Multiple health issues due to menopause?

20 years ago

Hello everyone! I'm new here, and hoping that I might find others who had or are having a similar experience to mine.

I'm 42 years old, and ever since my last pregnancy when I was 34 I have had gradually increasing signs of perimenopause. Also since that time, I've had a myriad of health issues that I am almost convinced are linked to hormonal changes.

I've had tummy problems, and the only diagnosis I've received was having a small ulcer and, more recently, irritable bowel. The most aggravation I experience in that area seems to coincide with variations in my monthly cycle. I know that a lot of women report various digestive problems during the process of menopause, and have been treating recently with acidopholus which seems to help.

What I took to be anxiety has recently been identified as SVT. I'm currently awaiting an appointment with a cardiac arrhythmia clinic.

I have always had extremely low blood pressure - generally in the 90/60 range. Rather suddenly, in the last few years, it has climbed to 135/80 or so. Still not a bad reading, but the suddenness of the change concerns me.

Also in recent years, I've developed an intolerance to cold or extreme heat. When the environmental temperature dips to 68 F, my hands and feet turn white and feel somewhat numb. Further decrease in temp. can cause them to become sore and stiff.

I experience "crawling skin". This was at it's worst during pregnancy, but is still present eight years later.

I find it very hard to believe that there is not a link between at least some of these problems and hormonal changes since, prior to my last son's birth, I was in general good health. My concern is that I don't want to be treated for a lot of symptoms if the underlying cause is menopausal. Unfortunately, I'm having a great deal of trouble convincing my own M.D. of how strongly I feel about this. I've been shuffled to this or that specialist, and feel that what is really needed is a good look at the whole picture.

I would very much appreciate hearing from anyone with thoughts on this dilemma of mine! The funny part, to me, is that I don't think I'm going crazy because of my symptoms, but because I can't find anyone to listen and help me be proactive about them!

Thanks a bunch, in advance.

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Comments (2)

Heathen1
20 years ago
First of all, 135/80 IS a bad reading! 100/80 is more like it for your age.... 90/60 is not very low either... :o) when I was a long distance runner, mine was 70/50(resting pulse 45). :o) So, you definitely have high blood pressure, and that's no joke! I am not a doctor, so I can't say what's causing that... in my family, we start out low and go very high... right now I am at 90/70... so I am creeping up.
irritable bowel MAY be caused by perimenopause, OR it could be caused by gallstones, which gave me IBS, OR another link is fibromyalgia.
I don't think that acidopholus will help with ulcers. It's a great thing to have in you, and you need good buggies in your intestinal tract, but I don't think it has much to do with an ulcer.
I am not a doctor, don't even play one. :o) BUT, I would pressure your doc on this, you might have several things going on here... it's POSSIBLE that it's related to perimenopause, it's also possible it's related to a lot of other things. I understand your reasoning though, and treating the underlying symptoms SHOULD be the goal. :o) Maybe your doc needs to figure out WHAT the cause is.
amicus
20 years ago
My sister had some similar problems (sensitive to temperature change, fluctuating blood pressure, heart palpitations, etc.) and assumed she was perimenopausal. It turned out her thyroid was really out of wack. She was put on medication which alleviated most of her weird symptoms, so definitely get yours checked before you start seeking treatment for individual health issues which may or may not be related to perimenopause.
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Multiple health issues due to menopause?

Comments (2)

Heathen1

amicus

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