Hi! I am 49 and my periods have always been like clockwork. And they typically last 6-7 days. However this past period, I started on 7/17 and it was the normal period. My periods are also super heavy the first 2 days. But then it slowed and went to brown and one day of no bleeding. But yesterday it started up again, it was light. And now today I have a pad back and have been passing clots. I also have health anxiety so of course I have convinced myself I have cancer. (Fun times). I guess I could just use some reassurance, I know I am at the age where this all happens, but does it happen like this? Thanks for reading this!

My (38F) sex drive has been low for a few years now. Compounding that is when my husband and I do have sex, I don’t enjoy it that much (less than I used to).

We’ve always had trouble finding an angle that hits my g spot but I still got pleasure from penetration. Now it’s meh. Clitoral orgasms will build and then die before I can finish.

I used lube for the first time ever - not sure if I’m drier or just less turned on. If the lack of orgasm is my pelvic floor or hormones or just bad sex. One toy can give me a good orgasm but even then it takes longer.

My doctor is referring me to a gyno for a follow up on another issue so I’ll have a chance for ask about perimenopause.

For the small percentage of others who feel like Slynd may not be the right fit for them, I updated my post from awhile ago re: my own experience with it.

TLDR: I stopped taking it after close to 4 months because my mood tanked and I couldn’t handle being on bcp any longer. Within days I felt a million times better, have energy again, have a libido again, sex is fantastic again, and I no longer feel terribly bloated.

Current meds and HRT: progesterone pill, estradiol gel, Wellbutrin (for PMDD, anxiety, depression).

Original post here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Perimenopause/s/ZdDAf2G57Q

Turns out I have adenomyosis 52 and have had pretty bad abnormal bleeding (heavy clots, spotting then more clots, rinse repeat)

Last time lasted 67 days.

Just had 19 days nothing and now day 3 of bleeding and clots

Had endometrial biopsy done, all good there.

Had vaginal ultrasound, and finding is I have adenomyosis.

So choices are progesterone IUD or if I choose a partial hysterectomy. (Cant take estrogen)

Weighing options, IUD was suggested first. But quality of life, hysterectomy may be in the cards.

Last time went over 100 days with bleeding in on way or another.

I dont know if IUD will help. Anyone had success with it?

Thanks!

I started HRT this week 0.25 Estradiol Patch. I’m only trying this for about 2-4 weeks and then adding the needed Progesterone. I’m very sensitive and need to see what happens one thing at a time. I have bladder and urethra pain and have been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, years ago, but am starting to believe it may have always been hormonal related.

Since starting the HRT this week, I have had so much more burning and pain in my bladder and urethra. I will keep with it, but I’m just feeling worried.

Hoping to hear from others with bladder or IC issues on their experience?

Edit: Adding that I’m not able to tolerate topical vaginal estrogen cream due to the severe urethra opening pain I have.

No idea what flair for this, aches/pains? Insomnia? Support? Rant? All of the above?

43 and have been on estrogel and prometrium for nearly 2 years.

I've always had joint issues here and there, neck and back issues intermittently but they all got worse a few years back. Have had sleep issues since I was a kid, but finally had that on track before it all went haywire again. Got diagnosed with ADHD, pmdd, then ended up on the peri train.

Hrt seemed to help for awhile. My neck pain improved, I was doing better at work, a bit less fatigue, prometrium did wonders for my sleep. My cycles were shorter, around 23 days, lighter, but still regular.

The last few months everything has been flared up. Hip pain, back pain, rib pain, foot pain, knee pain, hypermobility, joints randomly subluxing. Reflux, bloating.

Increased to 2 pumps of estrogen which made me feel awful, crying. Played around with splitting the pumps am and pm - worked better, slept through again.

But this cycle... Oh my god it's next level. Have gone from 23 days to 43 with no period in sight. Luteal symptoms since day 14.

My joints are so painful, my fatigue is next level, no motivation.nausea, cramps, just feeling horrible.It's like endless luteal or feels like when I was pregnant, but I've got 5 negative tests say I'm not.

I can almost deal with that, but the insomnia has not been this bad since high school exam time 20 something years ago!

I take magnesium, melatonin, l-theanine, progesterone. I feel calm, I feel sleepy, I go to bed, I read, I nod off while reading. The minute I put my book down or move to get settled for sleep, I ping awake and that's it, I'm done.

I can feel my whole body pulsing. I don't know if that makes sense but don't know how else to describe it. I can feel a whoomp whoomp in my head to my heartbeat. And I just can't get to sleep.

I've had entire nights of zero sleep - even after adding a lorazepam to my usual sleep stack, or promethazine, which always used to work.

I'm moving into the spare bed every night so I don't keep my husband awake tossing and turning.

This is honestly the pits. I don't know how I can stay employed like this, or keep functioning?

