 40s and done, and I am still plodding along buying tampax every month, sigh...
    One day soon...
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    Alright, y'all... help me out. Check out my weight loss graph below. I swear to you that I have not changed anything in the last month with my regular eating and exercise habits (with the exception of the one day of Easter candy madness). Does this look like I've just been maintaining for the last month to you? The last week looks like I'm gaining.

    The only thing that has changed is that I haven't had a period since the beginning of March. Just a coincidence? My original goal weight is set at 145 lbs. (which I frustratingly touched for only one day!), but my current plan was to actually get to 140 and then maintain from there. Now it looks like something is off. After following a plan that has worked for me since August (and 173 lbs.), I'm a little flummoxed. Could it be my evil ovaries, or do I need a readjustment of calories? Thoughts? And before anyone asks, no I'm not pregnant, just old. :D

    091bbd5730x6.jpg


  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited May 2022
    @dralicephd Great job on a steady loss. My initial thought is water retention may be masking loss. And not necessarily because of ovaries. Check out this explanation: https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat

    It's pretty common for scale weight to appear steady for 3+/- weeks and then 3-weeks worth of loss all in 1-2 days. I cannot source this, but I suspect it is more likely the leaner you get. So I would guess it is happening because of your success. Of course, we all know hormones can have big effects on water weight, so it certainly could be a factor as well. Stay the course and give it time.

    Other options are to take a maintenance break for a couple weeks and to update your settings. If you keep your caloric intake steady as your body mass (and TDEE) decrease, your deficit and rate of loss will gradually get smaller. This is good because it is a good idea to slow your rate of loss as you near goal to preserve lean mass. You are near goal! So 0.5lb/week is appropriate. The chart is a little fuzzy so I can't really see your dates. Maybe that is what you are doing already (ETA: it sounds like maybe you have been losing more like 1lb/wk). Nevertheless, recalculating your goal every 20lbs loss isn't a bad idea. Nor is a maintenance break.

    Good luck!
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    @dralicephd Great job on a steady loss. My initial thought is water retention may be masking loss. And not necessarily because of ovaries. Check out this explanation: https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat

    It's pretty common for scale weight to appear steady for 3+/- weeks and then 3-weeks worth of loss all in 1-2 days. I cannot source this, but I suspect it is more likely the leaner you get. So I would guess it is happening because of your success. Of course, we all know hormones can have big effects on water weight, so it certainly could be a factor as well. Stay the course and give it time.

    Other options are to take a maintenance break for a couple weeks and to update your settings. If you keep your caloric intake steady as your body mass (and TDEE) decrease, your deficit and rate of loss will gradually get smaller. This is good because it is a good idea to slow your rate of loss as you near goal to preserve lean mass. You are near goal! So 0.5lb/week is appropriate. The chart is a little fuzzy so I can't really see your dates. Maybe that is what you are doing already (ETA: it sounds like maybe you have been losing more like 1lb/wk). Nevertheless, recalculating your goal every 20lbs loss isn't a bad idea. Nor is a maintenance break.

    Good luck!

    Thanks for the input. I appreciate it! My initial thought was water retention also, but I've just never had water retention last this long. I've also never gone this long without a period. That's why I jumped to the perimenopause hypothesis. :smile: I suspect the truth is probably some crazy combination of things.

    Sorry for the fuzzy picture. Anyhoo, my progress has been this: I've gone from 173lbs. to 147-ish lbs. over 40 weeks (0.65 lbs./week). Over that time I've experienced plateaus of about 1-2 weeks, but this is going on longer than I have experienced previously, hence the confusion.

    I'm too close to my goal to want to take a maintenance break, so maybe it is just simply time to adjust my calorie settings again and see what that does.

    Thanks again for your thoughts. (And the link.)
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    edited May 2022
    @dralicephd some of the previous peri-menopause ladies who had longer times between periods seemed to have a longer water retention phenomenon as well. While I am only having closer and closer periods, my usual water weight retention has certainly gotten bigger 7-10 pounds of water weight gain not being outside the norm (yeah, try dealing with that when you are trying to lose 4 pounds a month lols). It is at least possible that your body, which is in flux, is in "double moon unicorn phase tide".

    I know it sounds like I just made that up. Because I did! For me I call it the "unicorn slaughter moon", because of the intense bleeding. But the water is a dicey beast, and this peri-meno just seems so much slushier. I don't know how many women try to lose weight at this time in their life, I see a number after menopause. I bet all of them really had to contend with chaotic water principles, bigger than the normal general population water principles.

    It is a tough call, but for me there have been many times that I just had to hold to what I know I was doing right, and holding the line. When I see the scales acting particularly watery, I just make sure that 1) am following calories properly 2) am concentrating on fitness. One time on a thread a lady said, "If you hold your calories long enough and properly enough, no matter how many carbs you eat, salt you ingest, or alcohol you drink CICO will absolutely be king." I try to remember that.
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 402 Member
    justanotherloser007 wrote: »
    @dralicephd some of the previous peri-menopause ladies who had longer times between periods seemed to have a longer water retention phenomenon as well. While I am only having closer and closer periods, my usual water weight retention has certainly gotten bigger 7-10 pounds of water weight gain not being outside the norm (yeah, try dealing with that when you are trying to lose 4 pounds a month lols). It is at least possible that your body, which is in flux, is in "double moon unicorn phase tide".

    ................(snip)

    It is a tough call, but for me there have been many times that I just had to hold to what I know I was doing right, and holding the line. When I see the scales acting particularly watery, I just make sure that 1) am following calories properly 2) am concentrating on fitness. One time on a thread a lady said, "If you hold your calories long enough and properly enough, no matter how many carbs you eat, salt you ingest, or alcohol you drink CICO will absolutely be king." I try to remember that.

    LOL! Thanks for this. Yes, I'll sit tight and keep my faith in CICO and just deal with the "double moon unicorn phase tide". :D Turning my attention to fitness is probably a good idea in this crazy time of life, too. And focus on drinking more water. (Apparently that helps with water retention.)

    I've never had 7-10 lbs. of water retention before, but it's good to know that's a possibility.
  • sheahughes
    sheahughes Posts: 133 Member
    At 36 I may be in peri, my mum said she entered menopause early so it does run in the family. I had the implant due for removal 2 years ago and completely forgot about it, for the first year after it was due out I had regular light periods with the odd heavy and painful one, roughly every 28 days as per usual but the last 12 months they've either been out of schedule, very light (only spotting), non-existent or occasionally heavy. No idea what is going on but the implant is finally booked in to be removed and a new one inserted Saturday so I shall see what happens over the next 12 months.

    (Yes, I am extremely aware of how lucky I have been not to end up pregnant with my on-again-off-again partner)
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    dralicephd wrote: »
    I've never had 7-10 lbs. of water retention before, but it's good to know that's a possibility.

    I think my experience is exaggerated due to angioedema/hives and sometimes prednisone.

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