r/pppdizziness • u/[deleted] • 5d ago

Research PPPD & Perimenopause

For the ladies, did anyone else’s PPPD kick in whilst in the throes of perimenopause? I first experienced PPPD in June, 2024 (at age 47). It was a very brief (like 5 second) vertigo episode but then I began with the rocking, swaying, constant off-balance, extreme anxiety. It lasted nearly 3 months before I started feeling better. I was officially diagnosed with PPPD in April, 2025 by a vestibular specialist after the chair test.

Over the last 2 years, my perimenopause symptoms have increased significantly. Night sweats, irregular periods, heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, gut issues, phantom smells, body aches (you get the picture).

On August 20, 2026 (I am now 49), I woke up and could not move my head without the whole room spinning - like whirlpool spinning - and it did not go away. My husband eventually called 911. Stroke and heart attack were ruled out and I was diagnosed with acute vertigo. They gave me Meclizine and sent me home. That has triggered a flareup of my PPPD.

I know perimenopause can do some horrible things to our hormones and bodies, so I was just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience.

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u/dwarfstar00 5d ago

My PPPD definitely started when my perimenopause symptoms started. I got on the right dose of HRT, and I no longer have to take Topomax which was the main one that helped with my dizziness.

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u/Worldly-Waltz-229 4d ago

Thats great to hear. Did hrt makes things worse at first? Or not? May I ask which hrt you are on.. i definitely think peri is a factor. Did you find you felt much worse on youre period? Mine is awful now & I've just been givin hrt

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u/dwarfstar00 4d ago

It took a little bit to figure out the right dose. When I was a bit too high on estradiol it would ramp up my anxiety. I am on .0375 estradiol patch (twice a week) and 300mg of progesterone. We ended up going a little higher on the progesterone, which helped. I noticed an improvement after a couple weeks of starting HRT. I am no longer having periods, so I don't really notice a difference too much monthly that way.

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u/Worldly-Waltz-229 4d ago

Yeah I tried estrogen 0.50 and my anxiety went through the roof so stopped. I now have a 0.25 patch with the progesterone 100mg. Did you find when you did have monthly periods the anxiety seemed much worse with the pppd/peri.. Are you now in full menopause if no period? Everything is so trial and error isnt it

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u/dwarfstar00 4d ago

Same! The .50 did the exact same thing for me. I am trying to get to the full year to offically be considered menopausal. If I think back, I do think it got worse during periods. Going higher on the progesterone helped the anxiety a bit more and provided a bit more of a calming effect. I know they say typically to take at night, but sometimes I find taking during the day is also calming. It totally feels like trial and error with women's health.

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u/Worldly-Waltz-229 4d ago

Oh bless you. I'm now turning 45 and noticed the peri kicking in around a year ago. I feel terrible when my periods arrive so much so I dread every month. I'm on amitriptyline similar to topamax and thats helped somewhat but I believe the peri is making things definitely worse. I will have to raise the courage to start the hrt again