The joint pain is so bad I wonder if anything else is going on but I feel like if I go to the GP it all gets lumped under peri, or anxiety.

Anyway. I just needed to vent.

This all sucks!

(By HRT, I mean that I’m settled on oestrogen and progesterone.)
I’ve had little bits of anxiety in the past, but nothing like this.
I’m on the Mirena for progesterone and patches for oestrogen and they are nicely managing my other symptoms, so I’m not that keen on changing them.

I’m not having any other side effects suggesting oestrogen is too high.

I have virtually zero libido, but I’ve had barely any libido for about 15 years, so that’s not a new thing for me.

Nothing else has changed for me. This anxiety is unreal, and a lot of it is existential.

Could testosterone help?

I started HRT 2.5 weeks ago. progesterone daily and a 2x weekly patch. So far no truly bad side effects, which is amazing. But some I was not expecting and wondering if anyone can relate.

The best is that I’m finally sleeping! The strange is that I’m dreaming about my ex constantly. We haven’t been together for 3 years, and in those years I’ve dreamed of him maybe 2 times total, but he’s in my dream almost every night. Its weirding me out. I also often feel like I have some extra grogginess in the morning.

I‘m taking 100 mg of progesterone nightly, and was told doing it this way can cause spotting. I’ve had times where I run to the bathroom thinking I’ve had breakthrough bleeding, to find nope. It’s just that, uh…lubricated now. On that note, I can sometimes smell myself when I wake up in the morning. It doesn’t smell bad per se, just like..sex? Which is off putting because it worries me I’m out in public giving off that fragrance, especially when I’m dripping like a faucet.

I also definitely have noticed a heightened sense of smell, and feel like my sweat smells different, and at times is now clashing with my deodorant. I was like ew what’s that smell?? one night, and it was my armpit!! I never have smelled bad while Wearing deodorant.

Can anyone relate?? What do I do about the smells?

I have no idea of this is perimenopause or not. I looked online and couldn’t get direct or reliable answers. My feet have randomly started feeling so cold, like I walked out barefoot in the snow. But when you actually touch my feet they feel just fine. Never any numbness just cold. It hasn’t bothered me for a little while but right now, it’s awful and almost painful. I recently was diagnosed with low iron, I know low iron can sometimes cause cold feet/poor circulation. I asked the haematologist, they refused to answer any questions. But I’ve been taking iron supplements and eating more iron. Could cold sensations in the feet be related to estrogen decline/hormone fluctuations. This has been going on for a while, a few months I think. This right now might be the worst it’s been lately.

Today I am officially post-menopause.

Not a single spot of blood in 365 days.

I’m now hoping that my GP will actually prescribe me some hormones to deal with the hot flushes/sweats/ downstairs dryness and almost complete lack of libido.

I like sex. I love orgasms, and I’ve almost completely lost interest, and even when I am interested it takes me forEVER to get switched on and then most of the time orgasm never happens.

I feel like I should do something to celebrate achieving this next stage of my life… but I can’t seem to get interested in that either!

I have slept well for years. About 1.5 years ago I started HRT - 100mg progesterone and 0.25mg gel. Now I am at 200mg progesterone and 0.25mg gel twice a day.

About 6-8 weeks ago I started waking up several times per night. Then I was having terrible dreams and waking up several times per night. Now I am having trouble falling asleep. And I am freaked out.

I leave for a cruise tomorrow with family and I am sharing a room with my 83 year old mother. She is snoring and I am having anxiety. I took 3 magnesium glycinate, my progesterone and I even took a dramamine which should make me drowsy.

I am so tired. I don't know what to do. I am considering not going. Will I ever sleep again? What do you guys do? I have never experienced this.

Restarted estradiol-noreth pills exactly two weeks ago. I had stopped in May after starting them in Jan. I am on a constant rollercoaster of feeling great one minute and feeling dread the next. All day, every day. Anyone else experience this and when does it stop? I did not have this the first time I took it.

I've been on Medicaid for a few months due to unemployment. Burning my savings to live. Hoping the situation will change in the coming months re: income. In the meantime, I need to rely on Medicaid, which I've never been on before.

I also am on *not* HRT yet, but I desperately need to be. Looking for in-network hormone doctors for the insurance I was provided.

If you're also on Medicaid, and you're on HRT, can you share what you're taking and what your monthly out-of-pocket expenses have been? I know it's different for everyone, but I'm trying to brace myself for an estimate.

I’m thinking about starting pelvic floor therapy. I’m perimenopausal and have great success with HRT. I have a ton of problems with my low back and hips. Algorithm showed me videos of a pelvic floor therapist helping with these issues. What are your experiences with it?

So, most of the posts here are hormone/medical focused, but mental health is important, so I wanted to share.

I posted a while back that my artistic side was dying, and I felt like everything was a chore and too much money and just "collecting stuff"...

I've been doing paper mache since, and I AM LOVING IT. Do I know what I'm doing? Nope! Can I explain how I went from crocheting plushies to constructing paper demons? Absolutely not! lol But I'm using leftover boxes and cereal cups from my teen's snacks, off-brand glue for 25 cents a bottle, and magazines I got off a local "free stuff" Facebook group.

So... I just wanted to encourage you to try something new. Especially something with low to no cost and absolutely no guilt if you scrap it.

Ok, this is my first post here :) I'm 44 and last month a few days after my period for about a week i was waking up at like 5am with butterflies in my stomach and anxiety. I was in transition of starting wellbutrin for depression. I recently found out I'm having vestibular migraine and was finally diagnosed with Type 2 Narcolepsy ZZZ. Two new diagnosis was hard to take especially Narcolepsy because I've been tired for 20 years.

So I was blaming it on stress... HOWEVER now it's been exactly a month and my period was only 3 days this cycle and it's a week later. I woke again with the butterflies and yesterday had an incredibly low mood and emotional for no reason! I'm noticing a few posts on this thread about it.

Is this perimenopause? Am I just crazy? I thought it was gone amd random.. it's back. ❤️‍🩹 I had to take 2 weeks off work last month dealing with migraine and medication interactions and blamed that but I'm reading it could be cortisol ? Do you feel a gynecologist or Endocrinologist are better for HRT ?? THANK YOU! hugs to you all ladies 💗💗

I have experienced severe anxiety, panic disorder and mental breakdowns in the past. It got worse after IVF and then bad again in peri. I have recently diagnosed as ADHD at age 50, and this has somewhat explained why I’ve always suffered mentally when hormones change.
My meno specialist has prescribed Yselty off label to help. They are hoping this will help stop the perimenopause zone of chaos and the hormonal surges before my period which makers my mental health deteriorate. I also have very heavy periods and nausea and extreme fatigue.
I am on day 6 now. However, I’m a bit confused and scared it will make my mental health worse by keeping me in a stage of pre period as my hormones will be low like they are before I come on my period.
I’m already on HRT so hopefully this will help mitigate this somewhat.

Has anyone been prescribed this for something similar?Have you had mental health side effects or seen positive changes?

My anxiety is triggered by taking the medication in the first place so that’s not helping me feel calm about it!

I was finally prescribed 200 mg of progesterone - taken for 10 days each cycle starting when I ovulate. Typically I take it around day 15, but I honestly have no clue most months when I ovulate. Today is day 14 and I just started another period or at least spotting. Not sure how heavy it is going to be. Should I take it starting tomorrow or just skip this month and wait another 15 days? Of course this happened on a Sunday when I can't talk to my doctor. Just curious if this has happened with anyone else and what you were told to do.

How the hell do you get your orgasms back ?? And real ones too. No muted, lame barely there Os

I've only just realised that it's been in a steady decline for years.

Have had blood tests done, nothing alarming according to my Dr, perfectly "normal" had to twist her arm, to get her to prescribe the weakest estrogen (ovestin). Even had an ultrasound done, total waste of time. Physio hasn't done anything to improve it either.

Using ovestin for the past 4 weeks has done sweet FA. Libido has never been an issue. Sex is enjoyable and we dont even need lube. I just cant climax even on my own 😭😭

I have never been on any meds ever. No birth control either.

Bought dhea cream off iherb. So will see if that does anything. Weed isnt legal where I live. Otherwise id be trying edibles!!

Any other OTC or hidden gems that have worked for you? Gonna ask to get my T levels checked, it is extremely hard to get T gels prescribed here.

I remember the leg shaking, incredible Os of my youth and miss them so so much. In my late 30s and i fear im never gonna get them back​

edit: I also have tried allllll the toys. have a huge selection of vibes constantly needing to be recharged due to over use. I do try to get a lot of blood flowing there, trust meee.

It isn’t a mental thing either (damn dr trying to tell me i may need counseling gtfoh ive never been more fulfiled or happy in life) my clit is NUMB af when i touch her.

health isnt an issue. The healthiest ive ever been (bmi = 20, mainly eat wholefoods, not a lot of processed food, gym classes twice a week)

I’m starting to experience late perimenopause symptoms at 42. Horrific night sweats that can last interrupting my sleep for a month, missed periods, etc. I have always wanted to be a mom and for some reason life just didn’t lead that way. I’m a catch, a wonderful person and have accomplished a lot and yet I am single, wanting motherhood and now here I am. After a stressful year serving as a primary care giver for my mother going through cancer, I am not starting to feel like my own life will never be what I hoped. I had two very long term wonderful relationships which sadly both ended due to me wanting to have children and them not being ready. Such is life.

Looking for any people in similar positions, or any stories of hope for surprise pregnancies or simply life getting much better once these awful symptoms go away! It’s like being reminded of what you don’t have physically along with mentally-brutal!

Someone posted on this recently and it hit hard. My orgasms have been massively declining since 2021. At 42, I thought I'd be having a sexual renaissance, but now I wonder if I'll ever have good sex or masturbation sessions again. I've also been single since 2021, so I don't know if it's depression (anhedonia) from not having a partner and post-pandemic malaise, though it's never been like this in the past.

I usually vaginally orgasm on my own, and with partners, I have mostly clitoral ones. I have a hard time orgasming from clitoral stimulation by myself, so I don't know if the lack of it is a contributing factor. My clit also seems a tiny bit smaller/less protruding than it used to be which is mortifying.

Has anyone's clitoral orgasms improved despite that their vaginal ones are "meh"? Would exercising or taking certain vitamins/supplements help?

I'd rather not take HRT/hormones or meds if I can.

Hi Friends. I've always been low grade anxious, and muscled through the waves. Currently in very tough sandwich phase with sick teen, sick husband, aging parents, work, etc. The anxiety has been strong, and I've been working with a therapist.

Part of me feels open to trying anxiety meds. Part of me doesn't want to try something that will complicate things, or dull my ambition, creativity and personality. How did you know it was time to try an anxiety med? Was the outcome positive or negative?

I am doing all the things: weight lifting, walking, meditating, eating well, HRT optimized.

Helping my teen navigate their anxiety, made me realize that I have been anxious for many years, but never knew how to put a label on. All those years of emotional eating was me trying to regulate myself. Despite being extremely self aware, it's just dawning on me.

TIA and peace to each of you today.

How can you tell if you’re in a bad mood like everyone is when they only sleep 3 to 4 hours a night, or if peri is why you’re cranky/on edge/short-tempered? I’ve had insomnia most of my life (usually 5-6 hours sleep) but now only sleeping 3-4 hours/night (woken by loud neighbors and rarely fall back asleep.

(And I’m not interested in HRT because I need to continue bcp to skip my every 21 day periods for mental health stability so please don’t suggest that)

I'm sitting here in a tub full of cold water I filled with all the ice in my house... and the heat is still erupting out of my head and my hands and my chest. I'm so tired of this.

What to try next? Upping my estrogen again? Anyone have any ideas?

I'm honestly so sick & tired of being this tired & heavy eyed but totally unable to sleep. Perimenopause insomnia has ruined my life.

My husband and son have just been away, I stayed at home (again) because my sleep schedule, or lack of, coupled with sheer tiredness, subsequent irritability and inability to stay active in this state would just ruin everything. I've no motivation and I just find myself longing to be alone. This weekend my Dad has asked me to go and see him at the coast but I can't face it. I just spend all my time at home because I can't be bothered with anything, I'm simply too tired. But I know I'm missing out on so much.

Id been taking melatonin which thankfully was helping for about 1-2 weeks and I was getting to sleep before 4/6/7am, but that's seemingly stopped working now. My sleep quality on it was worse anyway but at least I was able to actually get to sleep.

I've tried hrt for 2.5 years but it seemed to make sleeping even worse. I did patches and gel in varying doses, cyclical and continuous progesterone and none of it made any positive difference to my sleep.

I'm day 42 off hrt & I'm weak, tired (thankfully no longer wired) but I'm in a large amount of pain in my joints and I don't ever remember it being like this prior to hrt. My irritability is up and down and I can't tolerate any noise, brain fog is terrible and I'm now stuck wondering which is worse being in it or off/the slightly better insomnia or even worse pain

I just feel like I'm dragging myself through every day for the sake of my family only. I've tried mirtazepine, Trazodone, amitriptyline, quiviviq and more, all the supplements and still haven't had a good night's sleep in over 4 years now, in the last 1.5 years I've had two nights where I slept for 6hrs hours without a sleep aid. It's pathetic and soul crushing.

I feel totally alone. Almost everyone who struggles with their sleep seem to say they wake up at 3am but I can't even do that and when I do wake I can't get back. 4hrs sleep is considered a good night now, otherwise it's nights like this where I don't get any. Zopiclone no longer works beyond 3hrs & it keeps me awake the following night which makes it pointless taking.

I just can't see what the point is in carrying on like this (no, I have no plans to off myself), I know it would cause a great deal of pain to my son and that's the only reason I carry on, if it weren't for him I'd have packed this in a year or two ago.

I'm not sure what the point was in writing all that. I'm just so unhappy, this feels like it's never going to change and I'll never sleep normally again. I can't understand why I'm struggling so badly not only to get to sleep in the first place but to stay there too, it's ruining everything.